Where Is Queen Elizabeth's Longtime Lady In Waiting Now?

Lady Susan Hussey, who was a lady-in-waiting for over 60 years, was one of Queen Elizabeth II's most beloved confidants. Then, in November 2022, Hussey behaved so inappropriately at a party that her entire legacy of service came into question. At an event meant to honor some of Great Britain's most successful non-profits, Hussey ran up to Ngozi Fulani, the founder and CEO of the domestic violence charity Sistah Space. Hussey, a white woman, then reportedly brushed aside the hair of Fulani, a Black woman, so she could get a better look at the Sistah Space representative's name tag. Fulani said she was initially concerned about Hussey's health. "You consider that this lady is of senior years," she later told "Good Morning Britain." "I have to consider many things. Is she okay?"

As the scene unfolded, however, Fulani realized that she needed to take a step back. The reason? Hussey reportedly asked Fulani where she was from over a half a dozen times. She then apparently couldn't believe Fulani hailed from England, asking, "What part of Africa are you from?" The entire experience left the NGO representative feeling deeply uncomfortable.

Fulani spoke out about this interaction, noting that it's important to be aware of racism and microaggressions in modern society. She did, however, initially attempt to keep Hussey's name out of the public conversation in hopes of directing the focus away from the elderly aristocrat and toward the systematic issues at hand. Ultimately, though, Hussey's name was leaked, and the queen's former confidant embarked on a new journey away from the royal spotlight.

Prior to the fallout regarding her offensive behavior toward Ngozi Fulani, Lady Susan Hussey had dedicated herself to royal duties. Nicknamed the "head girl" of Buckingham Palace, Hussey was known for supporting Queen Elizabeth II in good times and bad. She helped Elizabeth cope with the death of Prince Philip in 2021, and before that, she accompanied the monarch to various state visits and special dinners across the globe. 

In the wake of the aforementioned controversy, Hussey resigned from her position at the palace and stopped performing the vast majority of her royal duties. That said, Hussey has continued to make appearances on certain occasions. When one of the queen's longtime ladies-in-waiting, Dame Frances Campbell-Preston, passed away in 2022, Hussey was asked to attend the memorial service on Princess Anne's behalf. At the time, an insider told the Daily Mail, "Lady Susan was formally asked to represent the Princess Royal at the service. She was more than happy to do so."

Although the same source also told the Daily Mail, "It's great to see [Hussey] back in the royal fold," the aristocrat's much-anticipated return to the palace did not transpire. While she did attend a church service with King Charles III and the Princess Royal in 2023, Hussey did not resume her position as a royal aide. Ultimately, her behavior toward Fulani did not reflect well on the palace, and, following the incident, it no longer made sense for her to work for the royals in any official capacity.

In the wake of the controversy regarding the way she treated Ngozi Fulani, Lady Susan Hussey evidently realized that she had to make some changes regarding her behavior. The first step in her journey toward self-improvement was to make amends. Hussey invited Fulani to Buckingham Palace, where she could apologize in private. Although the exchange itself took place behind closed doors, Buckingham Palace released a statement describing the two women's interaction: "At this meeting, filled with warmth and understanding, Lady Susan offered her sincere apologies for the comments that were made and the distress they caused to Ms Fulani."

Apparently, Hussey made a personal commitment to educating herself about the issues at hand. Per the previously cited Buckingham Palace statement, "Lady Susan has pledged to deepen her awareness of the sensitivities involved and is grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the issues in this area." The palace also called on members of the public to grant Hussey and Fulani the opportunity to move on from the scandal.

At first, however, things were not so easy. Speaking on "Good Morning Britain," per The Guardian, Fulani revealed that the vast amount of public harassment that followed the incident created challenges for her non-profit. "We, the Sistah Space charity, has suffered as a result, direct result," she shared. Over time, though, Fulani rebuilt the institution, and in 2026, Sistah Space launched a gorgeous renovation of its store in Dalton. Celebrities and designers have offered their support, including but not limited to FKA Twigs.

In the aftermath of the racism incident, Lady Susan Hussey reached out to her close friends for support. King Charles III and Princess Anne offered her spiritual guidance, taking her with them to church in Sandringham and offering her consolation through prayer. Although reports about what took place during that church service are inconclusive, the media interpreted the king's presence at the session as a request for public forgiveness. Anne's continued support for Hussey — at both the church service and royal events — also indicates that the Princess Royal has been eager to move forward.

Interestingly, though, not all members of the royal family seemed to see eye to eye on the issue of Hussey's reintegration into the fold. The royals' body language shows they feel differently about everything from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Prince Harry — and, apparently, the controversy surrounding Hussey is no different. Some reports indicate that Prince William has not felt particularly forgiving toward his godmother.

As reported by NPR, the Prince of Wales denounced Hussey's comments and supported her resignation. The outlet cited a Kensington Palace statement that read, "Racism has no place in our society. These comments were unacceptable, and it's right that the individual has stepped aside with immediate effect." In many ways, William's stance on Hussy is not surprising. The prince has had a history of severing friendships with people who he perceives as a threat to the monarchy. 

King Charles III and Prince William both seem to have taken a stand when it comes to Lady Susan Hussey's future within the monarchy. That said, Prince Harry has been known to have a much more complicated relationship with the aristocrat. As royal expert Tom Bower explained in "Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors," Hussey apparently was not totally on board with the idea of Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex. Bower wrote, "While discussing the possibility that Meghan might become associated with the National Theatre after the wedding, Hussey became unexpectedly serious about the couple's future." According to Bower, she apparently told onlookers, "That will all end in tears. Mark my words."

Although some reports indicate that Hussey has not always been supportive of Harry, it seems the reverse has not been even remotely true. Following Hussey's public fall from grace, the rebellious prince actually spoke out in her favor. "Meghan and I love Susan Hussey," Harry told ITV's Tom Bradby while promoting his memoir, "Spare," per the Independent. "And I also know that what she meant. She never meant any harm at all," he added. This public defense of Hussey seems to hint at a strong relationship between the aristocrat and Charles' second-born son.

If Prince William has demonstrated opposition to Lady Susan Hussey's reintegration into royal life, King Charles III has taken a different route. When it came time to plan his coronation, Charles was evidently happy to include Hussey on the guest list. Of course, this did nothing to decrease all the drama surrounding King Charles III's coronation. But, at the end of the day, many palace higher-ups felt that excluding Hussey from the event would be an insult to the decades of service that preceded her public misdeed. As one source told the Mirror, "Some [of Hussey's friends] politely canvassed the suggestion Lady Susan should be made welcome at the coronation. It was pointed out the many years of service and duty she gave the queen."

Although Charles' choice to invite Hussey to the grand event was ultimately controversial, the king felt that Hussey's apology to Ngozi Fulani was sincere. He was particularly moved by the exchange that took place between Hussey and Fulani in the aftermath of the incident. In the words of the previously mentioned source, "With relations now smoothed over between Buckingham Palace and Ms Fulani, the king is now able to extend an invitation to Lady Susan." On the day of the event, Hussey arrived in an outfit that called to mind some of Queen Elizabeth II's best fashion moments. In a blazer, skirt, and comfortable pumps, Hussey looked like Elizabeth's twin.

As the years have passed, Lady Susan Hussey has focused more on her family life. In 2025, Hussey's grandson, George Francis Geoffrey Brooke, welcomed a little girl with his wife, Emily Brooke. The couple named their baby Scarlett Elizabeth Brooke, leading fans to theorize about potential royal symbolism. Many royal watchers have speculated that the child's middle name may stand as a nod to Hussey's years of royal service to Queen Elizabeth II. Fascinatingly, although Scarlett Elizabeth's father stands to inherit a baronet title, his daughters will not receive any sort of courtesy title per aristocratic protocol. Title or not, Scarlett Elizabeth's arrival officially made Hussey a great-grandmother for the first time, enriching her ever-growing family life.

Since stepping down from her own palace role, Hussey has also watched her daughter, Lady Katharine Brooke — mother of George and grandmother of Scarlett Elizabeth — become an important palace aide in her own right. In 2022, Queen Camilla broke the royal rules by choosing six women to be her Queen's Companions, rather than ladies-in-waiting. Hussey's daughter, Lady Brooke, was one of the women who received this honor. Since then, Lady Brooke has been spotted at important events like the Royal Ascot and the Cheltenham Festival horse races — carrying on her family's legacy and following in her mama's footsteps. Lady Brooke's importance in the royal household shows that the scandal has done nothing to prevent Hussey and her loved ones from moving on and pursuing careers in the royal fold.

Although Lady Susan Hussey no longer performs royal duties in any sort of official capacity, she has continued to attend royal events on occasion. In 2026, she was seemingly welcomed back into the royal fold after King Charles III invited her to attend several important events honoring his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The first gathering was the unveiling of a fashion exhibition held at The King's Gallery and titled "Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style." The event featured some of Elizabeth's most stunning outfits, ranging from frilly baby clothes to pieces that she wore in her last decade of life.

Shortly after attending the gallery exhibition, Hussey was also present at a reception held on what would have been Elizabeth's 100th birthday. The event honored Elizabeth's life and legacy through the opening of a new garden followed by a party held at Buckingham Palace. Also on the guest list were Elizabeth's beloved cousins, Princess Alexandra and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. The latter was spotted chatting with Hussey throughout the evening over a glass of white wine — a sign that the aristocrat never truly lost royal favor. Notably absent were the queen's granddaughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, whose ties to a royal feud have endangered their future in the monarchy. As the media has lost interest in Hussey's scandal and redirected its attention to Beatrice and Eugenie's family ties, the aristocrat has staged a comeback.