Queen Elizabeth has suffered another heartbreaking loss this year. It was announced that Ann Fortune Fitzroy, Duchess of Grafton and the queen’s Mistress of the Robes, has passed away. She was 101 years old.
Fitzroy began working in the royal household as a Lady of the Bedchamber in 1953. In 1967, she became Mistress of the Robes, serving in this prestigious role until her death. The duchess was one of just two people given this title during the queen’s reign.
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She would have been the senior lady, responsible for the queen’s clothing and jewelry. Fitzroy would also have been in charge of arranging the other ladies-in-waiting’s attendance and performed various duties at state ceremonies.
The Duchess of Grafton accompanied the queen on her trips around the world, visiting Nigeria, France, Morocco, and Russia. She was appointed the Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in 1980. The award is given by the Queen for services to the sovereign.
Fitzroy was born in 1920, working as a nurse until her marriage to Hugh Fitzroy, who was then the Earl of Euston, later becoming the 11th Duke of Grafton. The couple had five children, including Lady Virginia Mary Elizabeth FitzRoy, who is one of the Queen’s goddaughters.
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Fitzroy’s death comes just months after the death of Prince Philip, who passed away in April of 2021 at the age of 99. He and the queen were married for 73 years, making him the longest-serving royal consort in history.
It’s also coming at a time of upheaval for the royal family. Prince Charles is currently under fire after it was revealed in a recent book that he was the family member who commented on the skin color of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s future children. This bombshell was revealed in the couple’s Oprah interview.
According to Christopher Andersen’s book, Brothers And Wives: Inside The Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan, the prince asked his wife Camilla Parker Bowles what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children would look like. Camilla replied, “Well, absolutely gorgeous, I’m certain.” Allegedly, Charles replied, “I mean, what do you think their children’s complexion might be?”
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It’s also been reported that, even though the ice between Harry, Markle, and the rest of the royal family is starting to thaw, the couple will not be joining the rest of the royals to celebrate Christmas. Between ongoing bad press and the queen’s poor health, some are wondering if this will be Queen Elizabeth’s last Christmas.