That was happening in the 80s, but we did have the wife of a retired very very senior officer giving the staff and Wg Cdr consultant surgeon a lot of grief. He had to threaten to have her barred from the hospital by the CO. The retired officer was a true gentleman, talked to anyone and everyone as if the were normal people. Younger pateints could not believe whio he was and what he had done during his service.
Wives and rank, believe it, it happens.