When Queen Elizabeth II made her final journey to Westminster Hall in September 2022, a familiar group of women stood waiting in silent tribute. Dressed in black, heads bowed, they were not just royal aides or ceremonial figures. They were the Queen’s Ladies-in-Waiting – her most trusted confidantes and, in many cases, her dearest friends.
For decades, they had moved quietly behind the scenes of monarchy, collecting flowers, handling private correspondence, and providing unwavering companionship. On that solemn day, their presence marked not just the passing of a monarch, but the end of a distinct era of royal service – one steeped in tradition, discretion, and personal loyalty.
Lady Susan Hussey, perhaps the most publicly recognised among them, had served Elizabeth II for over 60 years. A woman of discretion and devotion, she became so close to the Queen that she was named godmother to Prince William. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, she was one of the few allowed into the royal ‘HMS Bubble’ and was the Queen’s sole companion at the funeral of her husband, Prince Philip.
Alongside her stood Susan Rhodes, who had joined as an Extra Lady-in-Waiting in 2017. They were joined by other longtime aides who had served Her Majesty through every chapter of her long reign.
The sight of these women, curtsying one final time as their Queen arrived to lie in state, was both poignant and historically significant. In hindsight, it also marked the last public moment for a fading role in the royal household.
The Queen’s Ladies-in-Waiting represented a living link to centuries of royal tradition. Once exclusively filled by women of noble birth, the role evolved to include close friends, trusted companions, and loyal staff. Their tasks ranged from the ceremonial to the deeply personal.
But with the arrival of Queen Camilla, that tradition was quietly reimagined. The Queen Consort opted not to appoint Ladies-in-Waiting, instead introducing the more informal role of “Queen’s Companion.” Among them were her sister, Annabelle Elliot, and a close school friend – signalling a shift away from the hierarchical and institutional tone of previous royal households.
As such, the late Queen’s inner circle of ladies were likely the last to hold the title in its original form.
In 2023, several of the late Queen’s Ladies-in-Waiting were given honorary roles in recognition of their service. Lady Susan Hussey became a Lady of the Household, assisting at occasional royal events. In 2024, Susan Rhodes and Lady Elizabeth Leeming were appointed as Extra Ladies-in-Waiting to the Princess Royal, Anne – one of the few remaining members of the family to maintain a working royal household in the traditional sense.
Their continued service speaks volumes about the strength of personal loyalty within royal circles. But the wider institution has clearly turned a page.
In a monarchy now more streamlined and forward-facing, the enduring presence of Ladies-in-Waiting has been replaced with something less formal – but perhaps also less personal.
And so it was, in Westminster Hall on that September day, that a centuries-old chapter came quietly to a close. No fanfare, no declarations – just a final curtsy from women who had given their lives to a Queen who never forgot them.
