The Hon Amelia Rose Forbes (born 1988, nee Martyn-Hemphill), wife of Patrick James Ferrar Forbes (born 1980), and scion of the Barons Hemphill, gave birth to a daughter, Delphi Jane Emma, 28 October, 2025.
Patrick is a son of Dr & Mrs Michael Forbes, of London.
The Hon Amelia Forbes is the second daughter of the 6th Baron Hemphill (born 8 Oct, 1954), of London, and his wife the former Sarah Jane Frances Lumley (born 1956).
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The engagement was announced 15 November, 2025, between Hugh Charles Phillips (born 1995), younger son of Christopher J Phillips, of Fossebridge, Gloucestershire, and his wife the former Jennie Darton, and Helena Elizabeth S. Davidson-Houston (born 6 October, 1995), scion of that laded gentry family, daughter of Steuart Christian Olrik Davidson-Houston (born 23 February, 1954), of Dinnington, Somerset, and his wife the former Claire E.M. Brockman (born 1957), scion of the Drake-Brockman landed gentry family.
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Francis John Hugh Cairns, who died 1 November, 2025, aged 83, was a scion of the Earls Cairns.
He was born 1 August, 1942, the second son of Hugh William Cairns (1911-1996), and his wife the former Diana Katherine Soames (1917-1997), scion of that landed gentry family; and married in 1983, Ulla Agneta (Mouche) Bylander, daughter of Sten Bylander, of Göteborg, Sweden, by whom he had issue, a daughter, Catriona Helen (born 1984).
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Ruth Mary Frances Bickford (née Stanley, born 1987), wife of Dr Benjamin Joseph Thomas Bickford (born 1992), and scion of the Earls of Derby, gave birth to a son, Henry William Stanley, 4 November, 2025.Dr
Dr Bickford is a son of Christopher Jack Sumner Bickford (born 1967), of Melbourne Beach, Florida, & his wife the former Mary Jane Hookham (born 1962).
Ruth Bickford is a daughter of Christopher Geoffrey Awdrey Stanley (born 18 March, 1949), of Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, and his wife the former Anita Jane Keogh (born 1949).
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Lady Stewart-Clark, who died at Edinburgh, 9 November, 2025, aged 89,
Lady Stewart-Clark, who died 9 November, 2025, at Edinburgh, aged 89, was the wife of Sir John Stewart-Clark, 3rd Baronet (born 17 September, 1939).
She was Jonkvrouwe Lydia Frederika Loudon, born in the Netherlands, 29 October, 1936, daughter of Jonkheer James William Loudon (1904-1973), of Valkenswaard, Netherlands, by his wife the former Margarethe Katharine Osieck (1903-1979); and married 16 July, 1958, John (Jack) Stewart-Clark, son of Sir Stewart Stewart-Clark, 2nd Baronet (1904-1971), and his wife the former Jane Pamela Carke (who died 1993). Her husband succeeded his father in the baronetcy, 1 December, 1971.
Lady Stewart-Clark is survived by her husband and five children.
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The Baroness Newlove, who died 11 November, 2025, aged 63, was a community reform campaigner who was appointed as Victims' Commissioner, and served from 2013 to 2019. She was reappointed as the interim victims' commissioner on 16 October 2023, serving until her death in 2025. She also served as a deputy speaker in the House of Lords from 2018 to 2025.
Helen Margaret Newlove was born 28 December, 1961. She came to prominence after her husband, Garry Newlove, was murdered by three youths in 2007. After his death she set up a number of foundations that aimed to tackle the UK drinking culture as well as providing support to young people. Newlove was given a peerage in the 2010 Dissolution Honours list and sat in the House of Lords as a Conservative.
In May 2010, Newlove was given a peerage in the 2010 Dissolution Honours list. After the announcement was made Newlove commented that "I am just an ordinary woman, propelled into high profile by a set of horrifying circumstances which I wish with all my heart had never occurred." Newlove took up her seat in the House of Lords as a Conservative on 15 July 2010 when she was introduced as Baroness Newlove, of Warrington in the County of Cheshire. On 5 March 2021, Newlove took up the office of Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords.
Baroness Newlove, in December 2012 was appointed as the second victims' commissioner, a role requiring her to liaise with ministers to offer advice on aspects of the criminal justice system in England and Wales that affect victims and witnesses. The role had previously been held by Louise Casey, but had been vacant since she stepped down in October 2011. Baroness Newlove took up the post on 4 March 2013, was reappointed for a second term in March 2016, and stepped down on 31 May 2019. She was succeeded by Dame Vera Baird. It was announced that Newlove had been reappointed as Victims' Commissioner from 16 October 2023; her tenure would have ended on 31 December 2025.
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The announcement of the former Prince Andrew's new surname carried a mysterious omission - the hyphen.
In 1960 when The Queen made changes to the surname of some of her future descendants when she declared, by Letters Patent, that her descendants, who did not enjoy the style, title or attribute of HRH and the titular dignity of Prince, would be known as Mountbatten-Windsor, with the hyphen.
The recent Press release decreeing Andrew's new name left out the hyphen, where other members of the royal family use the all important 'dash'.
The children of the the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Earl of Wessex and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, use the hyphen, and from birth until 2022 the children of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archie and Lilibet, were surnamed Mountbatten-Windsor. However, with the accession of the King to the throne in September, 2022, Harry & Meghan's children became prince and princess, and thus free of a surname, as laid down in 1960 by the late Queen.
In 1973, Princess Anne decided to use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor on her marriage certificate to Capt Mark Phillips. This contradicted the wishes of Queen Elizabeth II because Anne (who signed 'Anne as tradition dictates), was most definitely a HRH and a Princess.
We have some strange rules regarding the hyphen. I was told many years ago that double barrelled names in England should include one, but double barrelled surnames in Scotland do not. However, many English peerages have surnames in a 'hyphen free' zone, and some from o'er the border clearly insert one.
Look at the case of Andrew's grandmother for instance. Was Elizabeth Bowes Lyon born with or without the hyphen? Burke's Peerage gives the Earls of Strathmore one, and Debrett's Peerage and editions of Who's Who leave the hyphen out of the late Queen Mother's family name. Who is right? Certainly, when Lady Elizabeth signed her marriage certificate on her marriage to the then Duke of York in 1923 she left the hyphen out.
The King's great friends the Palmer-Tomkinson's have one, very English of course, but the Dukes of Marlborough are Spencer Churchill without. That great Briton Sir Winston Churchill, officially a Spencer Churchill, chose to drop the double barrel completely, and the Spencer part of the name was side lined to the status of a third Christian name. The Duke of Norfolk, who is head of the College of Arms, is surnamed Fitzalan Howard, without the hyphen. The Dukes Sutherland are Leveson-Gower, with one. The Duke of Hamilton & Brandon, Premier Peer of Scotland, is in all sources given the hyphen in his family name Douglas-Hamilton, further throwing my friend's ruling into disarray.
The hyphen is invariably always inserted where a double barrelled person without the 'dash' is raised to the peerage, -- but this isn't aways the case. Thus, Andrew Lloyd Webber when ennobled became Baron Lloyd-Webber. Yet David Lloyd George, the Liberal statesman and former prime minister, took the title Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, minus the hyphen.
Her Majesty Queen Camilla spent thirty years as Camilla Parker Bowles, with no hyphen, as wife of Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, scion of the Earls of Macclesfield, who according to my source should have had a hyphen, as coming from an upper class English family.
There are occasions when a first name is shunted into a title. It is for practicality they say, to make clear that two parts form one surname and not the first name and surname. In 1930 the Labour politician Noel Buxton became Lord Noel-Buxton. It’s for practicality, they say, to make clear that the two parts form one surname and not first name and surname. This effectively meant that his name became Noel Noel-Buxton. Similarly, the Labour politician and former foreign secretary George Brown, on accepting a life peerage demanded to be styled 'Lord George Brown', but Garter King of Arms objected. 'Lord George Brown' would be his style if the younger son of a duke or marquess, and Garter baulked at this. And so a compromise was reached. George Brown adopted the surname 'George-Brown' by deed poll and he became 'George George-Brown' and was created Baron George-Brown.
Hyphens do make matters tidier. Was the omission from Andrew's change of status a typo? Or was the lack of hyphen for the former Duke of York an intentional omission to further distance him from his hyphenated kinfolk?
We are now told that after some discussion the missing hyphen will be restored to the disgraced former prince.
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Baroness Smith, who died 19 October, 2025, aged 93, was the widow of (Edwin) Rodney Smith, the Baron Smith, KBE, FRS (1914-1998).
She was born in 1931, the former Susan Fry, daughter of Dr Rowdon Marrian Fry (1896-1980), by his wife the former Elsie Dancy, and married Rodney Smith as his second wife in 1971. He died 1 July, 1998.
Her husband, a surgeon, was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1975 New Year Honours and created a life peer as Baron Smith, of Marlow in the County of Buckinghamshire on 8 July 1978.He served as president of the Royal Society of Medicine between 1978 and 1980.
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John Richard Marshall Roscoe, of North Deighton Manor, Wetherby, died 10 November, 2025. He was 90.
He was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, in 1935, son of John C. Roscoe, and his wife the former Kathleen Mary M Wiggins (1908-1994).
He married 5 October, 1963, Dame Ingrid Mary Roscoe, DCVO (1944-2020), who served as Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire 2004-2018.
Dame Ingrid, appointed DCVO, in 2017, died 28 June, 2020, aged 76. Mr Roscoe leaves thee children, Nick, Emma and Katie.
His wife was born 27 May, 1944, daughter of Arthur Allen and his wife, Else Markenstam. Her father died in her childhood and her mother subsequently married Brigadier Kenneth Hargreaves, CBE [1903-90], Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding 1970-74, and of West Yorkshire, 1974-78, who adopted Ingrid. Her mother died in 1968, and the following year Brig Hargreaves married the Hon Margaret Lane Fox, scion of the family of Bramham Park, daughter of the 1st and last Lord Bingley.
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Diana Margaret Mahony, who died 31 October, 2025, aged 86, was a granddaughter maternally of Sir Frederick Fowke, 3rd Baronet.
She was born Diana Margaret Chichester, in 1939, scion of the landed gentry family of that name, the second daughter of Major Charles Chichester (1906-1995), and his wife the former Betty Mirabelle Fowke, scion of the baronets of that name. She married in 1967, Jerome Mahony, son of Brigadier Edmond Mahony, by whom she had a son, Edmond (born 30 Aug, 1972), and two daughters, Maria Lucia Mirabelle (born 1969), and Melissa (born 28 Dec, 1970).
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Sir Richard George Robin Levinge, 12th Baronet, formerly of Clohamon House, Bunclody, Co. Wexford, died 8 November, 2025. He was 78.
He was born 18 December, 1946, son of Major Sir Richard Vere Henry Levinge, 11th Baronet, MBE, TD (1911-1984), and his 1st wife the former Barbara Mary Kidston (who died 8 Nov, 1997); & married 1stly, 27 June, 1969 (div 1978), Hilary Jane Mark, daughter of Dr Derek Mark, of Wingfield, Bray, Co Wicklow; and married 2ndly, 1978, Donna Maria Isabella d'Ardia Caracciolo, the daughter of Prince Ferdinando d'Ardia Caracciolo dei Principi di Cursi.
He leaves a widow, and a son from his first marriage, Richard Mark Levinge (born 15 May, 1970), who inherits the baronetcy, and a son and a daughter from his second marriage, Robin Edward Levinge (born 1978), and Melissa Louise Levinge (born 1980).
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Sir William Michael Thomas, 3rd Baronet, died 5 November, 2025, aged 76.
He was born 2 December, 1948, son of Sir William James Cooper Thomas , 2nd Baronet, TD (1919-2005), and his wife the former Freida Dunbar Whyte (1924-1990), and succeeded to the baronetcy on his father's death, in October, 2025. He was unmarried.
The baronetcy (created UK, 1919), now passes to his nephew, Toby James Thomas (born 1988).
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The engagement was announced 11 November, 2025, between Sean Maloney, son of Mr and Mrs Robert Maloney of Buffalo, New York, and the Hon Francesca Aurora Carington (born 24 July, 1993), elder daughter of the 7th Baron Carrington (born 2 December, 1948), the Lord Great Chamberlain of England since 2022, and his wife the former Daniela Diotallevi, daughter of Flavio Diotallevi, of Madrid.
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Big Brother star Ben Duncan, who attended St Andrews University with Prince William and Catherine Middleton, has died after falling from the roof of a luxury hotel in London.
Benjamin Christopher Duncan, 45, fell from the five-star Trafalgar St James hotel on 30 October, 2025.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “Officers responded to concerns for a man on the roof of a building in Cockspur Street, Westminster at [11.02pm] on Thursday, 30 October.
“The man sadly fell from [a] height. Despite the best efforts from the London Ambulance service, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.”
Ben Duncan was born in London in 1980, the son of Brian W. Duncan and his wife the former Monica Stoll. He was an only son with two sisters, Sophie Frances (born 1974), and Samantha Tiffany (born 1975). His elder sister, Sophie, married 15 April, 2000, the Hon Benjamin Yarde-Buller (born 13 September, 1974), who succeeded his father, 16 February, 2023, as the 6th Baron Churston.
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The marriage has taken place at Ripley Castle, North Yorkshire, between Simon Ernest Walsh (born 1986), son of Martin Stuart Walsh (born 1950), of Bristol, and his wife the former Jeannette M. Wythe, & Eleanor Jane Pamela Ingilby (born 14 February, 1989), the only daughter of Sir Thomas Colvin William Ingilby, 6th Baronet (born 17 July, 1955), of Ripley Castle, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and his wife the former Emma Clare Roebuck Thompson (born 1960).
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Susan Elizabeth Bathurst Norman (née Ball), died 25 October, 2025.
She was a daughter of Thomas Ball, of Bromley, Kent, and married, 14 September, 1973, as his second wife, George Alfred Bathurst Norman (born 15 January, 1939), scion of that landed gentry family, son of Charles Bathurst Norman (1904-1979), and his wife the former Hon Doreen Albinia de Burgh Gibbs (1913-2008), daughter of the 1st Baron Wraxall (1873-1931).
She is survived by her husband and a son, Charles Canning Bathurst Norman (born 1979), and a daughter, Harriet (born 14 February, 1977).
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Ruth, Viscountess Mountgarret, who died 20 October, 2025, aged 80, was the third wife and widow of the late 17th Viscount Mountgarret.
She famously modelled Silvikrin shampoo in the TV advert in the 1960s.
She was Angela Ruth Porter, born in 1945, daughter of Major Thomas Porter, of Church Croft, Tadcaster, and his wife the former Audrey Mathers; and married firstly in 1968, John Waddington (of the Leeds playing card and board game manufacturing family); married 2ndly, 25 May, 1983, as his third wife, Richard Henry Piers Butler, 17th Viscount Mountgarret (born 8 November, 1936), son of the 16th Viscount Mountgarret (1903-1966), and his wife the former Eglantine Marie Elizabeth Christie (1908-1990), scion of that landed gentry family.
The 17th Viscount Mountgarret died 7 February, 2004.
Viscountess Mountgarret leaves issue from her first marriage.
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Angela Mary Glynn Lowsley-Williams (née Horley), died 30 October, 2025.
She was born in 1939, and married firstly, 1963 (div), Jaime Aladren (1932-2011), son of Emilio Aladren del Perojo (1906-1944), and his wife the former Eleanor Dove (1908-1975); and married 2ndly, 1971, as his second wife, Peter George Hoole Lowsley-Williams (1937-2007), scion of that landed gentry family, second son of Major Francis Savile Hoole Lowsley-Williams (1905-1945), and his wife Monica Vivian Makins (1910-1967), scion of the Makins baronets, and leaves issue from her first marriage.
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Richard George Hayes, who died 31 October, 2025, aged 77, was a scion of that Irish landed gentry family.
He was born 7 September, 1948, the fourth son of Colonel Pierse Francis Hayes, OBE (1911-1991), and his wife the former Sheila Mary O'Brien (1911-2008); and married 23 June, 1973, Vanessa Anne Wills, daughter of James Wills, of Romsey, Hampshire, by whom he had a son, Tom, and two daughters, Lucy and Charlotte.
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Phillada Hilary Pym, who died 3 November, 2025, aged 86, was a scion of the Nunneley landed gentry family.
She was born in 1939, a daughter of Robin Michael Charles Nunneley (1911-2005), head of that landed gentry family, and his wife the former Patricia May Roylance (1911-1999); and married 3 December, 1960, Martin Hugh Pym (born 28 February, 1927), scion of that landed gentry family, son of Major Alexander Ruthven Pym (1891-1971), and his wife the former Violet Helen Marie Warrender (1896-1983), scion of the Warrender baronets, by whom she had issue, a son, William (born 17 Apr, 1968), and three daughters, Lucy (born 24 Sept, 1961), Emma (born 25 June, 1963), and Serena (born 26 Feb, 1965).
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Cordelia Jane Hockin (nee Keevil, born 1988), wife of George Richard N. Hockin (born 1987), gave birth to a daughter, Liberty Winifred Keevil (known as Bertie), 21 October, 2025, a sister for Rosabel Elizabeth Keevil, who was born 7 November, 2022.
Cordelia is a daughter of Richard James Keevil (born 1944), scion of that landed gentry family, and his wife the former Caroline Elizabeth Rumbold (born 15 March, 1950), scion of the Rumbold baronets.
George Hockin is a son of William Richard John Hockin (born 1951), and his wife the former Diana von Barth (born 1956).
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Marie-Emily Rose Mackenzie Berger [nee Graham-Watson, born 1991], wife of Edward Bertram [Bertie] Berger [born 1991], gave birth to a daughter, Madeleine Rosemarie Brigitte, 19 October, 2025, a sister for Ruaridh Pierre, who was born 25 October, 2020, and for Quentin Jack, born 8 August, 2022.
Mrs Berger is a scion of the Graham-Watson landed gentry family, daughter of Andrew FitzJames Graham-Watson [born 1957], of Longworth, co Oxford, by his wife the former Brigitte Claude Marie Jeanson.
Bertie Berger is a son of Antony Berger, of Egerton, Kent, by his wife the former Nicola Anne Dawson.
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Gemma Elaine McCorkell (née Hogg), wife of Christopher Desmond William McCorkell (born 1988), scion of that Irish landed gentry family, gave birth to a daughter, Charlotte Anne Hope, 31 October, 2025.
Christopher is a son of David William McCorkell (born 1955), and his wife the former Susan Mary Goodbody (born 1957), scion of that landed gentry family.
Gemma McCorkell is a daughter of Graeme Hogg and his wife the former Elaine Jane McGregor.
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Jemma Louise Bertie, wife of the Hon Willoughby Henry Constantine St Maur Bertie (born 15 January, 1996), scion of the Earls of Lindsey & Abingdon, gave birth to a daughter, Florence, 19 September, 2025, a sister for Matilda, who was born 21 October, 2024.
Willoughby is the elder son and heir of the Hon Henry Mark Willoughby Bertie, styled Lord Norreys (born 6 Jun 1958), and his wife the former Lucinda Sol Moorsom, 2nd daughter of Christopher Stewart Moorsom, by his 1st wife Maria del Pilar Sanchez y Betancourt. Willoughby's father is the elder son and heir of the Earl of Lindsey & Abingdon (born 28 June, 1931).
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