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King Charles III

The King keeps on Queen Elizabeth II’s Ladies-in-Waiting, including Lady Susan Hussey

The King has decided to keep on a number of Queen Elizabeth II’s Ladies-in-Waiting, with the aides being rebranded as Ladies of the Household.

Lady Susan Hussey, Mary Morrison and Dame Annabel Whitehead will continue on with their work, despite the death of their mistress in September.

The three senior aides will assist His Majesty when hosting formal occasions at Buckingham Palace.

Photographs published last week showed Lady Susan Hussey in her new role as she attended the State Banquet for the President of South Africa at the Palace.

The late Queen had a number of Ladies-in-Waiting, some of them serving The Queen for 60 years.

They were some of the late monarch’s closest confidants, accompanying the late monarch to engagements and attending to her in private.

Lady Susan Hussey was one of Elizabeth’s longest serving aides, and became so close to the monarch that she became godmother to Prince William.

Lady Susan also formed part of ‘HMS Bubble’ during the lockdowns, and was the only person allowed to accompany the Queen to the funeral of her late husband, Prince Philip.

A Lady-in-waiting’s jobs mainly consist of helping their mistress collect flowers at events, attending private and personal matters, running errands and handling general correspondence.

Unlike in past times, not all Ladies-in-Waiting are of noble birth with many being are siblings or close friends of the ladies they serve.

In an effort to modernise the monarchy, Queen Camilla has not appointed any Ladies-in-waiting, instead choosing to appoint six friends as ‘companions’.

Although rebadged, it is understood that these companions will fulfil a similar role to a lady, and will accompany Her Majesty at official engagements.