Angela Kelly spent years as the Queen's right-hand woman working as her senior dresser and personal adviser.
Therefore it was only right she represent the Queen's close staff at Her Majesty's state funeral. The mum from Walton was born to a crane driver and nurse and, as a teenager, would spend her time at Liverpool's flea markets looking for materials to make clothes.
Despite their upbringings being worlds apart, Ms Kelly and Her Majesty were colleagues and friends for nearly 30 years. Ms Kelly has written two books about her special bond with Queen Elizabeth, including the jokes the two shared.
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One famous incident, which the ECHO reported first reported in 2019, was how the Queen told Ms Kelly she was 'sacked' after a hilariously cruel prank.
Sharing the funny story in her book The Other Side of the Coin, Ms Kelly explained that the Queen was desperate to see a kookaburra bird during their Royal Tour to Australia in 2006, reports the Mirror.
She didn't have any luck spotting one, so when Angela saw a cute toy version during a trip to a market in Sydney while her boss was at an engagement, she decided to buy it for her.
But rather than just giving it to her, she decided to have a bit of fun first. She wrote: "I had something in mind I thought the Queen would enjoy."
When she got back to Governor's House, where they were all staying, she placed the toy in a little cage on the balcony outside her room. When the Queen got back Ms Kelly told her she had spotted a "funny looking grey bird" through the window.
Ms Kelly said: "The Queen looked outside and shouted 'It's a kookaburra!' I went to open the cage doors and she said loudly 'No! Don't do that! It will fly away!' and was behind me in a flash.
"Turning to her Majesty while trying to keep a straight face, I solemnly told her it was dead." The Queen looked "horrified" until Ms Kelly walked towards her with outstretched arms and said "April Fool".
Ms Kelly added: "She had only two words for me 'You're sacked'. I was laughing uncontrollably as her Majesty turned to His Royal Highness and said 'Do you know what she has just done to me? Angela has had me!'.
The Queen took the little toy back to Windsor Castle with her and it lived on the back of the sofa in her private living room.
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