Heartbreak for the Queen as she loses another close friend

It’s already been reported that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip are planning a low key 70th wedding anniversary – because they’ve lost so many close friends in the past year, they didn’t want to be reminded of all the beloved faces missing.

Now there’s another face that will be missing. 

Her Majesty’s cousin Davina, Countess of Stair, has died at the age of 87. Davina was the only daughter of the Queen Mother’s younger brother, Sir David Bowes-Lyon, and his wife Rachel Pauline (nee Spender Clay). She was also the widow of the 13th Earl, who died on February 26, 1996. She had three sons, the eldest is Jamie, the 14th Earl of Stair.

A death notice in the Telegraph read as follows:

“Davina, Countess of Stair. Beloved wife of the late John, Earl of Stair; mother of Jamie, David & Michael; sister of Simon and grandmother of nine. Peacefully at home after a short illness on 1st November 2017. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday 15th November 12 noon at Inch Church, Castle Kennedy, Stranraer, DG9 8RU. Family flowers only but donations, if desired, to Marie Curie or Malcolm Sargent via John McNeill Funeral Directors, Stranraer, DG9 7ER.”

Cousins are often the first friends we have growing up, and it’s seems it was no different for the Queen. A courtier told the Daily Mail that Davina and the Queen go a long way back, so the monarch will doubtless be very sad at her passing.

Read more: The sad story behind Queen and Prince Phillip’s low-key 70th party.

Already in the past 12 months, the Queen’s cousin and close confidante Margaret Rhodes has died, as well as her other life-long friend Lady Elizabeth Longman. Lady Elizabeth, Rhodes, who was the daughter of Lord Elphinstone, and the monarch had been friends since childhood and the two were among Queen Elizabeth’s eight bridesmaids.

Meanwhile, Prince Phillip has lost two close friends, his former private secretary Brian McGrath and the royal archivist Anne Griffiths, The Express reported.

Have you ever changed plans for a special event due to the loss of a loved one? What did you do?