King Charles leads tributes as Queen Elizabeth’s close friend and former lady-in-waiting Lady Airlie dies aged 91
KING Charles has paid a heartfelt tribute to one of the late Queen’s close friends.
Virginia Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, sadly passed aged 91 and was one of the late monarch‘s most trusted confidants.
Affectionately nicknamed ‘Ginny’, Virginia Ryan was the first American to have served as a lady-in-waiting to the late Queen.
A statement released from Buckingham Palace yesterday 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.”
Ginny and the Queen shared a close bond, so dear that the late monarch is thought to have made her only ever nightclub appearance to mark Virginia’s 70th birthday.
The lady-in-waiting kept the role up until the Queen’s death in September 2022, after being honoured with the title in 1973.
She was also appointed a Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1995.
In the UK, Ladies in Waiting act as personal assistants to the Queen, and will assist in day-to-day activities, including running errands, delivering messages, organising correspondence, and sometimes they will also have supervision over servants.
They are also likely to accompany the Queen on royal tours and visits.
Lady Virginia often joined the late monarch on trips to the States, and was there when she met with President and Barbara Bush at the White House in 1991 for a state dinner.
In 2007 she went with the Queen to commemorate the 400th anniversary of England’s first American settlement at Jamestown, Virginia.
The countess was born in Newport, Rhode Island, in February 1933.
She was the granddaughter of German-American financier Otto Kahn which saw her become a US transport and tobacco firm heiress.
When she was not attending to her royal duties, Ginny managed a flower farm at Cortachy Castle.
Lady Virginia’s husband David, who was also a childhood friend of Queen Elizabeth II, was the 13th Earl of Airlie and Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle.
He sadly passed away last year at the age of 97.
The couple married in October 1952 and became key figures in the late Queen’s royal household.
They frequented Sandringham and Balmoral – the Scottish Highlands royal retreat King Charles is currently holidaying at.
David and Virginia shared six children together and 11 grandchildren.