Lady Pamela Hicks dies aged 97: Bridesmaid of Queen Elizabeth II and daughter of Lord Mountbatten passes away

Queen Elizabeth II Lady Pamela Hicks, daughter of Lord Mountbatten of Burma, who served as Elizabeth’s maid and maid of honor, has died aged 97.

The aristocrat’s daughter India Hicks announced her mother’s death on Instagram today, praising her ‘impeccable style, sharp wit and effortless charm’.

Lady Pamela, who was part of the Royal Family’s inner circle throughout her life, was described by India as a ‘treasured institution’ and ‘truly the last of its kind’.

He wrote: ‘My mother died peacefully today. While there is no tragedy in the death of a 97-year-old man who lived a full life, I know grief will be inevitable, waiting around for me, but today I am grateful that she was my mother.

‘And through the prism of a crowded and remarkable past, he forged a unique friendship, carrying his memories lightly and always with humour.

‘To the end, my mother retained the impeccable style, sharp wit and effortless charm that made her not only a cherished institution but also the last of its kind.’

Barcelona-born Lady Pamela was also a cousin of the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and her great-great-grandmother was Queen Victoria.

Lady Pamela Hicks with her daughters Edwina Brudenell and India Hicks, Queen Elizabeth II At the ceremony for Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s diamond wedding anniversary at Westminster Abbey in 2007

Prince Charles stands between Lady Patricia Brabourne (left) and Lady Pamela Hicks (right) at the unveiling of the Blue Plaque commemorating Lord Mountbatten at Burma’s London home in 2000

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth with Lady Pamela Hicks holding her daughter Edwina Hicks in April 1962.

She was one of eight bridesmaids to then-Princess Elizabeth, and Princess Alexandra was the only survivor of the 1947 wedding.

Lady Pamela married interior designer David Hicks in 1960 but he died in 1998. He is survived by his three children, India, Ashley Hicks and Edwina Brudenell.

He was with Elizabeth in Kenya when she became Queen in February 1952, aged 25, after learning that her father, King George VI, had died at Sandringham.

Elizabeth and Philip were at the remote Treetops Hotel, and Lady Pamela later recalled that the couple were “the last people in the world to hear” that George had died.

The hotel was only accessible by stairs and Lady Pamela said: ‘She goes up like a princess. The king dies that night. ‘She comes down the stairs as the Queen.’

In an interview for an ITV documentary in 2021, II. He spoke of Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 and said: ‘[The Queen] She looked very thin, just this young woman.

‘When I saw her, this young woman of 27, completely alone, I wondered how she could have the strength to undertake this task throughout her life. I think you knew he was going to do it, because there’s such inner strength there.’

Lady Pamela Hicks poses for a photograph in 1960 with her husband David Hicks, who died in 1998.

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth and her maid of honor, Lady Pamela Hicks, in Brisbane, Australia, in 1954

Lady Pamela Hicks (second from left), Queen Elizabeth II. At the wedding of Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947

Lady Pamela Hicks’ death was announced by her daughter India Hicks on Instagram.

Guests at her wedding to David in 1960 included Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and bridesmaid Princess Anne.

David was known for his colorful style as an interior designer and had a number of elite clients, including designing Prince Charles’ apartment at Buckingham Palace.

When Elizabeth II died in September 2022, Lady Pamela became Queen Victoria’s oldest living grandchild and attended her state funeral in a wheelchair with India.

But Buckingham Palace called Lady Pamela out to King George III for her decision to narrow down the guest list. He said he would not be invited to Charles’ coronation.

Lady Pamela has published three memoirs: ‘India Remembered’ in 2007, ‘Daughter of the Empire: Life as Mountbatten’ in 2012 and ‘My Years with the Queen’ in 2022.