What is a lady in waiting?What does she do? (meaning being in the queen's court)?

Question

What is a lady in waiting?What does she do? (meaning being in the queen's court)?

Answer 1

She waits on the Queen (or princess).  She helps with things like dressing or makeup, hair, etc.

Answer 2

They wait on the Queen (like a waiter) carrying out her needs dressing, etc. but now days they act like the Queens PA as well - doing what ever the Queen needs them to. Its Mainly Paper work as the Current Queen is Queen Regent.

In the future when we have a King and a Queen Consort the Lady's in waiting will have a less important role being the Queens companion when carrying out charity work etc.

Answer 3

A Lady-in-Waiting is a noblewoman who acts as the Queen's private secretary/companion.She helps answer letters to the Queen.She attends functions with the Queen,often acting as a buffer between the sovereign and people who tend to monopolize the conversation.

A Lady-in-Waiting often helps the Queen carry the many bouquets of flowers and gifts offered.She also carries an emergency-kit to make wardrobe repairs-extra stockings,thread,buttons.

Royal Insight Magazine at http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page5713....

says:

"'Ladies in Waiting' is the general term which refers to those ladies who attend upon The Queen and other female members of the Royal Family on public engagements.  In The Queen's Household they deal with much of the daily correspondence from the public, especially that from children.  All Ladies in Waiting are chosen for personal qualities and their role is non-political.  

The Mistress of the Robes is the senior lady of the Royal Household and is usually a Duchess. She is responsible for arranging the rota for the attendance of the Ladies in Waiting upon The Queen and is herself in attendance on State occasions and on some overseas visits.  

The Ladies of the Bedchamber attend upon The Queen on more important public occasions.  On overseas tours Her Majesty is accompanied by two Ladies in Waiting, one of whom is usually a Lady of the Bedchamber.  

There are four Women of the Bedchamber who, in turn, usually for a fortnight at a time, attend The Queen on public and semi-private engagements.  Their role also involves doing personal shopping for Her Majesty, dealing with The Queen's private correspondence and replying to letters written to Her Majesty by children."

Answer 4

what they said.... 2 points whoooooo