Annabel Elliot is Queen Camilla‘s younger sister. The 76-year-old Annabel is an antique dealer and an interior designer. She has used her skills to design several royal properties and has played an important role in royal affairs. She was the lady-in-attendance during the King’s coronation. This was before Prince William took over.
She’s not just the queen’s sister but her confidante over the years. The two share a close relationship. Elliot says that she can’t curtsy to her sister as she finds it impossible to do so. She revealed this to the royal biographer Robert Hardman as he’s working on a 20th wedding anniversary special for the King and the Queen.
Despite the protocol, she cannot do it. However, the protocols are subdued now. There are no obligations to greet the royals. The previous tradition involved that the king and the queen were given a small curtsy. Men would bow their heads, and women were expected to offer a small curtsy.
https://t.co/Fc38yMXpkD 👑✨ Seeing her sister crowned as Queen Camilla has been an emotional rollercoaster for Annabel Elliot, who admits she still finds it surreal! ❤️👭 Reflecting on their journey, she praises Camilla’s graceful transition into royalty and the positive impact…
— Velvet Rumor (@legitsci) April 25, 2025
They were supposed to give curtsy upon seeing the royals for the first time in the day. Over the years, this obligation has changed and anyone can do as they please. We can see how the lady-in-waiting, Elliot, cannot bring herself to Curtsy as she still can’t believe her sister is the queen.
The relaxed customs do exempt her, however, some royals do expect her to curtsy and follow the traditional protocols.
Apart from acknowledging curtsy with a solid no, she was all positive about her sister. She says how beautifully Queen Camilla has transitioned into her new role. Besides, she says she may not be able to curtsy her sister, but of course, she follows it for the king. Upon her sister’s new role, she says sometimes she can’t believe this is real.
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The two have a friendly relationship, as Elliot was her sister’s rock in 2024. She lost her dog, and the family members were sick, battling cancer. It took a toll on her as her daughter-in-law and husband both were in and out of the hospital a lot.
Even though she does not curtsy the Queen, we can see how emotional she is for her journey. Earlier, she was seen shedding tears as Camilla left for Westminster Abbey to be crowned. She is proud of her sister in her own way. She says she felt like a two year old reminiscing about Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation on black and white television.
📖 On Coronation day itself, Annabel [Elliot] is at the palace as the King and Queen are preparing to leave.
It is the first time the King has seen Queen Camilla in her full Coronation gown.
‘When he saw her – you could see his face lit up. He was very proud of her.’… pic.twitter.com/1FCgxe6kr5
— no context queen camilla (@nocontxtcamilla) January 17, 2024
The feeling of her sister getting crowned is surreal to her as she makes the comparison. She may have watched it but was in disbelief the whole time. As she speaks of her sister, we always see how much she admires her and understands her role. She calls her sister generous and sees the difference she has made in King’s life. So her presence is inevitable for everyone around.
