Henri M. said:
The Queen has the following ladies in her slipstream:
M.L.A. van Loon-Labouchere, Grootmeesteres
C. Bischoff van Heemskerck-Telders, Dame du Palais Honoraire, Grootmeesteres Honoraire
M.A.R. de Kanter, baroness Von Mühlen, Dame du Palais Honoraire
C.L. van Zinnicq Bergmann, baroness De Vos van Steenwijk, Dame du Palais Honoraire
R.D. de Blocq van Scheltinga, Hofdame
M.J. Boellaard-Stheemann, Hofdame
O.A. Gaarlandt-Van Voorst van Beesd, Hofdame
J. Jeekel-Thate, Hofdame
M.P. Karnebeek-Van Lede, Hofdame
E.J.M. baroness van Wassenaer-Mersmans, Hofdame
A.V. de Beaufort-Van Sminia, Hofdame Honoraire
H.G. Goudzwaard-Blom, Hofdame Honoraire
A. Labouchere, Hofdame Honoraire
M.C.C. Nahuys-Wijnen, Hofdame Honoraire
These ladies do not belong to the official Household (in the service of the State) but are in the personal service of Her Majesty The Queen herself. The other royal ladies do not have a Hofdame in their service. When they do perform official duties, a Hofdame from the Queen is placed at their disposal.
Please, do not mix Hofdames and Dames du Palais with gardeners, cooks and other staff. They are very high in the Court hierarchy, do have their own appartment inside the palaces and their own social agenda (in the service of the Queen). They invite guests to entertain them and they also attend events in the Corps Diplomatique, in noble families, etc. on behalf of the Queen. They are served as well by the Household, are seated next to the Queen in her car or carriage, travel with her all over the world.
They are not paid for their services. Nobility is not a requirement an sich, but as you need to be fiancially independent, being 'of a certain standing' and need to have a 'social network', it simply often are ladies from the aristocracy or the patriciate ('old money'). You can see that in the double names above.
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