Lady Pamela Hicks, who has been at the heart of many significant moments in British royal history, is described by her daughter India as embodying “loyalty and family, endurance, quiet wisdom, and curiosity.”
As the younger daughter of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the last Viceroy of India, Lady Pamela spent her teenage years in India before returning to the UK to serve as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, both before and after her coronation. She also played a special role as a bridesmaid at Princess Elizabeth’s wedding to Prince Philip, her cousin, in 1947.
Princess Elizabeth was a frequent guest at Lady Pamela’s family estate, Broadlands in Romsey, Hampshire, often visiting with her sister Princess Margaret for riding weekends.
Reflecting on their childhood, Lady Pamela recalls, “My father was a second cousin of George VI, and myself, Patricia, the Queen, and Princess Margaret often played together as children – with ropes tied around our waists, galloping through the grounds of my parents’ home. The Queen was always very serious, while Margaret was more mischievous.”
In addition to being a bridesmaid, Lady Pamela accompanied the Queen on two Commonwealth tours, one in 1952, when Princess Elizabeth received the news of her father’s passing while in Kenya, and another in 1953.
Although Queen Mary had instructed Lady Pamela to formally address the new Queen as “Princess Elizabeth” and “Ma’am,” Lady Pamela didn’t always adhere to the rules. Recalling the moment Elizabeth learned of her father’s death, she said, “I instinctively hugged her, but quickly remembered she was now Queen and dropped into a deep curtsy.”
Five months after the coronation, the Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a six-month Commonwealth tour.
During this time, Lady Pamela assisted by holding the Queen’s handbag during formal presentations and collecting bouquets from well-wishers, as well as handling large amounts of unofficial correspondence.
