Monday 19 September was a day like no other, as prime ministers and princesses alike gathered in Westminster Abbey for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. While there were many famous faces in attendance, with royals and dignitaries out in force to pay their respects, there were also a number of more private figures among the 2,000 or so guests.
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Lady Elton (pictured with Baron Elton at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral)
Susan Richenda Elton was one of the Queen’s longest-running ladies-in-waiting, having been in the monarch’s service since 1987. Wife of Conservative politician and former House of Lords member Baron Elton, Lady Elton was awarded a Royal Victorian Order in the Queen’s birthday honours in 2010, in recognition of her distinguished personal service to the late monarch.
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Lady Susan Hussey (pictured with the Queen in 2016)
Another lady-in-waiting to the Queen, Lady Susan Hussey came to public attention when she accompanied the monarch to Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021. The youngest daughter of the 12th Earl of Waldegrave and sister of former Tory minister, William Waldegrave, her career in the royal household dates back to 1960, when she was recruited to help answer letters from the public. She is close to the King and a godmother to Prince William, as well as being a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order: the highest rank personally granted by a reigning monarch.
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Susan Rhodes (pictured at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral)
A comparatively recent recruit, Susan Rhodes was appointed a lady-in-waiting to the Queen in 2017. Her role quickly became integral, however, when she became part of the ‘HMS bubble’ during the pandemic, helping with the Queen’s daily life as she isolated at Windsor Castle. She’s married to Simon Rhodes, whose late mother, Margaret, was a close friend and cousin of the monarch.
