For 55 years, she was a close friend of Queen Victoria, who referred to her as "the dear Duchess".

[1] Murray was born at Edinburgh, Scotland, the daughter of Henry Home-Drummond, 6th of Blair Drummond.

[3] She served as Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria in Lord Derby's short-lived government of 1852.

She subsequently served the queen as a Lady of the Bedchamber for almost forty years and was one of Victoria's closest friends.

In 1892, when Gladstone again came to power, his policy of Home Rule for Ireland had alienated many of the upper classes, and no lady of ducal rank could be found who was willing to serve as Mistress of the Robes.