The Queen is being supported by lady-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey, on the day of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were married for 73 years. He died at the age of 99 on 9 April.
At his funeral service, Lady Susan, the Queen’s close acquaintance and staff member is providing her support.
Lady Susan has served the monarch for decades and has become close to the family. The 81-year-old is a godparent of the Duke of Cambridge and attended his confirmation in 1997.
She is also part of the Queen’s royal household coronavirus bubble that is known affectionately HMS Bubble. She is one of 20 staff that form the group who cared for the Queen and Philip in lockdown.
During the procession, Lady Susan accompanied the Queen in the State Bentley as they followed the hearse carrying Philip’s coffin from Windsor Castle to St George’s Chapel where the service is held.
Upon arrival at the chapel, Lady Susan participated as a staff member and was not one of the 30 funeral attendees.
She will remain nearby should the Queen need her, but was not seated with the Windsors inside the chapel.
Ladies-in-waiting are hand chosen by the monarch and are unsung members of the royal household. Their duties are varied and include attending to personal and private matter for the Queen and handling correspondence.
They also assist at royal engagements and are passed the bouquets of flowers presented to the Queen.
In 2001, Lady Susan handed that Queen a one pound coin to purchase The Big Issue magazine from a seller while on an official trip in Brighton.
She has been alongside the Queen for many memorable events and official engagements, joining the Queen and members of the royal family on the Spirit of Chartwell barge for the Diamond Jubilee river pageant on the Thames in 2012.
Lady Susan was married to the late BBC chairman Marmaduke Hussey and is the sister of the former Tory Cabinet minister William Waldegrave.
