Lady Margaret Rhodes

      Lady Margaret Rhodes, (Elphinstone) cousin and long-time close friend of Queen Elizabeth ll has died, aged 91 years, born 9 June 1925 - 25 November 2016. From 1991 to 2002, she served as Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
      Born Margaret Elphinstone, in Westminster London, she was the youngest daughter of the 16th Lord Elphinstone and his wife Lady Mary Bowes-Lyon, a sister of the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. From the age of five onwards, she was to spend most of her summers with her cousins, Elizabeth and Margaret.
      In 1941 aged 16 Margaret attended a finishing school in Oxford and afterwards completing a secretarial course in Surrey. Afterwards her home became Windsor Castle, where she would at least find some safety from the London Blitz. It was during the war years she became a secretary working at the headquarters of the British Secret Service, MI6, reporting each day to an office disguised as "Passport Control" near St Jame's Park, underground.
    In 1947 she was a bridesmaid at the marriage of her cousin Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip and found herself upon the balcony at Buckingham Palace, with the rest of the family. Three years later, she married Denys Rhodes, (the couple had four children) with the King and Queen in attendance. In later years when her husband became ill, the Queen granted her a grace-and-favour house, in Windsor Park. It was after her husband's death she became Woman of the Bedchamber, to her aunt. It was to this house which her cousin made many and frequent visits to see her long and most cherished of friends.  
      In the details of her Will, she leaves the bulk of her cash estate to her four children.