One of the Queen and Prince Charles' closest friends, Lord Samuel Vestey, has sadly passed away just weeks after his wife Lady Celia.
Lord Vestey, formerly Her Majesty's Master of the Horse, died at the age of 79 it was announced on Thursday.
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The heartbreaking news comes after Lady Celia, who was godmother to Prince Harry, passed away "suddenly, but peacefully" at the age of 71 in November 2020.
Lord and Lady Vestey were members of the Queen's inner circle and often sat alongside Her Majesty in the carriage procession at Royal Ascot, as well as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.
Lord Vestey with Charles and Camilla in 2006
The former Cheltenham chairman was born on 19 March 1941, and was educated at Eton College before attending Sandhurst and serving as a Lieutenant in the Scots Guards.
Lord Vestey served as Master of the Horse to the Royal Household from 1999 to 2018, and was appointed as a permanent Lord-in-waiting to the monarch in August 2019.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Queen with Lord Vestey at Windsor in 2015
He married his second wife, Celia, in December 1981 and together they shared three children: The Hon. William Guy Vestey, The Hon. Arthur George Vestey and The Hon. Mary Henrietta Vestey.
Their eldest son served as Page of Honour to the Queen from 1995 until 1998.
Lord Vestey also had two daughters from his first marriage to Kathryn Eccles - the Honorable Saffron Alexandra Vestey and the Honorable Flora Grace Vestey.
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