Queen Consort Camilla won’t have ‘ladies-in-waiting.’ Here’s why.
Who says the British Royal Family can’t change?
Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, there have been updates to the titles and duties of members of the royal family. Perhaps the one that caught the most public attention was Queen Consort Camilla, and what she was called when King Charles III took the throne.
The Queen said before her death that it was her “sincere wish” that Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, would be named Queen Consort. Now, she’s updating royal tradition in her own way.
Buckingham Palace announced on Sunday that Queen Consort Camilla is abandoning the ancient tradition of appointing “ladies-in-waiting” and has appointed five of her close friends as “Queen’s Companions”, a new title with slightly different duties, in a simple gesture. . An update on the new reign of King Charles III.
What is the difference between a queen and a “queen consort”? Camila’s future title is explained
What is “queen’s companion”?
It’s a variation on the job of a royal personal assistant, accompanying Her Majesty on engagements and foreign trips, accompanying her and helping her, for example, collect the bouquets that the royal family usually receives when meeting people in public.
The entourage will exchange support for the queen’s consort in her official and government duties with the queen’s private secretary or deputy private secretary. In some cases, a companion may attend the engagement ceremony instead of a private secretary.
Some of the entourage will attend for the first time on Tuesday when Camilla, 75, hosts a reception at Buckingham Palace to raise awareness of violence against women and girls as part of the UN’s 16 days of action against gender-based violence.
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla First joint engagement after the Queen’s death
How is a queen’s companion different from a lady-in-waiting?
not much; The new title mostly reflects minor changes to the job description.
The job of lady-in-waiting to the queen, royal or consort, dates back hundreds of years to the Middle Ages, when ladies assisted the queen with tasks such as bathing and dressing.
Related:Queen Consort Camilla awarded the Booker Prize winner in London to author Shahan Karunatilaka.
In contrast, according to the records, there is no record of a “companion to the Queen” occupation (palace checked).
Under the late Queen Elizabeth II, who became queen in 1952, she maintained this tradition, her ladies-in-waiting, affectionately known as “head girls,” accompanying her on engagements, in correspondence They helped him a lot and sometimes they just sat down. with him and watch TV
Also, the late empress always had a lady in attendance, so it was a full-time job. In contrast, Companions will only be on duty at the time of engagement and will not assist in correspondence.
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Will Queen Consort Camilla’s entourage get paid?
Yes, but only nominal amounts, to cover their expenses. Since they will serve less time than women, they will not cost the royal budget as much, but the difference is minimal.
Anyway, the issue of payment is mostly irrelevant. Ladies-in-waiting (and now companions) were usually chosen from the aristocracy, the titled, and the wealthy of Britain.
Who are the companions of your queen consort Camilla?
According to the palace, Camilla’s companions include Fiona, the Marchioness of Lansdowne. Mrs. Jane von Westenholz; The Honorable Lady Catherine Brooke; Mrs. Peter Troughton (Sarah); and Lady Sarah Keswick.
They are all close friends of the new King and Queen and are well known in fashionable circles in Britain. Troughton is related to the king through his Scottish grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
Lansdowne has been an interior designer for over three decades with her own studio, Fiona Shelburne. Brooke is the daughter of one of the late Queen’s former ladies-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey, who was with Queen Elizabeth for six decades, and is also the parent of Prince William, Prince of Wales.
