Hussey joined the
royal household in 1960, initially helping with royal correspondence, before being promoted to the position of
Woman of the Bedchamber, owing to her knowledge of the inner workings of the household. She was a close friend of Queen Elizabeth II, as well as of
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and often spent time at
Balmoral Castle. With other members of the royal household, Hussey attended the
state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September 2022. Following the Queen's death, she was made a
Lady of the Household, along with the late Queen's other ladies-in-waiting, and was responsible for assisting at events held at
Buckingham Palace. that provides specialist services to women of
African and Caribbean heritage. The two women engaged in a conversation which Fulani summarised on
Twitter, resulting in wider public attention. Fulani said that Hussey had questioned her origins by repeatedly asking
where she was "really" from, which Fulani interpreted as racist. Once Fulani's account of the conversation became public, Hussey stepped aside from her honorary role and apologised via the Buckingham Palace press office. The
prime minister,
Rishi Sunak, declined to comment on the controversy specifically, but stated that the country had made "incredible" progress in tackling racism, adding that it was "never done" and must continue to be addressed. Some journalists defended her; her friend
Petronella Wyatt offered a character reference. On 16 December, Hussey and Fulani met at Buckingham Palace to address the incident, with Hussey offering her apologies in person, which Fulani accepted. A joint statement was released afterwards, reporting that the meeting was "filled with warmth and understanding" and that Fulani accepted the apology and "appreciates that no malice was intended". Hussey had reportedly returned to performing official royal duties by February 2023, representing
Princess Anne at a memorial service for
Dame Frances Campbell-Preston. ==Personal life==