In an anecdote that highlights the openness and understanding of the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, it has been revealed that she was thoroughly supportive of her hip surgeon’s gender transition. This disclosure came from esteemed ballet dancer Wayne Sleep, who recounted the Queen Mother’s reaction to the transition of her hip surgeon, Sarah Muirhead-Allwood, formerly known as William.
Sarah Muirhead-Allwood, a prominent British specialist renowned for her proficiency in complex hip resurfacing and unusual hip replacements, operated on the Queen Mother at London’s King Edward VII Hospital in 1995. At the time, she was known as William and had been called upon to perform a critical hip replacement surgery on the Queen Mother.
The following year marked a pivotal personal change for Muirhead-Allwood, as she began her transition to live as a woman. When the Queen Mother returned to the hospital in 1998 for a second hip replacement, she was introduced to her surgeon’s new identity. According to Sleep, the Queen Mother responded with characteristic wit and grace, inquiring, “Oh William, what do I call you now, dear?” to which Muirhead-Allwood responded, “Sarah, Ma’am.” Impressed by the success of her previous operation, the Queen Mother simply requested, “Oh Sarah, do the other hip – the other one was such a success.”
This remarkable show of support was recounted to Sleep by Muirhead-Allwood, and he shared the Queen Mother’s response to her transition during the launch of his memoir, Just Different. Sleep, 76, expressed admiration for the Queen Mother, noting her exuberant personality and fondness for glamour.
Beyond her royal patients, Muirhead-Allwood has also garnered recognition for reviving the tennis career of Sir Andy Murray. She performed a hip resurfacing procedure on him five years ago, allowing him to continue competing at a high level in men’s singles—a feat that had not been accomplished before.
The Queen Mother’s operations were significant not only for her senior age—she was 95 at the time of her first surgery—but also because they involved Muirhead-Allwood working with her personal specialist, Roger Vickers, during the procedures, each lasting 90 minutes. Following her surgeries, the Queen Mother made a notable public appearance as she left the hospital after 18 days, standing unaided on the steps to wave to gathered onlookers.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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