A single of Queen Elizabeth II’s maids of honor on her coronation day handed absent on the eve of the late monarch’s last goodbye.
Girl Mary Russell died peacefully at her residence on Sept. 18 and was surrounded by her household, according to a Sept. 26 obituary in The Times. She was 88.
She and her spouse David shared a few sons like Anthony, Philip and Jason, and two daughters Arabella and Mariana. In accordance to her obituary, Lady Russell was also “dearly cherished by her 12 grandchildren.”
Funeral arrangements will be held Oct. 10 with the spouse and children asking for donations to Countrywide Modern society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Little ones in Girl Russell’s memory.
Her loss of life came just one particular working day before Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral, which was held on Sept. 19. A lot more than 2,000 guests such as Prince William, Prince Harry, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla reported goodbye to Her Majesty — who died Sept. 8 at age 96 — in a ceremony watched by 11.4 million people in the United States by itself.
Powering the Scenes of Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral
Whilst the Queen was remembered as a cherished Sovereign and a a lot-loved mother by King Charles, Lady Russell looked to her Majesty as a buddy.
In 1953, she was the youngest of 6 maids of honor in attendance at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation at Westminster Abbey. The other 5 ladies ended up Lady Moyra Campbell, who handed absent in 2020 at age 90, Woman Anne Glenconner, Woman Jane Lacey, Baroness Willoughby de Eresby and Lady Rosemary Muir.
“Of all the girls our age in the state, we 6 ladies ended up chosen to have the Queen’s educate and that meant a great offer,” Lady Russell previously claimed in 2013 about the Queen’s coronation. “It was mind-boggling and going-primarily during the anointing. It was an remarkable moment, but all I could feel about was how hefty the embroidery felt.”
In accordance to royal historians, the Queen’s gown is believed to have weighed above 11 pounds.
Reflecting on what it was like to play a significant position in the Queen’s coronation, Glenconner instructed the BBC that the 6 women have been “the Spice Girls of their time” soon after keeping these types of an vital job in Her Majesty’s big day.
A look at some crucial moments in the daily life of Queen Elizabeth II.
