Princess Margaret’s lady-in-waiting called the Princess of Wales “fantastic” but had a less enthusiastic impression of the Duchess of York.
Lady Anne Glenconner, 92, who grew up at Holkham Hall in Norfolk and was one of six ladies-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth II at the late monarch’s coronation in 1953, praised Princess Catherine, 42, in a new interview.
However, while he thought the mother of three was “fantastic”, he said Sarah Ferguson “may not be so great”.
talking to The times Ahead of the launch of his new book Picnic Papers, which delves into his love of outdoor dining, he said: ‘The Princess of Wales is fantastic.
—Fergie, maybe less. I think she fits Andrew quite well. It must be because they live together.
Lady Anne Glenconner has praised the Princess of Wales as “fantastic” but rated the Duchess of York as “lesser”.
Elsewhere, Anne praised the late Queen Elizabeth, saying she “never made a wrong move.”
The socialite added that Queen Elizabeth’s coronation was the “most wonderful” day of her life.
Anne’s comments about Kate aren’t the only thoughts she has expressed about a royal wife, as she expressed her opinions about Meghan Markle last year.
He said the Duchess of Sussex thought she would be “travelling in a golden carriage” after her marriage to Prince Harry and did not know what duties were expected of her.
The British socialite added that she feels “very sorry” for her husband, and stated that this opinion is also felt in the United States.
Speaking on the Rosebud podcast with Gyles Brandreth, Lady Glenconner said: “I think the thing about Meghan was that she had no idea what was really expected of her.
“I think she just thought it was like being another actress, you know. Riding around in a golden carriage and all that. And, in fact, being a member of the Royal Family is largely extremely boring.”
Lady Glenconner said members of the Royal Family are expected to meet thousands of people and say something interesting and pleasant to each one.
Lady Glenconner served as Princess Margaret’s lady-in-waiting (pictured). The couple would share stories about their spouses.
Lady Anne Glenconner, who grew up at Holkham Hall in Norfolk, said Kate (seen in October) is “fantastic”.
The socialite had a less enthusiastic impression of Sarah Ferguson (seen July 2022), adding that she thinks the mother of two is “very suitable for Andrew.”
Speaking about the king’s coronation, Lady Glenconner said she sat next to 80-year-old American politician John Kerry.
The socialite, born Anne Tennant, said she asked him: ‘What do you think in America about Harry and Meghan?’
She continued: “He said, ‘We all feel very, very sorry for Harry.’ I think I can leave it at that.”
When Lady Glenconner attended the king’s coronation last year, she was one of the few people at Westminster Abbey who had also been there 70 years earlier.
Because in 1953, Anne Coke, as she then was, was Queen Elizabeth II’s lady-in-waiting when she was crowned before millions of people watching on television.
At that time, the much-loved aristocrat was three years away from marrying the man who would define her life.
Anne spoke to The Times ahead of the launch of her new book, Picnic Papers, which delves into her love of picnics.
Colin Tennant, the 3rd Baron Glenconner, subjected his wife to sadistic beatings and was a blatant adulterer, but the couple remained married for 54 years until his death in 2010.
Lady Glenconner, who for decades served as Princess Margaret’s lady-in-waiting, has also endured the pain of losing two of her five children.
The second son, Henry, who came out as gay after marrying and having a son, died at age 29 from AIDS in 1990, while the eldest, Charles, died in 1996 from hepatitis.
Born July 16, 1932 as Anne Veronica Coke to the Hon. Thomas Coke and Lady Elizabeth, spent much of his childhood at the family estate, Holkham Hall, in Norfolk.
As a child, she spent time playing with the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, both at their home and at Sandringham, which is just a few miles from Holkham Hall.
She met her husband at a debutante ball at the Ritz during the summer of 1955 and quickly fell in love. The couple married the following year.
Lady Glenconner shared in her 2022 memoir, Which Next?: Lessons from an Unexpected Life, how Tennant was surprisingly violent at times.
His worst outbursts came after he bought the Caribbean island of Mustique in 1958, a decision Lady Glenconner later described as a “great leap into the unknown”.