AN INNER CIRCLE OF TRUSTED CONFIDANTES WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE TO TRULY KNOW THE WOMAN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
WORDS: LUCY CLARKE-BILLINGS AND LISA MARKS PHOTOS: GETTY, ANL/ASSOCI/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
MARGARET RHODES
The Queen’s first cousin (on her mother’s side), was her most trusted confidante. Margaret spoke of wonderful childhood summers spent at Balmoral, competing to see who could eat the most slices of bread and golden syrup!
As adults, the Queen and Margaret often attended church together in Windsor, followed by a mid-morning tipple and a gossip. “Gin and Dubonnet is her booze in the morning,” Margaret confided at the time. She added, “On her own, she’s rather like one of us; she laughs at the same jokes.”
Margaret died in 2016, aged 91.
SOPHIE, COUNTESS OF WESSEX
The Wessexes lived 15 minutes away from the Queen at Bagshot Park with children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn – reported to be a particular favourite of his gran.
Prince Edward, 58, and his wife Sophie, 57, were once way down the royal pecking order. But after Prince Harry and his wife Meghan left in 2020, the Queen pinned her faith on Prince Charles and wife Camilla, Prince William and Kate, Princess Anne – and Edward and Sophie.
Sophie told how her children were fortunate to live close to the Queen “because they can go over and have tea with her on a regular basis”.
And Lady Louise is said to have had a special bond with Prince Philip.
“Sophie’s daughter is very much into carriage driving and was being taught and trained by Prince Philip,” The Queen’s former press secretary Dickie Arbiter said. “It’s rather lovely that she has taken over the carriage and ponies that he used.”
LADY PAMELA HICKS
When Pamela was a bridesmaid at the Queen’s wedding, she said it was “like being part of a fairy tale”. A childhood friend of the Queen’s, Pamela, now 93, was with her royal pal in Kenya when they got news of the King’s death.
She later said, “She was devastated. But she was also incredible... She showed great control, though she may have been in the woods once we were on the plane…”
Describing the Queen as “a very private person”, she added, “She longs to be in a room with nobody else. The dogs, the horses, her husband... She has few friends.”
MARGARET ‘BOBO’ MACDONALD
Hired initially as the Queen’s nursemaid and acting later as her nanny and dresser,
