The Queen has lent Meghan Markle one of her most trusted aides – a feisty Australian nicknamed ‘Samantha the Panther’ – to prepare the former actress for her new royal life.

Samantha Cohen, 49, the Queen’s assistant private secretary, has made the move from Buckingham Palace to Kensington Palace and the Duchess of Sussex is said to be ready for ‘six months of listening’.

Ms Cohen’s secondment is part of Meghan’s plans to become an effective royal and she has 17 years of experience as part of the Queen’s top team advising her on a daily basis.

The married mother-of-three, who doesn’t mince her words, will guide Harry and Meghan through their first year of marriage and has already played a key role at the royal wedding and Tuesday’s Buckingham Palace garden party – her first appearance as Her Royal Highness.

Ms Cohen is said to have rejoiced in her nickname Samantha the Panther, given to her in the Noughties because of her no-nonsense approach.

Once the Queen asked her to organise a special Buckingham Palace party to celebrate the most powerful 200 women in Britain and she showed her claws by snubbing Victoria Beckham saying ‘being rich was not enough’ for an invite.