The Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sarah Troughton, has been appointed as one of Queen Consorts’ companions.

Mrs Troughton, who lives in Wroughton, has held the position since February 2012.

The Lord Lieutenant is the Royal Family's representative in the county.

She was the first woman to hold the position since it was created in the 16th century and is the second cousin to King Charles III as her grandfather was the brother of Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

Fiona, the Marchioness of Lansdowne, has also been appointed.

She is a succesful interior designer and lives at Bowood House near Calne.

The other companions are Lady Katherine Brooke, a close friend of the King and Queen, Baroness Chisholm, a Conservative peer, and Jane Von Westenholz, another longstanding friend.

It is believed the work of the Queen’s companions will be similar to, but not as extensive as, that carried out by the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting.

It is thought they are likely to be in attendance less regularly than the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting were and, on certain occasions, may attend an engagement instead of a private secretary or a deputy private secretary.

Mrs Troughton has experience as a lady-in-waiting for the Duchess of Kent, so she is set to be a helpful friend and confidante for the Queen Consort.

She is married to Peter Troughton who is a trustee of the Royal Collection and also a pro-chancellor at Bath University.