Princess Anne, accompanied by Dolly Maude, made a notable appearance at the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. This marked a special milestone for the duo.
Dolly, aged 51, donned an elegant tweed coat dress adorned with striking gold buttons, complemented by a pale off-white purse and dark leather gloves. To complete her ensemble, she incorporated a Tudor-style headpiece, enhancing her overall look.
Meanwhile, Princess Anne looked delightful in a red overcoat which was worn over a teal blue below-the-knee dress and a matching hat.
Last month, Buckingham Palace confirmed Princess Anne had welcomed three new ladies in waiting – including Dolly. She is the best friend to Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall and the midwife, who helped to deliver her son Lucas at home in 2021.
Mike Tindall previously opened up about their son’s birth on his podcast The Good, The Bad & The Rugby after he arrived quicker than expected. “Fortunately Zara’s friend Dolly is, she’s actually more important than I am at making sure she’s been at all three of my children’s births,” he said.
“She was there and recognised that we wouldn’t have got to the hospital in time, so it was run into the gym, get a mat, get into the bathroom, towels down, brace brace brace.”
Given Dolly’s 13-year experience as a maternity practitioner for the NHS in Gloucestershire, it’s understandable why Mike and Zara would choose to have her present at the births of their children. Additionally, reports indicate that Dolly contributed to a hospital’s maternity unit in Sierra Leone, where she spent a month teaching essential nursing and theatre skills to the staff.
