[citation needed] Parker's brother Michael served in the Royal Navy with Prince Philip and became his secretary and equerry-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth II.

[1] In her early career in England, film studios likened her star quality to that of Debbie Reynolds.

[1] Fitzgerald stated that "everybody in England knew Mary Parker [...] I've seen her name in lights on Shaftesbury Avenue and then she worked on TV as an announcer.

"[2][dead link‍] In England, she worked on stage in West End Theatre productions, and in film and television dramas with the likes of Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Boris Karloff and Lloyd Bridges and had numerous experiences on live television broadcasting at the BBC alongside celebrities such as singer Petula Clark.

[1] She started an interview with violinist Des Bradley by accompanying him in a rendition of Saint Saëns's The Swan.