Michael Richard Sefi, LVO 1943-2026

 Michael Richard Sefi, LVO, who died 9 May, 2026, aged 82, was a philatelist, Keeper of the Royal Stamp Collection to HM Queen Elizabeth II, from 2003 until his retirement in 2018.

He was born 11 December, 1943, son of Antony Sefi and his wife the former Judith Hull; and married 29 June, 1968, Harriet Mary Davidson (born 28 November, 1942), daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Colin Keppel Davidson, CIE, OBE (1895-1943), and his wife Lady Mary Rachel Fitzalan Howard (1905-1992), daughter of the 15th Duke of Norfolk, KG, GCVO (1847-1917).

Sefi was appointed LVO in 2013.

He is survived by his wife and son, Charles (born 23 Aug, 1974), and two daughters, Clare (born 9 Feb, 1970), and Laura (born 31 Mar, 1972)

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Dr Peter Cannon-Brookes 1938-2026

Dr Peter Cannon-Brookes, who died 3 May, 2026, aged 87, was a Fellow, Royal Society of Arts, & co-authored the book Baroque Churches, with his wife Caroline. 

He was born in 1938, son of Victor Montgomery Cannon-Brookes (1911-2004), and his wife the former Nancy Margaret Markham Carter (1913-1994); and married 13 April, 1966, Caroline Aylmer Christie-Miller (born 4 February, 1942), scion of that landed gentry family, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel John Aylmer Christie-Miller, CBE, TD (1911-2007), and his wife the former Bridget Wilbraham Dixon (1918-1992), scion of the Dixon baronets, by whom he had a son, Stephen (born 12 Aug, 1966), and a daughter, Emma (born 16 February, 1968).

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Michael Anthony Hanbury-Williams 1961-2026

 Michael Anthony Hanbury-Williams, who died 8 May, 2026, aged 64. He was a scion of that landed gentry family.

He was born 28 June, 1961, the third son of John Michael Anthony Hanbury-Williams (born 7 July, 1933), and his wife the former Diane Hartley (born 28 August, 1936); and married September, 1987, Alexandra Marjorie Ringrose-Voase (born 13 August, 1962), scion of that landed gentry family, second daughter of Lt-Cdr Christopher John Ringrose-Voase, RN (1929-1990), and his his wife the former Patricia Anne Bushe (who died 2025), by whom he had issue, a son, Christopher John (born May, 1991), and a daughter, Katya Alexandra (born 5 January, 1994).

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Cooke/Wald engagement

 The engagement was announced 12 May, 2026, between Hugo Gervaise Cameron Cooke (born February, 1987), scion of that Irish landed gentry family, son of Cdr Jonathan Gervaise Fitzpatrick Cooke, RN (born 26 March, 1943), and his wife the former Henrietta Loraine Deschamps Chamier (born circa 1949), and Rebecca Wald, daughter of Dr Christian Wald and Dr Astrid Wichmann-Hesse of Munich, Bavaria.

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Eric de Bellaigue (died 2026)

 Eric de Bellaigue, died 6 May, 2026. He was 95.

He was a son of Pierre de Bellaigue, of New York, United States, and married 1stly, 5 May, 1962, the Hon Sylvia Corisande Rodney (1930- d Feb1985), second daughter of the 8th Baron Rodney (1891-1973), and his wife Lady Marjorie Lowther (1895-1968), second daughter of the 6th Earl of Lonsdale (1867-1953). He married 2nd;y, in June, 1985, Nike Kent Taylor.

From his first marriage he leaves 2 sons, Nicholas (born 15 January, 1966), and the author and journalist Christopher de Bellaigue (born 23 September, 1971).

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Gibson/Wills engagement

The engagement was announced 11 May, 2026, between Marcus Seymour Gibson (born 1989), son of Mr Martin C Gibson, of Manaton, Devon, and Mrs Joanna L Gibson (nee Boswell), of Great Swinburn, Northumberland, and Laura Felicity Hamilton Wills (born 1996), scion of the Barons Dulverton, daughter of Christopher Aubrey Hamilton Wills (born 21 February, 1953), of Litchfield Down, Hampshire, and his wife the former Lady Katharine Anne Meade (born 10 Aug, 1959), fifth daughter of the 6th Earl of Clanwilliam (1914-1989).

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Derek Edward Glenister 1939-2026

Derek Edward Glenister died 3 May, 2026, aged 87.

He was born in 1939, son of Sydney William Glenister (1912-1989) and his wife Ada Florence Benge (1911-1994); and married 31 August, 1964, Clothilde Muriel Frances (Chloe) Nightingale (born 7 September, 1939), second daughter of Sir Charles Athelstan Nightingale, 16th Baronet (1902-1977),  and his wife the former Evelyn Nadine Frances Diggens (1908-1995), by whom he had issue, two daughters, Frances (born 23 May, 1966), and Clare (born 4 March, 1968)

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Martin Wreford Woodnutt 1946-2026

 Martin Wreford Woodnutt, died 26 April, 2026, aged 79.

He was born in 1946, son of Harold Frederick Martin (Mark) Woodnutt, MP (1918-1974), Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, and his wife Gwynneth Alice Lovely (1925-1986); and married in 1975, Susannah Harrison (1946-2019), daughter of William Herbert Harrison (1909-1975), and his wife Elcha Cecilia Hore-Ruthven (1912-1996), scion of the Lords Ruthven of Freeland (Peerage of Scotland, cr 1651), by whom he had issue, a son, Piers (born 1977), in remainder to the Lordship of Freeland, and a daughter, Emily (born 1979), also in remainder to the Scottish peerage.

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Pugh/Fairbairn engagement

 The engagement was announced 9 May, 2026, between Matthew George Pugh (born 1996), son of the late Charles A. Pugh, of Taplow, Buckinghamshire, and his wife the former Allison J. Francombe (born 1965), and Madeleine Louise Fairbairn (born 24 January, 1998), scion of the Fairbairn baronets, eldest daughter of the late James Andrew Fairbairn (1967-2020), of Lurgashall, West Sussex, and his wife the former Samantha Jane Hardwicke.

Madeleine Fairbairn is a great-granddaughter of Sir William Fairbairn, 5th Baronet (1902-1972).

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Armstrong-Wilson/Vestey engagement

 The engagement was announced 9 May, 2026, between Thomas William Armstrong-Wilson (born July, 1987), son of Robert Paul Fitzroy Armstrong-Wilson (born Aug, 1959), of Langholm, Dumfriesshire, and his wife the former Shona Gillian Gray (born 1963), & Rose Elizabeth Jean Vestey (born 5 February, 1996), second daughter of Robin John Henry Vestey (born 14 April, 1968), of Little Thurlow, Suffolk, scion of the Vestey baronets, and Mrs Victoria Eileen Herbert Vestey (nee Waddell), of Newmarket, Suffolk.

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Clementine Alice Grietje Baroness Sweerts De Landas Wyborgh (born 2026)

Baroness Emily Anne Sweerts De Landas Wyborgh (born 1989, nee Jack), wife of Baron Arthur Sweerts De Landas Wyborgh, gave birth to a second daughter, Baroness Clementine Alice Grietje, 5 May, 2026, a sister for Tiggy, who was born in 2025.

Emily is the Hon Emily Jack, daughter of the life peer the Baron Jack of Courance, KBE, DL (born 7 July, 1963), who as Alister Jack, MP, served as Secretary of State for Scotland 2019-2024, and of Baroness Jack of Courance (nee Ann Hodgson).

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Patrick Gault De Courcy-Ireland, CVO 1933-2026

Patrick Gault De Courcy-Ireland, CVO, who died 2 May, 2026, aged 92, was a scion of that landed gentry family.

He was late of HM Diplomatic Service (retired), sometime director of marketing and consultant to the Rezayat Group (formerly the Alireza Group of Companies).

He was born 19 August, 1933, son of Lawrence Kilmain De Courcy-Ireland (1897-1968), and his wife Elizabeth Pentland Gault (1901-1977); and married 1stly, 1957, Margaret Gallop; & married 2ndly, 2018, Marie-Antoinette Engelhard, and leaves issue from his first marriage, a son, Jonathan, and three daughters, Kiki, Joanna and Gail.

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Teague/Hulton-Harrop engagement

The engagement was announced 8 May, 2026, between Alexander George Teague (born 1999), only son of Richard John Teague (born June, 1966), of Haywards Heath, Sussex, and his wife Natalie Helen Sutton (born November, 1966), & Sophie Louise Hulton-Harrop (born 1999), the only daughter of David Michael de Lacy Hulton-Harrop (born 24 March, 1962), of Battlefield, Shropshire, head of that landed gentry family, and his wife Julia M. Warren.

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Wills/Roberts engagement

 The engagement was announced 8 May, 2026, between Edward Henry Arnold Wills (born 15 June, 1994), scion of the Wills baronets, son of Richard Arnold Wills (born 5 March, 1962), of Middleton, Hampshire, and his wife the former Netta Morris, & Avril Helen S. Roberts (born 1997), daughter of Charles Roberts, of Stretham, Cambridge, and Mrs Roberts (nee McBryde).

Edward Wills is a cousin of the King via his Bowes Lyon ancestry:-

The 14th Earl of Strathmore & Kinghorne

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Lady Mary Bowes Lyon

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Hon Jean Constance Elphinstone

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Andrew Wills

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Richard Wills

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Edward Wills

Count Richard Beaumont Melchior Gurowski 1939-2026

 Count Richard Beaumont Melchior Gurowski died 1 May, 2026, aged 86.

He was born in Salisbury in 1939, a son of Capt Count Richard Dudley Melchior Gurowski (1910-1940), and his wife Angela Mary Haig-Thomas, a granddaughter of the 4th Earl of Normanton; and he married 2 September, 1964, Rosanna FitzGerald (1945-2021), daughter of Maj Sir George Peter Maurice FitzGerald, 5th Baronet (1917-2001), and his wife Angela Dora Mitchell (1917-2009), by whom he had issue, two daughters, Iona (born 22 July, 1967), and Anya (born 9 July, 1970).

Richard Gurowski was a descendant of the Merrie Monarch, King Charles II.

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Stanley/Jooris engagement

The engagement was announced 7 May, 2026, between Edward John Robin Stanley, styled Lord Stanley (born 21 April, 1998), elder son and heir of the 19th Earl of Derby, DL (born 10 Oct, 1962), of Knowsley Hall, Prescot, Merseyside, and the Countess of Derby (nee the Hon Caroline Neville, born 28 Dec, 1963, scion of the Barons Braybrooke), and Jonkvrouw Victoria Jooris (born 1999), only daughter of Dominique, Baron Jooris (born 1969), of Brussels, Belgium, and Mrs Sophie Tornel (born 1972), of Brussels, Belgium.

Lord Stanley was a Page of Honour to HM Queen Elizabeth II.

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Cozens/Molson engagement

The engagement was announced 7 May, 2026, between George Euan D. Cozens (born February 1999), son of Charles Edmund Gillery Cozens (born March, 1960), of Horley Manor, Banbury, Oxfordshire, and his former wife Mrs Emma Jane D. Cozens (nee Smith) of Honington, Warwickshire, and Louisa R. Molson (born 1996), daughter of Robert Ian Molson, of Kingham, Oxfordshire, and Mrs Verena Molson (nee Cayzer, born 8 February, 1961), of Chelsea, London, scion of the Barons Rotherwick.

Louisa Molson is a great-granddaughter of the 1st Baron Rotherwick.

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