Queen Camilla's Ladies-in-Waiting Have a Very Unique Role

Queen Camilla wears a white dress, a diamond necklace, and a glittering diamond tiara

(Image credit: Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

published 18 November 2024

A recent report suggested that Queen Camilla is likely the first Queen to ever cook a meal for herself or her family. However, Camilla also has a lot of help in her daily life thanks to the aptly named Queen's companions.

While former Queens were always attended by a lady-in-waiting, Camilla reportedly "replaced" the role with something "more acceptable," the Daily Mail reported. The publication reports that Queen Camilla has six companions, all of whom aid her in various aspects of her life.

Ladies-in-waiting were known to help the monarch with tasks like "dressing and undressing," "bathing her, and making her bed." Camilla no longer requires her staff to carry out these menial duties, but there are certain things she still requires of them.

Per the Daily Mail, "It is vital that before any royal visit the companion goes on a... visit to spy out the land—for one special reason. She has to make sure there is a suitable lavatory available for her boss, and for her use only."

Queen Camilla wears a white suit and hat while standing with one of her companions, Lady Katharine Brooke, who wears a green outfit with a black hat at Ascot — Queen Camilla with one of her companions, Lady Katharine Brooke.

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, finding a private toilet is of the utmost importance for Queen Camilla. According to the Daily Mail, as soon as The Queen highlights her need to find a bathroom, one of her companions "discreetly guides her in the right direction and then stands guard outside the door, making sure nobody else tries to use the royal facilities."

Per the outlet, "exclusivity" is particularly important, as there's always a worry that fans may try to acquire "royal souvenirs" from any space The Queen has been in.

The Queen's companions don't receive a salary, as their role isn't considered to be a job in the traditional sense, according to the Daily Mail. They reportedly receive a stipend for expenses, but aren't motivated by pay. Instead, they apparently view the role as a privilege.

"Working for the Royal Family, paid or unpaid, is considered a privilege, as long as you remember the difference in rank that can never be crossed," the outlet reported.

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Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.