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Home / Lifestyle

Queen mourns deaths of two ladies-in-waiting just weeks apart

BANG! Showbiz
4 Jan, 2022 10:02 PM2 mins to read

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Lady Diana Farnham (L) - who served as the Queen's lady of the bedchamber for 34 years - died at age 90 on December 29. Photo / Getty Images

Lady Diana Farnham (L) - who served as the Queen's lady of the bedchamber for 34 years - died at age 90 on December 29. Photo / Getty Images

Lady Diana Farnham - who served as the Queen's lady of the bedchamber for 34 years - died at age 90 on December 29, and her death has left the Queen feeling "very sad".

A royal source told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Everyone loved Lady Farnham, she was always so good-humoured. She was also a very glamorous and attractive woman."

Lady Farnham rode alongside the Queen on the way to the Diamond Jubilee service in 2012, and she was considered to be a major figure in the royal household.

The insider added: "She was always very generous to new people joining the household."

Lady Farnham's death came just weeks after Ann Fortune FitzRoy, the Duchess of Grafton, - another of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting - died on December 3.

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The duchess was the monarch's Mistress of the Robes from 1967 until her death, at the age of 101.

The source reflected: "It has not been a good year for the Queen - losing her husband and then the Duchess of Grafton and now Lady Farnham.

"They were dear friends who supported the Queen on official duties. Unfortunately, a sad consequence of living a long life is that you have to say goodbye to a lot of people you care about."

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The Queen actually spoke about personal heartbreak during her Christmas speech.

The Queen spoke about her personal heartbreak during her Christmas speech in December. Photo / Getty Images
The Queen spoke about her personal heartbreak during her Christmas speech in December. Photo / Getty Images

The 95-year-old monarch - whose husband, Prince Philip, died in April, aged 99 - said in her TV message: "Of course for many, this time of year will be tinged with sadness - some mourning the loss of those dear to them and others missing friends and family members distanced for safety, when all they really want for Christmas is a simple hug or a
squeeze of the hand.

"If you are among them, you are not alone, and let me assure you of my thoughts and prayers."

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