Ladies in Waiting

The lady in waiting had one of the most demanding and dedicated jobs that there was. Her life was solely dedicated to that of her lady as she was not allowed to get married or have children. Some lady's in waiting were even passed on through the generations and so would serve their royal family for all their living days.

Routines

The Lady in waiting had many jobs and daily routines. For example, each morning, she would wake her lady, help her dress and do her hair. Her position in life was to wait on her lady from morning till night. She often slept in the same chamber as her lady, so that if her lady required something in the middle of the night, she could assist her. When her lady traveled she would have to pack everything, including the pallets they slept on for their journey. If her lady didn't like her work or was unhappy with her service she could be put to death by having her head chopped off or banished from the castle. Life would have been very difficult for a lady in waiting.

Clothing

A lady in waiting traditionally wore very plain clothing. Her dresses were usually full length, were made of silk and were often tied at the waist with a fabric string. She usually wore dresses that were blue, green, red and gray in color. Brighter colors were for wealthier royalty and ladies of power. Under clothes were baggy and often uncomfortable. Woolen socks or hose kept their legs warm and their shoes worn had pointed toes and were made from leather that was wrapped around the foot. Their hair was worn up and wrapped inside a net. They usually had a vail that was worn down their backs. The vail and net was held in place with a roll of fabric sometimes covered in jewels. If the lady in waiting had jewels on her band this would reflect the wealth of her lady. Her clothing ensured that her position was know and that she was not mistaken for her lady.

Homes

The lady in waiting lived in the castle with her lady. Her room, if she didn't stay directly with her lady, would often be upstairs in the tower but her room was always right beside her lady's room. These rooms were called chambers and in her room she would have a single bed which was called a pallet. The mattress of the pallet was made of hay and her blankets were usually animal hides. If a lady in waiting was in service to a wealthy lady she might have a fireplace, a night table and maybe a candle for light. The castles in which they lived were usually cold, damp and dark. This was because the castle was made out of stone and didn't have windows.

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