Watching The Crown with Lady Pamela Hicks, Queen Elizabeth's Lady-in-Waiting 

Truman Capote\'s Black & White Ball, 50 Years Later

My mother could not bear to watch more than one episode of

. "But why?" I asked, as I, along with most of the nation, was gripped by this magical series. "No, no its all wrong, as though any gentleman would have his hand in his suit pockets whilst talking to a lady. And it is ridiculous to think that a weekend party would consist of only fourteen house guests, it would have consisted of at least 40!"

. "It\'s rather good" she conceded, which lets face it, is high praise considering she lived through so much of it—with a front row seat.

My mother is Lady Pamela Hicks; her father, my grandfather, was Earl Mountbatten of Burma. Played by Greg Wise in the series, he was (among many other things) Prince Philip\'s uncle and second cousin to the Queen.

My mother (or rather a a young woman playing her) even makes an appearance in the Royal Wedding scene. I shouted in delight when I caught a glimpse of her, age 20 and a royal bridesmaid, walking out onto the balcony with Princess Margaret and the others.

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Leading up to the wedding my mother had been in India, where my grandfather was trying to hand back power, so she had missed most of the dress fittings, but she remembers being delighted by the ethereal looking gowns, with their tight waists, full skirts, and layers of tulle over white satin petticoats. They were sprinkled with star-shaped lily heads created from seed pearls and crystal beads, which echoed the bride\'s tulle train. And it was all set off perfectly by delicate tiaras of silver orange blossom and ears of corn.

My mother says that to know the Queen is to admire her above all else.

During the reception and ball before the wedding, all the foreign royal visitors gathered together in excitement, as kings and queens, princes and princesses were reunited after the bleak years of war. Although Crown Princess Julianna of the Netherlands caused a stir remarking that "everyone\'s jewelry is so

" which my mother says may or may not have been the case, it was remarkable that all those royal jewels had survived the war at all.

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My mother remembers that in one rehearsal they had all been warned to veer right as they set off down the aisle, so as to avoid walking on the grave of the Unknown Warrior. But on the day of the wedding, one of the smallest pages, Prince Michael of Kent, stepped right on top of it.

She also says that Princess Elizabeth was delighted to find her favorite corgi had been hidden under a rug in her carriage, so that the dog could join them for the first part of their honeymoon at Broadlands, my grandfather\'s home in Hampshire.

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The author\'s grandfather, Earl Mountbatten, with his nephew Prince Philip.

My mother was also Lady-in-Waiting on that famous first commonwealth tour with Princess Elizabeth, when the news broke that her beloved father, the King, had died. My mother says she instinctively gave her a hug but quickly remembered that her cousin was now Queen, and dropped into a deep curtsey.

Despite the terrible news Princess Elizabeth remained completely calm and simply said, "I am so sorry, this means we all have to go home"

has certainly painted an intimate and compelling picture of our great sovereign. My mother says that to know the Queen is to admire her above all else.

was born in London, England. Her father was famed interior designer David Hicks, and her mother is Lady Pamela Hicks, whose father was the last viceroy of India (hence India\'s name.)

Her godfather is the Prince of Wales and India was a bridesmaid at his wedding to Lady Diana. She lives in the Bahamas with her family and is the founder of a lifestyle and accessories brand, India Hicks Inc.

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