Afrigather Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral at Westminster Abbey final week was attended by more than 2,000 people and watched by millions more. It’s now turn out to be public that Woman Mary Russell, the youngest of six maids of honor at her 1953 coronation, died the evening earlier than.
The 88-year-old’s obituary in The Times of London confirmed Russell “died peacefully at house together with her household round her” on Sept. 18. She left behind her husband, David, kids Arabella, Anthony, Philip, Jason and Mariana, in addition to 12 grandchildren.
Russell had recognized the queen for years earlier than she was chosen to serve at her coronation on June 2, 1953. Her father, the Earl of Haddington, was a lifelong good friend of the queen’s mom, according to Harper’s Bazaar. Russell was solely 19 when Queen Elizabeth was topped.
Images of the event present Russell and her fellow maids of honor standing alongside Queen Elizabeth, who wore golden bracelets, a silver-white costume embroidered with gold, and a crown. Her maids of honor have been wearing the identical palette with fewer equipment.
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Russell and her fellow maids of honor have been tasked with holding Queen Elizabeth’s 21-foot practice as she navigated her approach by way of the coronation, according to ET Online. The event befell at Westminster Abbey, the place the queen’s funeral was held almost 70 years later.
“It was overwhelming and shifting — particularly in the course of the anointing,” Russell once told Tatler. “It was an unimaginable second, however all I might take into consideration was how heavy the embroidery felt. Of all the ladies our age within the nation, we six women have been chosen to hold the Queen’s practice and that meant a terrific deal.”
The queen’s coronation dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartwell who additionally crafted her marriage ceremony robe in 1947, according to People. It was fitted with embroidered flowers representing the U.Okay. and its Commonwealth nations on the queen’s request, resulting in a complete weight of 11 kilos.
Russell is the second of the six maids of honor to move away. Woman Moyra Campbell died in 2020 at age 90; Dowager Baroness Glenconner, Woman Jane Lacey, Baroness Willoughby de Eresby and Woman Rosemary Muir are nonetheless alive.
Queen Elizabeth died at age 96 on Sept. 8 at her Scottish residence of Balmoral. She was buried in King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Citadel on Sept. 19 after days of lying in state, which allowed mourning Brits to pay their respects.
