Lady Pamela Hicks, one of Queen Elizabeth II's closest friends and a fixture within the Royal Family's inner circle for decades, has died aged 97. Her passing on Friday, 5 June, was confirmed by her daughter, India Hicks, who praised her mother's 'impeccable style, sharp mind and effortless charm'. A spokesman for King Charles III said the monarch was deeply saddened by the news, adding: 'His Majesty was greatly saddened to learn of the death of Lady Pamela Hicks, a sorrow tempered by the fondest memories and deepest gratitude for her long life and loyal service to Queen Elizabeth.'
Lady Pamela was present during one of the most pivotal moments in contemporary royal history: she accompanied Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their tour of Kenya in February 1952 when King George VI died. The royal couple had been staying at the remote Treetops Hotel when word reached them that the King had passed away. Reflecting on the moment years later, Lady Pamela said Elizabeth and Philip were 'the last people in the world to hear' of the King's death. She memorably recalled: 'She goes up as a princess. The King dies that night. She comes down the ladder as a Queen.'
Speaking on her daughter India's podcast in 2019, Lady Pamela described the reaction when Philip was informed of the news: 'Philip just takes the newspaper and covers his face with it, hides behind it and says, "This will be such a shock."' Yet it was Elizabeth's response that made an indelible mark on her friend and perfectly embodied the sense of duty that would come to define her reign. When Elizabeth came into the room, Lady Pamela recalled: 'I think, "Oh, poor girl, her father's died." So I go over to her, give her a hug and think, "Oh my God, it's the Queen", so I go into a deep curtsy. And she says, "I'm so sorry. It means we've all got to go back" ... she was only thinking of all of us.'
Lady Pamela remained close to the Queen throughout her lifetime and was present at her Coronation in 1953. Casting her mind back during an ITV interview in 2021, she recalled being struck by the sheer weight of responsibility facing the young monarch: 'Seeing her, this young woman of 27, utterly alone, I wondered how she'd have the strength to undertake this duty all her life. I think one knew she would, because there's such inner strength there.' Born in Barcelona, Lady Pamela was the daughter of Lord Mountbatten of Burma and a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She wed renowned interior designer David Hicks in 1960 and leaves behind three children: India, Ashley Hicks and Edwina Brudenell. Her passing represents the loss of one of the final surviving individuals with direct ties to some of the pivotal moments during Queen Elizabeth II's early years on the throne.
