Queen Consort Camilla scraps ladies-in-waiting for 'companions'

The women who will support Queen Consort Camilla as she carries out her key official and state duties have been announced by Buckingham Palace.

Camilla, 75, is to have six queen's companions, not traditional ladies-in-waiting, in addition to her private secretary and deputy private secretary, Buckingham Palace said.

They are the queen consort's trusted friends Sarah Troughton; Jane von Westenholz; Fiona, the Marchioness of Lansdowne, who is a professional interior designer; Lady Katharine Brooke and Baroness Carlyn Chisholm, who is now a non-affiliated peer.

The sixth is Camilla's close friend Lady Sarah Keswick, whose husband, Sir Chips Keswick, retired as Arsenal chairman in 2020 after spending 15 years on the board at the North London football club, according to Tatler.

Major Ollie Plunket, of The Rifles, has been appointed Camilla's equerry. It is believed his role is to look after her diary and accompany her at official events.

Some of the queen's companions will appear publicly with her for the first time at a reception she will host to raise awareness of violence against women and girls, at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

What is a lady-in-waiting?

Queen Elizabeth II with her ladies-in-waiting. Lady Anne Glenconner, far left, would go on to become one of the queen's longest-serving in the role. Photo: The Print Collector / Getty Images

In Britain, ladies-in-waiting are titled noblewomen who serve not only the queen, but also high-ranking women in the royal household.

Queen Elizabeth II had nine, before the Duchess of Grafton and Lady Farnham died.

Although they have not historically lived at Buckingham Palace, they have sometimes stayed there or in royal apartments in London should their duties require it.

What did ladies-in-waiting do?

Ladies-in-waiting were close, often childhood friends of the monarch, and come from titled families whose lineages stretch back alongside royalty.

They acted as personal assistants to the queen, assisting in day-to-day activities such as running errands, delivering messages and organising correspondence, as well as attending to personal matters, and accompanying her on royal tours and visits.

What is a queen's companion?

It is believed the work of the queen's companions will be similar to, but not as extensive as, that carried out by ladies-in-waiting.

It is thought they are likely to be in attendance less regularly than the queen's ladies-in-waiting were and, on certain occasions, may attend an engagement instead of a private secretary or a deputy private secretary.

There is still a role for the ladies-in-waiting who worked for the queen.

Lady Susan Hussey, Mary Morrison and Dame Annabel Whitehead will now be known as ladies of the household.

They continue to assist the king in hosting formal occasions at Buckingham Palace, as they have done recently.

— Press Association contributed to this report

Queen Consort Camilla donates Paddington Bear toys to Barnardo's nursery — in pictures

Camilla, Queen Consort hands a Paddington Bear toy to a child during a teddy bears' picnic at a Barnardo's Nursery in Bow, east London. PA
The queen consort Camilla, accompanied by a member of the Welsh Guards, arrives with the bears and other cuddly toys. Getty Images
The toys had been left outside royal palaces as tributes to Queen Elizabeth II, after her death in September. The queen had appeared in a video with Paddington to mark her platinum jubilee in June. Getty Images
The royal family has donated more than 1,000 bears to Barnardo’s. Each was professionally cleaned before being delivered to the charity. Getty Images
The queen consort eats a marmalade sandwich, with Paddington on her lap. Marmalade sandwiches are the fictional bear's favourite food. PA
In 2016, Queen Elizabeth passed the patronage of Barnardo's, which supports hundreds of thousands of children, young people, parents and carers, to Camilla. PA
The queen consort and actor Hugh Bonneville, a star of the Paddington films, at the teddy bears' picnic. Getty Images

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1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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