Lady Pamela Hicks, a close friend of Queen Elizabeth II who was with her in Kenya when she learned she had become Queen in 1952, has died aged 97. Her death on Friday, June 5, was announced by her daughter, India Hicks, who paid tribute to her mother's "impeccable style, sharp mind and effortless charm."
A Life of Service and Friendship
Lady Pamela was a cousin of Prince Philip and a member of the Royal Family's inner circle for decades. She was one of Princess Elizabeth's bridesmaids at her 1947 wedding to Prince Philip and later served as a lady-in-waiting. She was also present during one of the most significant moments in modern royal history.
According to the Daily Mail, she accompanied Elizabeth and Philip on their tour of Kenya when King George VI died. The royal couple were staying at the remote Treetops Hotel when news 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."
The Queen's Selfless Response
Speaking on her daughter India's podcast in 2019, Lady Pamela described the reaction when Philip was informed of the news. She said: "Philip just takes the newspaper and covers his face with it, hides behind it and says, 'This will be such a shock.'" But it was Elizabeth's response that left a lasting impression on her friend and demonstrated the sense of duty that would define her reign. "As she [Elizabeth] comes into the room. 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."
A Bond That Lasted a Lifetime
Lady Pamela remained close to the Queen throughout her life and witnessed her Coronation in 1953. Looking back during an ITV interview in 2021, she remembered being struck by the enormity of the task 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 married celebrated interior designer David Hicks in 1960 and is survived by her three children, India, Ashley Hicks and Edwina Brudenell. Her death marks the passing of one of the last remaining figures with a personal connection to some of the defining moments of Queen Elizabeth II's early reign.
Royal Tributes
A spokesman for King Charles III said the monarch was deeply saddened by the news. They said: "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. The King and Queen's thoughts are with Lady Pamela's family, as they mourn a woman whose warmth, wit and perspicacity always made such an impression, and who will be so dearly missed by all those who knew and loved her."
