The Queen's lady-in-waiting and close friend has reportedly died at the age of 90

• The Queen's lady-in-waiting, Lady Farnham, has died at the age of 90.
• This marks the second lady-in-waiting to die in recent weeks.

Queen Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting Diana Maxwell, Lady Farnham died on December 29 at the age of 90, Vanity Fair reports.

Lady Farnham, who was known to her friends as Marion, joined the royal household in 1987, according to Vanity Fair. Her role involved accompanying the monarch to official state events, including her 2012 tour of Ireland.

The monarch has several ladies-in-waiting, and the role is typically held by aristocratic women who act as personal assistants and close companions to the Queen.

This marks the Queen's second lady-in-waiting to have died in the month of December after Fortune Fitzroy, Dowager Duchess of Grafton died on December 3 at the age of 101, Vanity Fair added.

The Queen has not yet made an official statement following the deaths. However, a royal source told The Telegraph that Lady Farnham and Dowager Duchess of Grafton were "dear friends" to the Queen.

"It has not been a good year for the Queen—losing her husband and then the Duchess of Grafton and now Lady Farnham," the source said, according to the publication. "They were dear friends who supported the Queen on official duties. Unfortunately a sad consequence of living a long life is that you have to say goodbye to a lot of people you care about."

The Queen's ladies-in-waiting perform royal duties, such as responding to Her Majesty's correspondence and attending the State Opening of Parliament. However, they do not get paid an official salary for their role.

Grant Harrold, a former royal butler, previously told Insider that the role is a "huge honor" for women in aristocratic circles, who are usually wealthy enough to take on the unpaid position.

Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.