Queen Elizabeth once visited a posh nightclub with the help of an American pal.
Virginia Ogilvy, who served the British monarch for nearly 50 years, died on Aug. 16 at her estate in Scotland. She was 91. Her daughter, Lady Elizabeth Baring, confirmed the death in The New York Times on Sept. 2nd.
Ogilvy fiercely protected her friendship with the queen and rarely spoke publicly about their close bond. But royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital there’s one story about the women that perfectly represents their closeness.
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“When Lady Ogilvy held a private party at Annabel’s nightclub in London for her 70th birthday [in 2003] the queen came too,” he shared.
The queen would have been 76 at the time. According to reports, it was the queen’s first time at a nightclub since she married Prince Philip in 1947.
While it’s unknown whether the monarch hit the dance floor, Mohamed Ghannam, former head barman at Annabel’s, revealed she enjoyed a gin martini with no lemon, The Hollywood Reporter shared.
Lady Annabel Goldsmith, who inspired the club’s name, once gave a tidbit about the evening to the U.K.’s DailyMail.
“The queen was at my table,” Annabel insisted to the outlet. “She was animated, joking and laughing, really loving it. She told me, as she left, that she’d had such a good time. I was amazed.”
Several royal experts told Fox News Digital that Ogilvy, the only American member of the late queen’s inner circle of ladies-in-waiting, remained loyal to the monarch for decades. The Countess of Airlie served as a reminder, they noted, of those who were allowed access to the royal fold and never betrayed their trust over the years.
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“Lady Ogilvy, known affectionately as ‘Ginny,’ was a very close confidante to the late Queen Elizabeth II,” said British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard.
“Her devotion and dedicated service to the queen was recognized by the whole royal family,” said Chard. “They greatly appreciated and admired dependable Ginny. I captured many beautiful photos of Her Majesty with Lady Ogilvy . . . their bond, close friendship and warmth shone through.”
A statement from Buckingham Palace, as quoted by U.K.’s Express, read: “His Majesty was deeply saddened to hear the news, having known Lady Airlie for so much of his life and having so greatly appreciated her immense devotion and dedicated service to Her late Majesty over so many years.”
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Historically, the title of lady-in-waiting is given to a noblewoman who has a lesser ranking than the royal she is serving. However, she is a beloved friend and ensures that all duties are fulfilled out of personal loyalty.
Lady Anne Glenconner, who served as a lady-in-waiting for Elizabeth’s younger sister, Princess Margaret, told Fox News Digital in 2020 that the royal personally selected longtime friends for the prestigious role.
The role of a lady-in-waiting is not a paid position. The job, which is reportedly a lifetime one, is meant to represent loyalty and friendship. It’s also noted that the women often come from wealthy families. Some have also been a part of the monarch’s circle for years. The queen may pay for certain expenses, such as clothing and travel.
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The specific roles vary. The Mistress of the Robes, often a duchess, is responsible for the schedule and duties of her fellow ladies-in-waiting. She also handles the monach’s clothes and jewelry. While the Woman of the Bedchamber is on hand to help with decisions concerning social engagements, Ladies of the Bedchamber are readily available for events. They work on a more rotating basis.
“Virginia Ogilvy was the only American to be a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth in over 50 years of her reign,” said Pelham Turner. “Service and friendship with Lady Ogilvy grew to the point where she became a close confidante, standing just to the left of the queen on many state occasions.”
“She knew many of the queen’s ways and watched very carefully,” Pelham Turner shared. “For example, if the queen twisted her wedding ring, it meant she was bored and wanted to move on.”
“When Lady Ogilvy met President Trump, he held out his hand to greet her, and she grabbed his hand, pulling him very close, to his shock at the time. Lady Ogilvy was in the queen’s inner circle and a trusted person who she could talk to on any subject, making her service and friendship invaluable.”
Regardless of the title, all the women work together to ensure that the royal is provided companionship, support and wise counsel. They assist with day-to-day tasks and ensure all correspondence is organized. They don’t live in Buckingham Palace but could sometimes stay there should their duty require it.
Ogilvy was part of high society long before she found her place within “The Firm.” She was born in London in 1933 while her American mother, Margaret (Kahn) Ryan, was visiting the city, The New York Times reported.
According to the outlet, Ogilvy’s maternal grandfather was financier Otto Kahn, who was said to be the inspiration for Rich Uncle Pennybags, also known as Mr. Monopoly. Her father, John Barry Ryan Jr., was the grandson of the financier Thomas Fortune Ryan.
Ogilvy spent much of her childhood between New York City and Newport, Rhode Island, with frequent trips to the U.K. Her parents were good friends with Winston Churchill and British politician Anthony Eden.
It was in London where Ogilvy, at age 16, met her future husband, David Ogilvy. They married three years later on the grounds of Westminster Abbey. David, who had been friends with the queen since they were children, became the 13th Earl of Airlie in 1968.
According to The New York Times, the couple joined the queen’s royal household, with Ogilvy in 1973, followed by her husband in 1984. He took on the role of Lord Chamberlain of the Household and oversaw the monarch’s domestic affairs. She was given the title of Lady of the Bedchamber.
Ogilvy once recalled her reaction after the queen asked her to become a lady-in-waiting.
“I said, ‘You realize I am still an American subject, and David is a banker, and I have six children. Perhaps you should get someone more steeped in it all,’” she recalled to royal author Sally Bedell Smith, as quoted by the Londton Times.
“She said, ‘No, no, I would like you to do it,’” said Ogilvy.
Ogilvy also described how the queen also informally asked her husband to be part of the royal household.
“He and I hardly ever met [at work],” she said. “I kept away except when I was on duty.”
According to the outlet, Ogilvy said that her husband’s first task was to learn how to walk backwards in the queen’s presence.
“I used to say to him, ‘Find a pattern [on] the carpet and stick to it.’ I was always afraid he would fall over,” she told Bedell Smith.
Ogilvy said he took her advice, noting, “I knew I mustn’t drink too much.”
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The outlet noted that Ogilvy was always at the queen’s side, whether on royal tours or at receptions in Buckingham Palace.
“She was treasured by the late Queen Elizabeth II,” said royal expert Hilary Fordwich. “She never disclosed any inner workings of the royal family in all her years. . . . Each of the royals trusted her discretion, which can be noted by the younger generation as so important.”
“She accompanied the queen to America on both her official and unofficial trips, including many trips to Kentucky for her passion for horse breeding and horse racing,” Fordwich shared. “She was treasured for knowing exactly when and, importantly, when not, to speak to Queen Elizabeth II.”
Even after the queen died in 2022, Ogilvy never detailed her friend’s secrets to the press. Her husband passed away in 2023.
“After Queen Elizabeth II died, her son King Charles announced that he would retain the queen’s ladies-in-waiting as ladies of the household,” said Fordwich. “But they wouldn’t be replaced. Queen Camilla said that she would instead rely on a less formal group of ‘queen’s companions,’ who would have fewer responsibilities than the ladies-in-waiting of her predecessors.”
Ogilvy is survived by her daughter Lady Baring, as well as five other children, 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
