Also thought to be in
attendance will be Her Majesty’s lady-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey.
Susan, who has been described as the late monarch’s right-hand woman, worked
closely with the Queen and was considered a great friend. Find out more
about her and her roles, as well as other ladies-in-waiting below…
Who
were the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting?
As mentioned, Lady Susan
Hussey, who was married to the late BBC chairman Marmaduke Hussey, was one of
the Queen’s most trusted members of staff. She accompanied the Queen at the
funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh in 2021 and is also godmother to Prince
William.
In addition to Baroness
Hussey, the late monarch had a number of other women around her, known as the
‘Head Girls’, some of whom were a part of the Queen’s team for over 60 years.
The Queen’s other ladies-in-waiting were: Dame Mary Morrison, Lady Elizabeth
Leeming, Susan Rhodes and Dame Annabel Whitehead.
In December 2021 two of the
Queen’s closest ladies in waiting passed away, Fortune FitzRoy, the Duchess of
Grafton, 101, and Lady Farnham, 90.
What
did the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting do?
The roles and responsibilities
were varied, but above all their companionship, discretion and loyalty would
have been at the top of their duties to Her Majesty.
However, the group had more
practical roles, too. As well as conducting administrative tasks, a number of
them were assigned specific duties during their time with the monarch.
The Mistress of the Robes was
responsible for managing the Queen’s wardrobe as well as the schedule and
duties for the fellow ladies-in-waiting, while the Women of the Bedchamber
helped the monarch to dress and undress and helped her bathe.
Did
the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting get paid?
No, the ladies-in-waiting did
not get paid. The group fulfilled their roles and duties out of personal
loyalty to the Queen. In addition, they come from wealthy families and as such
are able to work without pay. It’s thought they work on a flexible two-week
rota. They also never retire and were expected to work with the Queen
throughout her life.
What
will happen to the Queen’ ladies-in-waiting?
Now that the Queen has sadly passed
away, her ladies-in-waiting are no longer serving the monarch. However, it’s
thought that it’s too early to tell whether they will retire or simply most
post following Her Majesty’s death.
