Pamela Hicks: A Life Intertwined with Royalty and History

Pamela Hicks, known intimately as a cousin, bridesmaid, and lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, played a unique role in British history. Her life intersected with pivotal historical moments, from the end of the imperial reign in India to significant royal events.

Pamela Hicks witnessed critical scenes as the daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India. She was present in Africa when Elizabeth received the news of her ascent to the throne after her father’s death. Ms. Hicks passed away on Friday at the age of 97, as announced by her daughter, India Hicks, on social media. Details about her place of death were not disclosed.

From her birth in Barcelona’s Ritz Hotel, overseen by King Alfonso XIII of Spain, Pamela Hicks lived a life closely woven with Europe’s royal families. As a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria and first cousin to Prince Philip, she had deep connections to royalty. At the royal wedding of Elizabeth in 1947, Pamela and her sister Patricia served as bridesmaids; they were third cousins of Queen Elizabeth.

Pamela Hicks in Malta during a royal visit in 1954, standing behind Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

Ms. Hicks’s life encountered adversity, notably when her father was killed in a 1979 bomb attack on the family fishing boat by the Irish Republican Army. Her mother, Edwina Ashley, was famed for her affluence and attractiveness, and her unconventional relationships. Edwina developed a notable attachment to Jawaharlal Nehru, a leading figure in India’s independence who became its first prime minister, a relationship Pamela Hicks affirmed as platonic.

The Mountbattens’ move to New Delhi in 1947 marked the departure of Britain from its prized colony. Ms. Hicks played a silent role amidst her mother’s connection to Nehru, as Britain prepared to grant independence to India.