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Lady Susan Hussey, a lady-in-waiting to the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William's godmother, recently announced that she is resigning from her role after she allegedly asked a black woman where her "people come from" at a royal reception.
The ladies-in-waiting are titled noblewomen who attend to the Queen and other high-ranking women in the royal household. They act as personal assistants to the Queen and look into her day-to-day activities and needs, including running errands, delivering messages, and accompanying on royal visits, among others.
Who is Susan Hussey?
Susan Hussey, or Baroness Hussey of North Bradley, is the 83-year-old godmother of Prince William. She was the Queen's closest confidante serving and her longest-serving lady-in-waiting (since 1950).
Her first role at the palace was that of a courtier assigned to answer letters. She soon became a part of the "close-knit inner circle of ladies-in-waiting," with "unrivaled knowledge of the working of the palace."
Lady Hussey's role was a ceremonial one since she often accompanied the monarch on official engagements, such as the State Opening of Parliament. The Queen affectionately called her the "number one head girl." In 2013, she was promoted to Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and received several long-term service awards owing to her service to the crown.
In his book Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors, journalist Tom Bower claimed Susan Hussey was against Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship.
Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that Lady Susan Hussey and other former ladies-in-waiting to the late Queen would help King Charles III host events and would be known as honorary "Ladies of the Household."
What happened at Queen Consort Camilla's reception?
The incident took place on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, at a reception hosted by Queen Consort Camilla to raise awareness about violence against women. Ngozi Fulani, the founder of the charity Sistah Space, a domestic abuse charity for black women, took to social media to express her disappointment over a conversation with "Lady SH."
According to Fulani, Susan Hussey approached her and questioned where she was from, to which the former replied with Hackney. At one point, Susan Hussey asked Fulani what part of Africa she was from. Not satisfied with the answer, the former further enquired about her nationality. Fulani replied:
"I am born here and I am British."
However, Lady Hussey continued to pester her, to which Fulani said:
"Lady I am a British national, my parents came here in the '50s when..."
At this point, Hussey interjected, saying:
"Oh, I knew we’d get there in the end, you’re Caribbean."
Ngozi snapped and explained that she is a British national of Caribbean descent with African heritage. The charity boss explained that she had mixed feelings about the event, which seemed like a "blur" to her.
Baroness Hussey's resignation came a few hours after the tweet. A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace announced the honorary Lady of the House's resignation, acknowledging that the royal aide made some "unacceptable and deeply regrettable" comments. The spokesperson explained that they have reached out to Ngozi to discuss the incident further. They stated:
"The individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect. All members of the household are being reminded of the diversity and inclusivity policies which they are required to uphold at all times."
Who are the ladies-in-waiting?
The ladies-in-waiting hail themselves from "titled families" whose lineage stretches as far back as the crown. Many times, they happen to be close childhood friends of the Queen. Although they do not receive a salary, the position comes with prestige.
Ladies-in-waiting have different titles within their ranks. The one attending the Regent is called Lady of the Bedchamber and ranked from First Lady of the Bedchamber to Women of the Bedchamber, each having their specific duties. The Mistress of the Robes is mostly a Duchess or senior woman in the Royal household. Her duties include seeing to the arrangement of the Queen's clothes and jewelry, arranging the rota of attendance of the ladies-in-waiting, and performing other tasks at state ceremonies.
Queen Elizabeth was accompanied by a total of seven ladies in waiting.
