Queen Elizabeth II demonstrated her true character with a poignant gesture immediately after receiving news of her father's death, as recounted by a lifelong friend. The late monarch, Britain's longest-reigning sovereign, exhibited remarkable 'inner strength' in the face of personal tragedy, according to Lady Pamela Hicks, Prince Philip's cousin.
Lady Pamela, who passed away on June 5 at the age of 97, reflected on the Queen's response years later. She was accompanying Elizabeth and Philip on a royal tour of Kenya in February 1952 when they learned that King George VI had died. Lady Pamela described them as 'the last people in the world to hear' the news, sharing the story on her daughter India's podcast in 2019.
'Philip just takes the newspaper and covers his face with it, hides behind it and says "This will be such a shock",' Lady Pamela recalled. Remembering the moment Elizabeth entered the room, she said: '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, who served as lady-in-waiting to the Queen and was a bridesmaid at her 1947 wedding, was the daughter of Lord Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India, who was murdered by the IRA in 1979. In a statement, a spokesperson for King Charles expressed being 'greatly saddened' by her death, praising her 'warmth, wit and perspicacity'.
Lady Pamela's daughter India confirmed the news on social media, writing that her mother had died 'peacefully' after living a 'full life'. 'I know grief will be unavoidable, lurking around waiting for me, but today I am simply grateful that she was my mother,' she added. 'And through the prism of a crowded and remarkable past, she made incomparable company, carrying her memories lightly, and always with humour. My mother maintained right up to the end, the impeccable style, sharp mind and effortless charm that made her not only a cherished institution, but truly the last of her kind.'
