Queen Elizabeth II in mourning
Queen Elizabeth II is in mourning after her life-long friend passed away.
Lady Myra Butter, a descendent of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and poet, novelist and playwright, Alexander Pushkin, died “peacefully” at the age of 97 in London.
"Lady Butter was a daughter of Sir Harold and Lady Zia Wernher, and a granddaughter of Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia and Countess de Torby,” managing editor of Majesty Magazine Joe Little wrote.
"Myra was a close friend of the Queen and Prince Philip since childhood and from time to time appeared in royal documentaries."
Lady Butter created the Pushkin award, which helped celebrate literary work in honour of her ancestor.
She was married to Sir David Butter to who she had five kids with - and the Queen was the godmother of their eldest child, Sandra Elizabeth Zia.
Lady Butter grew up with the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret, and spent their holidays together.
She was also a guest at the Queen’s wedding to Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947.
“The war had been so grey that the royal wedding seemed to signify the world coming to life again,” Lady Butter previously told The Daily Mail.
"Everyone was determined to have a new dress for the day and I wore a blue ribbed silk dress by Dior. It was one of the first three-quarter length dresses, and I wore it with a feathered hat. I had new shoes and a bag, too – any excuse.
"All the people from the Commonwealth made the ceremony very colourful and the choir superb.
"The Princess looked truly glittering. Her dress was beautiful and she was obviously in love. Philip looked very dashing in his naval uniform – and it really did seem like a fairy tale wedding."
Images: Getty/ITV