And while Queen Elizabeth had a whole fleet of ladies-in-waiting throughout her reign—many of whom had been close with her for more than 60 years—apparently Queen Camilla is ditching the outdated tradition and instead having six assistants who will be known as “queen's companions,” according to reports from Today.
Queen Camilla will has two Ladies in Attendance at the coronation: Her sister, Annabel Elliot, and her longtime friend (and current Queen's companion), Lady Lansdowne, are by her side on the big day.
According to reports, Camilla is ditching the tradition and instead opting for six assistants who will be known as 'queen's companions' - modernising the role of women in the royal fold.
The job of lady-in-waiting to a queen, reigning or consort, dates back to the Middle Ages when ladies helped the queen with such tasks as bathing and dressing.
The role is not typically paid, and it has been reported that Lady Hussey was not given a salary during her time in the position, instead serving the Queen out of loyalty. The Queen had at least five ladies in waiting during her reign, including Lady Hussey.
They should act, speak, and dress according to the prestige the title deserves. Applicants for Lady-In-Waiting contestants must be female, between the ages of 15 and 18 years old.
Also traditionally referred to as a Lady-In-Waiting, a Lady's Maid is singularly assigned to the lady of the house. It is the female equivalent of a gentlemen's valet.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are undoubtedly very much in love, with public appearances always seeing them laughing and joking together, but reports say the couple does not share a bed. There's no trouble in paradise, though. It's customary for royal couples to sleep in different bedrooms.
There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms. For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way.
As the Queen Consort, Camilla is no longer required to curtsey to other members of the royal family but when she travels abroad she must curtsey to monarchs around the world. As a sign of respect, the Queen Consort must always walk behind her husband King Charles.
This belief meant that only those of elevated status should engage in physical contact and close relationships with a monarch. Thus, ladies-in-waiting became women of noble birth. In addition, they were required to be married.
The ladies in waiting did not live at the Royal residences on a permanent basis. However, if their duties required they would stay in Royal apartments in London or within Buckingham Palace to be near the Queen, The National reports. Ladies in waiting have been a part of Royal life since the 15th century.
What is a lady-in-waiting? In Britain, ladies-in-waiting are titled noblewomen who serve not only the queen, but also high-ranking women in the royal household. Kate Middleton has one, while the queen's sister Princess Margaret had many.
Instead of maids of honor, Camilla has two ladies in attendance. At Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953, she had maids of honor who assisted her throughout the ceremony. The six women carried her velvet train, and accompanied her throughout the day.
Camilla, Queen Consort
After Camilla and Charles married in 2005, Buckingham Palace announced that Camilla would take on the title of Princess Consort once Charles ascended the throne.
In 2015 The Princess Royal became one of the first female honorary members of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrew's. 65) The Princess Royal has 11 Ladies-in-Waiting, one of whom accompanies her on official engagements.
Royal biographer Tom Bower highlighted a crucial moment during the coronation on May 6, where Kate deviated from tradition and chose not to bow or curtsy as Camilla and Charles exited Westminster Abbey.
When Prince William failed to bow to the newly crowned Queen Camilla during the Coronation, it was an example of the Prince of Wales following his gut instinct and potentially subconsciously siding with his late mother, Princess Diana, a body language expert says, per The Mirror.
Prince William technically broke royal protocol by not bowing to Queen Camilla during the Coronation. A body language expert believes the Prince of Wales may have found it unnatural to perform such a gesture to his stepmother.
Their home has four bedrooms, so it seems likely they now share a room, unless their children, George, Charlotte and Louis are bunking in together.
They slept in separate beds
Apparently a lot of posh people actually prefer to sleep in separate beds, including the Queen and her man. As etiquette expert Lady Pam and Her Majesty's cousin explained in a biography about her relative: "In England, the upper class always have had separate bedrooms.
The Queen has a bath every morning, drawn by her maid while she sips a cup of tea. It's believed that the royals prefer to avoid taking showers, due to their belief that they're for members of the working class.
Ladies-in-waiting could be appointed as concubines, consorts or even Empresses by the Emperor or the heir to the throne. The function of a lady-in-waiting as potential concubine was abolished in 1924.
Such loyalty and long-standing employment between a lady's maid and the lady of the house was common. The early 20th century started to see a decline in the use of a lady's maid though the contrast of the lives of the staff and family on these estates still intrigues.
A lady in waiting would be in charge of waking, dressing and accompanying a lady in her daily activities She helps a queen, a princess, or other noblewoman. A lady-in-waiting is often a noblewoman of a lower rank than the one she attends. She is not thought to be a servant.