My Guess four ladies-In-Waiting were involved. one is reminded of the four-man manuevering watch on a ship- and the old poem: One to watch , one to steer, and two to fetch a can of beer! kidding aside 4 is a sort of sacred number ( the four gospels, points of the compass) and in mourning assignments, also, usually Four Ladies in waiting, in mourning black with veils are at the four corners of the deathbed or coffin. In Italy, Nursing sisters fulfilled this task when Queen Margherita died. on a lighter note it is said of Anastasia- never formally crowned Czarina- that her empire shall stretch across fifteen time zones * which it did, Czarist Russia and environs) that would pose some sartorial problems- a gown stretching across fifteen time zones! oh boy.