is obvious that Her Majesty recognises her worth.
One section of the Household defies being put in a particular category. The ladies-in-waiting to The Queen are unpaid but receive expenses; they are not employed as such but are all personally invited by The Queen, even though she does not make the approach herself. The Mistress of the Robes, always a Duchess, is the senior lady-in-waiting and when there is a vacancy, The Queen will let the Duchess know the name of someone she feels might be suitable. They are all personal friends from the upper classes. This is not because of snobbery, but simply because ladies with this sort of background are more likely to ‘know the form’ which can be important in royal circles. The Duchess then mentions it to the lady in question in such a way that if she does not wish to join the ranks of the ladies-in -waiting, she can decline without offending Her Majesty. To date, no one has ever refused the honour. When they first meet The Queen in the morning, they give a little curtsy and address her as Your Majesty. Thereafter it is Ma’am. In previous centuries, ladies- in-waiting were political appointments that were highly sought after as they could act as conduits betweenthe Sovereign and Government and even exert some ministerial influence on the monarch (can you imagine Cherie Blair as one of Her Majesty’s Women of the Bedchamber?). That power has long since disappeared and the benefits felt by the holders of these posts today is purely of social significance. Even within the ranks of the Ladies-in-Waiting, there are divisions: as stated, right at the top is the Mistress of the Robes, who only appears on special ceremonial occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament when her duties include assisting The Queen to dress in her formal robes at the House of Lords. Next in seniority are the ‘Ladies of the Bedchamber’ who are all titled, but who have nothing to do with putting Her Majesty to bed. The third category is the Women of the Bedchamber. These are the everyday workhorses and they do not have to be titled, though several of them are. They are on duty two weeks at a time when they have the use of the ladies-in-waiting drawing room where they answer any personal letters The Queen wants written; especially if they are to young children or the very elderly and a note from the private secretary is considered to be too formal.
The Women of the Bedchamber are sometimes referred to within the Household as ‘ Handbag-holders -in-chief’ because they ensure that The Queen has any of the essentials any other woman might require during the engagements on which they accompany her.
When The Queen is planning a visit, either in the United Kingdom or abroad, a small team of three – private secretary, or his representative, protectionofficer and Lady-in-Waiting – carry out a reconnaissance visit some months in advance. This ‘recce’ is to go over the proposed programme stopwatch in hand, timing each segment and finding out what is suitable to be presented to Her Majesty.
If a meal is planned, the Lady-in-Waiting agrees the menu with the hosts, stipulating that shellfish must not be served, in case of stomach upsets, and no heavy red meat. Every one of the Ladies has a list of answers to the questions they know they will be asked, with the number one, and most delicate being ‘What do we do if Her Majesty wants to go to the loo?’ This is the one they always get asked and the answer is always the same. A ‘retiring’ room should be set aside for the exclusive use of The Queen and the Lady-in-Waiting will indicate if and when it is required.
On one occasion, Her Majesty was due to visit a rugby international to be played at Headquarters, Twickenham, and the then secretary of the Rugby Football Union was the host. When the inevitable query arose, he showed the Lady-in-Waiting the proposed retiring room just off the main grandstand. It was then decided to have a rehearsal or
One section of the Household defies being put in a particular category. The ladies-in-waiting to The Queen are unpaid but receive expenses; they are not employed as such but are all personally invited by The Queen, even though she does not make the approach herself. The Mistress of the Robes, always a Duchess, is the senior lady-in-waiting and when there is a vacancy, The Queen will let the Duchess know the name of someone she feels might be suitable. They are all personal friends from the upper classes. This is not because of snobbery, but simply because ladies with this sort of background are more likely to ‘know the form’ which can be important in royal circles. The Duchess then mentions it to the lady in question in such a way that if she does not wish to join the ranks of the ladies-in -waiting, she can decline without offending Her Majesty. To date, no one has ever refused the honour. When they first meet The Queen in the morning, they give a little curtsy and address her as Your Majesty. Thereafter it is Ma’am. In previous centuries, ladies- in-waiting were political appointments that were highly sought after as they could act as conduits betweenthe Sovereign and Government and even exert some ministerial influence on the monarch (can you imagine Cherie Blair as one of Her Majesty’s Women of the Bedchamber?). That power has long since disappeared and the benefits felt by the holders of these posts today is purely of social significance. Even within the ranks of the Ladies-in-Waiting, there are divisions: as stated, right at the top is the Mistress of the Robes, who only appears on special ceremonial occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament when her duties include assisting The Queen to dress in her formal robes at the House of Lords. Next in seniority are the ‘Ladies of the Bedchamber’ who are all titled, but who have nothing to do with putting Her Majesty to bed. The third category is the Women of the Bedchamber. These are the everyday workhorses and they do not have to be titled, though several of them are. They are on duty two weeks at a time when they have the use of the ladies-in-waiting drawing room where they answer any personal letters The Queen wants written; especially if they are to young children or the very elderly and a note from the private secretary is considered to be too formal.
The Women of the Bedchamber are sometimes referred to within the Household as ‘ Handbag-holders -in-chief’ because they ensure that The Queen has any of the essentials any other woman might require during the engagements on which they accompany her.
When The Queen is planning a visit, either in the United Kingdom or abroad, a small team of three – private secretary, or his representative, protectionofficer and Lady-in-Waiting – carry out a reconnaissance visit some months in advance. This ‘recce’ is to go over the proposed programme stopwatch in hand, timing each segment and finding out what is suitable to be presented to Her Majesty.
If a meal is planned, the Lady-in-Waiting agrees the menu with the hosts, stipulating that shellfish must not be served, in case of stomach upsets, and no heavy red meat. Every one of the Ladies has a list of answers to the questions they know they will be asked, with the number one, and most delicate being ‘What do we do if Her Majesty wants to go to the loo?’ This is the one they always get asked and the answer is always the same. A ‘retiring’ room should be set aside for the exclusive use of The Queen and the Lady-in-Waiting will indicate if and when it is required.
On one occasion, Her Majesty was due to visit a rugby international to be played at Headquarters, Twickenham, and the then secretary of the Rugby Football Union was the host. When the inevitable query arose, he showed the Lady-in-Waiting the proposed retiring room just off the main grandstand. It was then decided to have a rehearsal or
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