'THE QUEEN WAS A PIVOTAL PERSON IN ALL OUR LIVES'

A YEAR ON FROM THE DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II, CLOSE CHILDHOOD FRIEND AND LADY-IN-WAITING LADY ANNE GLENCONNER RECALLS MANY FOND MEMORIES OF THE MONARCH

- REBECCA RUSSELL 

The death of Queen Elizabeth II last year sent shockwaves across the globe. Now, as the country prepares to mark the monumental anniversary, that grief is still relatively raw. And outside of the close-knit royal family, who paid their respects in Balmoral last week, no one is better placed to comprehend their loss than Lady Anne Glenconner.

The 91-year-old had the honour of growing up as a close childhood friend of Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret, enjoying a front row seat as witness to the late monarch’s life for close to nine decades. So special was their bond, she was trusted to serve as one of six maids of honour at the 1953 coronation.

Here, in this exclusive and very timely interview, Lady Anne reflects on her personal pain over Queen Elizabeth’s passing, and sheds light on what it was really like growing up with the most famous woman in the world. She also tells OK! why she spent her whole life looking up to her, and shares fascinating stories that bring to life the magical qualities that so endeared Elizabeth II to everyone who encountered her.

Speaking to us from her home in Norfolk, Lady Anne admits she was as shaken as the rest of the nation when she heard the tragic news of Queen Elizabeth’s death.

“I knew her from when I was three,” she says. “She was a constant in our lives for so long, and I just thought she would go on forever. It’s ridiculous to say we thought she’d never die, but I wasn’t expecting her to die so quickly because she was such a pivotal person in all our lives.