RICHARD KAY: Lady Susan Hussey will be mortified at causing offence with her remarks - Daily Mail

And no one spanned the Queen's life quite like her lady-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey.

The earl's daughter who arrived at Buckingham Palace as a 21-year-old to help with the royal postbag after the birth of Prince Andrew was still there more than 60 uncomplaining years later, accompanying the Queen to Prince Philip's funeral and, after Her Majesty's death, leading members of her personal staff to the lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.

Unflappable, loyal and discreet, it was inevitable that Lady Susan, a godmother to Prince William, would be among the handful of the late monarch's most trusted staff invited to serve the new Queen Consort Camilla?

And no one spanned the Queen's life quite like her lady- in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey.

But a former close aide to the Queen told me: 'No question, Lady Susan has been thrown under a bus and it is a massive overreaction.

After her decades at the Queen's side, Lady Susan was recognised as a consummate go-between for the royals and the people they meet.

Unflappable, loyal and discreet, it was inevitable that Lady Susan, a godmother to Prince William, would be among the handful of the late monarch's most trusted staff invited to serve the new Queen Consort Camilla.

By 12.37pm — five hours and 12 minutes later — Lady Susan had resigned.

One who spent years watching Lady Susan at work, says: 'She was trying to do what she has always done, making people feel welcome and breaking the ice.

Insiders also believe Lady Susan wanted to know about Ms Fulani's background in case she needed to introduce her to the Queen or any of the other royals, who included the Countess of Wessex and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.

When the Queen needed a £1 coin for a Big Issue seller, Lady Susan provided it.

When the lights went out in a power cut as the Queen dressed for a reception in Jamaica, Lady Susan came dashing in with candles to ensure the royal tiara could be put on correctly.

And who but Lady Susan could be trusted to write to inmates at Dartmoor prison after an affectionate letter following the death of Princess Diana was received at Buckingham Palace.

And evidence of her elevated status came in 1982 when she was asked by Prince Charles and Diana to be a godmother to William alongside Princess Alexandra and the Duchess of Westminster.

And evidence of her elevated status came in 1982 when she was asked by Prince Charles and Diana to be a godmother to William alongside Princess Alexandra and the Duchess of Westminster.

Years later, Lady Susan was among the very few non-family guests at Anne's second wedding to naval officer Tim Laurence at Crathie church, near Balmoral.

When Lady Diana Spencer arrived on the scene, the Queen asked Lady Susan to prepare her for Palace life.

Later, Diana found herself being 'advised' in no uncertain terms by Lady Susan that she had better accept the life she had married into because, no matter what she did or how much she complained, nothing would ever change.

A few years later, Lady Susan was asked to roll out the same welcome mat for the Duchess of York.

She was able to talk intelligently to the same people as the Queen, but knew never to upstage her by dressing too boldly, or to look bored.' When Lady Diana Spencer arrived on the scene, the Queen asked Lady Susan to prepare her for Palace life.

The Queen asked her lady-in-waiting to explain the complexities of royal life to the former Meghan Markle.

Last year, on the death of Philip, it was Lady Susan whom the Queen asked to sit beside her during the lonely drive from Windsor Castle to St George's Chapel for the funeral