to act as companions for the queen, both in public and in private. They had to accompany her wherever she went, to entertain her with music, dance or singing and to dress, bathe and help her use the toilet, since a royal person, by the standards of the day, was not supposed to do anything for herself, but was always to be waited upon in all daily tasks as a sign of their status. Ladies-in-waiting were appointed because of their social status as members of the nobility, on the recommendation of court officials, or other prominent citizens, and because they were expected to be supporters of the royal family due to their own family relationships. When the queen was not a foreigner, her own relations were often appointed as they were presumed to be trustworthy and loyal. Lady Margaret Lee was a Lady of the Privy Chamber to Queen Anne Boleyn, just as Lady Elizabeth Seymour-Cromwell was to Queen Jane Seymour. The organisation of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting was set in the period of the Tudor court. The ladies-in-waiting were headed by the Mistress of the Robes, followed in rank by the First Lady of the Bedchamber, who supervised the group of Ladies of the Bedchamber (typically wives or widows of peers above the rank of Earl), in turn followed by the group of Women of the Bedchamber (usually the daughters of peers) and finally the group of maids of honour, whose service entitled them to the style of The Honourable for life. The system had formally remained roughly the same since the Tudor period. However, in practice, many offices have since then been left vacant. For example, in recent times, maids of honour have only been appointed for coronations. Notable examples This is a list of particularly well known and famous ladies-in-waiting of each nation listed. More can be found in their respective category. Austria Countess Sophie Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin, later Duchess of Hohenberg (1868–1914) Canada Margaret Southern (b. 1931) Denmark Louise Scheel von Plessen (1725–1799) England, Scotland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom Catherine Douglas (fl. 1497) Elizabeth Woodville (possibly; 1437–1492) Lady Mary Boleyn (с. 1499/1500–1543) Four of Henry VIII's queens consort: Lady Anne Boleyn (c. 1501/07–1536) Jane Seymour (c. 1508–1537) Catherine Howard (с. 1523–1542) Catherine Parr (1512–1548) Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford (c. 1505–1542) Katherine Ashley (c. 1502–1565) Jane Dormer, later Duchess of Feria (1538–1612) Mary Fleming