Royal Family Suffers Another Loss Amid Queen Elizabeth Funeral; Who Was Lady Mary Russell?
The royal family and the world are still mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II a few weeks after her passing, but little did fans know that another key person to the monarch also died amid her funeral; who could this be?
According to Mirror UK, Lady Mary Russell, popularly known for being one of the six maids of honors who helped the longest-reigning monarch during her wedding at the Westminster Abbey in 1953, has died at the age of 88.
The maid passed away on September 18, the night before Her Majesty's funeral.
She was described as the wife of David, a mother of five children named Anthony, Philip, Mariana, Arabella, and Jason, and a grandmother of 12 grandchildren.
Lady Mary was involved in the royal wedding of 1953 because she was the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Haddington.
Lady Mary Russell Recalls Queen Elizabeth II's Wedding With Prince Philip
Lady Mary Russell was one of the six women who assisted Queen Elizabeth II during her wedding. They helped the monarch carry her gown which had a 21-foot train.
The royal nuptials took place at Westminster Abbey where Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, officiated the ceremony.
All women wore silver gowns accessorized with tiaras and gloves.
In a previous interview, Lady Mary opened up about the special day, saying it was a "great deal" for her because she and the other maids were chosen out of all the girls in the United Kingdom.
"It was overwhelming and moving - especially during the anointing... It was an incredible moment, but all I could think about was how heavy the embroidery felt," she said. (via Hello! Magazine)
As of this writing, there are still four other maids of honor who are still alive: Lady Jane Lacey, Lady Rosemary Muir, Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, and Dowager Baroness Gelconner
The other maid who died, Lady Moyra Campbell, passed away two years ago.
Queen Elizabeth II died at her Scottish estate of Balmoral Castle after serving for 70 years. She just celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in June.
The longest-reigning monarch was 96. Following her passing, her eldest son then Prince Charles immediately became King Charles III.
Members of the royal family, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, gathered amid the monarch's death.
Her Majesty was buried beside her late husband at the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.
