The Queen’s cousin, Margaret Rhodes was laid to rest today. She died on 25 November at the age of 91, less than a year older than her dear friend, Her Majesty.
The Queen, who also lost her friend Lady Elizabeth Longman last Thursday, attended her cousin’s funeral at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park.
Joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of York, Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Royal Family paid their last respects to Her Majesty’s friend.
The Queen attended another funeral at the same chapel last year for Nancy Fenwick, her corgi keeps for ten years, to the surprise of many. The Queen does not often attend funeral services with the exception of close family members. It is also the same chapel where The Queen worships most weekends.
Max Stewart, Her Majesty’s former personal piper at Balmoral, played the piper’s lament and The Lord is My Shepheard, Love Divine, All Loves Excelling and Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken were sung.
Margaret Rhodes was The Queen’s first cousin and longtime friend. Born just a few months apart from Her Majesty, Mrs Rhodes probably knew the monarch better than anybody else. The Queen and Mrs Rhodes remained best of friends from childhood until her passing.
Margaret was the youngest daughter of Sidney Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, 16th Lord Elphinstone – The Queen Mother’s brother-in-law. She was a constant playmate and companion of the young Princess Elizabeth.
The friendship continued, and in 1947, she was one of eight bridesmaids at Princess Elizabeth’s wedding to Prince Philip.
Up until recently, Mrs Rhodes invited The Queen to her house most Sundays for a cup of tea after church. In actual fact, the 91-year-old lived in the parklands of Windsor Castle, a home Her Majesty gifted to her three decades ago.
A sad day for Margaret’s family and for Her Majesty
It is kind of sexist NOT to mention that the 16th Lord Elphinstone was married to the Queen Mother’s sister MARY, Lady Mary Bowes-Lyon !