trenchard

Monday, June 22, 2026

The Marquess of Granby and Claira Miesegaes: some background

For several years one of Britain's most eligible bachelors. the Marquess of Granby, has been seen out and about in the company of the lovely Claira Miesegaes.

Having just spent a day at Belvoir Castle I came home to investigate further the lineage and background of the lady who might become the next Duchess of Rutland.

Granby and Claira.
Charles John Montague Manners, styled Marquess of Granby was born 3 July, 1999, the fourth child and first-born son of the 11th Duke of Rutland (born 8 May, 1959), of Belvoir Castle, near Grantham, and the Duchess of Rutland (the former Rachel Emma Louise Watkins, born 2 September, 1963).

Charles is heir to his father, and to Belvoir Castle, near Grantham, and and impressive array of peerages: the Barony of Roos of Belvoir, co. Leicester [U.K., 1896]; the Marquess of Granby, co. Nottingham [E., 1703]; the 19th Earl of Rutland [E., 1525]; the 11th Duke of Rutland [E., 1703];  & the Baron Manners of Haddon [E., 1679]. 

Charles has a younger brother, Lord Hugo Manners (born 24 July, 2003), and three older sisters, the high profile Manners girls, Lady Violet (born 1993), Lady Alice (born 1995), and Lady Eliza (born 1997). Lady Violet, the eldest sister, married in 2025, Viscount Garnock, son and heir of the Earl of Lindsay.

Claira Emma Miesegaes (born in London in 1996),  is a partnership manager at the Jockey Club has an impeccable family history. The snob in me was hoping to find a coronet in her family tree. Sadly, none have been found as yet, but I can state that the beautiful Miss Miesegaes is descended from several landed gentry families and more importantly, is a great-niece of the great Betty Kenward, MBE (1906-2001), the magazine columnist famed as the editor of 'Jennifer's Diary', originally in Tatler and subsequently in Queen magazine.

Betty Kenward's obituary in The Daily Telegraph described her as "insufferably snobbish and crotchety", recounting her ferocious treatment of her assistants (many of whom resigned in tears), her propensity for long-running feuds (including, particularly, with Margaret, Duchess of Argyll), and her persistent snubbing of Tatler's social editor, Peter Townend. What would she think of her great-niece now associating with Margaret, Duchess of Argyll's great-grandson?

Claira Miesegaes (pronounced 'Meezygas') is the daughter of Simon James Victor Miesegaes (born 1964), former High Sheriff of Warwickshire, and his wife the former Lucinda Claire Bourdillon (born 1968). 

Claira has a brother James (born 2001), and a sister, Harriet (born in 1998).

Through her mother's family Claira is descended from the landed gentry families of Kemp-Welch, Hunter, Stormonth Darling, and Macdonald of Vallay. 

Claira is also descended from Henry Holland (1745-1806), the great architect to the nobility.

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Sunday, June 21, 2026

North Yorkshire wedding for Lady Marina Windsor and Nico Macauley

 The marriage will take place on Saturday 20 June, 2026, at All Saints' Church, Hovingham, North Yorkshire, between Mr Nico Macauley and the Lady Marina Windsor, granddaughter of The Duke of Kent, and the late Duchess of Kent.

The wedding breakfast took place at Hovingham Hall, seat of the Worsley baronets, and birthplace of Lady Marina's late grandmother, the Duchess of Kent.

Lady Marina's grandmother, the then Katharine Worsley married at York Minster, 8 June, 1961, HRH The Duke of Kent, cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. The wedding breakfast, following the first royal wedding in Yorkshire since the Middle Ages, took place at Hovingham Hall, with the late Queen attending along with many members of the Royal Family, and members of European royal families.

Nico Julian Macauley (born 6 April, 1993), is the elder son of the late William Francis Macauley (born 30 Sept, 1953), and his wife the former Nicola Jane Thompson. 

Nico's mother, Mrs Nicola Macauley, lives in the village of Stonegrave, just two miles from Hovingham Hall. The hall, a Palladian-style country house has been the seat of the Worsley family for 450 years, and is currently the home of Lady Marina's cousin, Sir William Worsley, 6th Baronet.

Nico's father died 16 June, 2019, aged 65. He was a grandson of the newspaper magnate, William Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose (1879-1954).

Nico was educated at the top Catholic school Ampleforth College, just seven miles from Hovingham and then at Newcastle University.

Nico's grandfather, William Perine Macauley (who died in 1990), of Ballward House, County Wicklow, married 7 April, 1948, the Hon Diana Phyllis Berry (1924-94), fourth daughter of the 1st Viscount Camrose. 

It is not known when Lady Marina and Nico started dating though the socialite cousin of the King was first linked to the cyber security account executive in 2023, when she posted a selfie with Nico to mark his 30th birthday. Lady Marina recently as shared images on Instagram featuring Nico in a loving embrace at last year’s Glastonbury festival.

The 1st Viscount Camrose started his working life as a journalist and established his own paper, Advertising World, in 1901. Berry made his fortune with the publication of the First World War magazine The War Illustrated, which at its peak had a circulation of 750,000. In partnership with his younger brother, Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley (the elder brother was Seymour Berry, 1st Baron Buckland), he purchased The Sunday Times in 1915 and was its editor-in-chief until 1937. In 1919 the pair also purchased the Financial Times.

In 1924 the Berry brothers and Sir Edward Iliffe set up Allied Newspapers and purchased the Daily Dispatch, the Manchester Evening Chronicle, the Sunday Chronicle, the Sunday News, and the Sunday Graphic, as well as a string of other newspapers across the country. In Cardiff they merged four newspapers into the Western Mail. In 1927 they purchased The Daily Telegraph from the 2nd Harry Levy-Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham, with William Berry becoming its editor-in-chief. In 1937 they purchased its rival, The Morning Post.

In 1926, the Berry brothers/Allied Newspapers purchased Amalgamated Press (AP), which had been started by Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, in 1901 (Harmsworth had died in 1922).

Berry bought out his partners in 1937 and amalgamated The Morning Post with The Daily Telegraph, with himself as chairman and editor-in-chief. His sons Seymour, the 2nd Viscount, and subsequently Michael, continued to run the newspaper until 1986; in addition, Seymour was Vice Chairman of Amalgamated Press from 1942 to 1959 (when AP was acquired by the Mirror Group).

Camrose provided financial assistance to Sir Winston Churchill after the Second World War. He and ten other wealthy well-wishers each donated £5,000 to the Churchills, allowing them to keep their home, Chartwell, on the condition that it would be presented to the nation upon their deaths.

One of Nico's great-aunts, Sheila, Countess of Birkenhead (nee Berry) (1913-92), was a lady-in-waiting to Lady Marina's great-grandmother and namesake, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent from 1949 to 1953. Another of Nico's great-aunts was Shelagh (nee Macauley), Countess of Lisburne (who died in 2016), wife of the 8th Earl of Lisburne, a television executive. Nico's father was a first cousin of Lady Juliet Townsend, DCVO, a Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon from 1971 to 2002.

Nico's cousin, Valerie McNair-Scott was wife of the 8th Earl of Longford. She died 22 January, 2023. Another cousin is the actor Joshua Sasse (born 9 December, 1987).

Lady Marina Charlotte Alexandra Katharine Helen Windsor (born 30 September, 1992), is a great-great granddaughter of King George V and a second cousin once removed of King Charles III. She is the second child, and eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of St Andrews. Her father is the elder son and heir of HRH The Duke of Kent, who is a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.

Lady Marina’s only brother is Edward, styled Baron Downpatrick, who will one day succeed to the dukedom of Kent. Marina’s sister, Lady Amelia, is a mannequin. Both Edward and Amelia are single. 

Nico's parents married in Westminster, 5 February, 1992. They have a younger son, Alexander Ronnie Macauley born in 1995.

Lady Marina is a Roman Catholic and excluded from the line of succession to the Throne.

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Saturday, June 20, 2026

Daisy Sandra and Romy Harriet de Laszlo (born 2026)

 Jemima Kate de Laszlo (née Francis, born  1979), wife of William Patrick de Laszlo (born 1979), gave birth to twin daughters, Daisy Sandra, and Romy Harriet, 2 June, 2026.

William de Laszlo is the second son of Damon Patrick de Laszlo (born 8 Oct, 1942), of Pelham Place, Hampshire, and his wife the Hon Sandra Daphne Hacking (born 10 June, 1950).

Jemima is a daughter of Julian C. Francis, of Rogate, West Sussex, and his wife the former Harriet Robb.

William is a grandson maternally of the late 2nd Baron Hacking (1910-1971).

It is William de Laszlo's second marriage. He married firstly, in 2004, Katherine Alice Guinness, scion of the brewing dynasty, daughter of Timothy Whitmore Newton Guinness and his wife the former Beverly Anne Mills, by whom he has issue, a daughter Alice Florence (b 25 Aug 2007), and a son, Walter Henry Patrick (b 30 Oct, 2009). 

William and Jemima have other issue, sons, Gabriel Patrick Julian (born 13 March, 2020), and Xander Patrick Damon born 21 May, 2021.

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Packe-Drury-Lowe/St Pierre Bunbury marriage

 The marriage has taken place between Major George Thomas Naylor Packe-Drury-Lowe (born 10 September, 1994), scion of that landed gentry family, son of Edward Packe-Drury-Lowe (born 1965), of Prestwold Hall, Leicestershire, and his former wife, Samantha Burgess (nee Naylor), of East Wittering, and Madeleine de St Pierre Bunbury (born 1995), daughter of Major Michael C. de St Pierre Bunbury, of Mustique, and his wife the former Charlotte (Lotty) M. Cardozo.

George married firstly, at Dijon, France, 7 January, 2017, Judith Martory, by whom he has a daughter, Ursula.

Charlotte's aunt, Elizabeth Cardozo, is a former wife of the Marquess of Northampton's heir, Earl Compton. Her grandmother is Eleanor Caroline Cardozo (nee Brotherton-Ratcliffe, born 1942), scion of that landed gentry family.

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Dr Sylvia Mary Haslam 1934-2026

 Dr Sylvia Mary Haslam died 6 June, 2026, aged 91. 

She was born 28 June, 1934, daughter of Cecil Henry Cobden Haslam, MP (1904-1972), and his wife the former Sylvia Lois Assheton (1905-1977), scion of the Assheton baronets, later Barons Clitheroe. She was unmarried. 

She was a Doctor of Philosophy, and an author of numerous papers on rivers, wetlands and riverscapes. She graduated with a Doctor of Science, and was a Lecturer in Biology at Royal University of Malta.

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David Andrew Fellowes 1944-2026

David Andrew Fellowes, who died 15 June, 2026, aged 82, was a scion of the Fellowes-Gordon landed gentry family.

He was born 2 January, 1944, and educated at Ampleforth, the second son of Peregrine Edward Launcelot Fellowes (1912-1999), and his wife the former Olwen Mary Stuart-Jones (1912-1980); and was a brother of the writer and life peer, Julian Fellowes, the Baron Fellowes of West Stafford (born 17 Aug, 1949).

He leaves a widow Alena, and daughter, Alexandra.

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Bridget Isabella Corry (née Litherland) c1950-2026

 Bridget Isabella Corry (née Litherland), died 5 June, 2026, aged 76.

She was born circa 1950, daughter of Sydney Litherland, of Tenerife, Canary Islands, and married in 1971, Lieutenant-Colonel Timothy William Corry (born 14 June, 1948), second son of Sir William James Corry, 4th Baronet (1924-2000), and his wife the former Diana Pamela Mary Lapsley, by whom she had issue, a son, Edward, and three daughters, Georgina, Victoria and Charlotte.

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Katherine "Grizel" Barton 1930-2026

 Katherine Barton, who died 19 May, 2026, aged 96, was a scion of the Earls of Lauderdale.

She was born 7 April, 1930, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel David Edward Maitland Makgill Crichton (1879-1952), scion of that Scottish landed gentry family, ad his wife the former Phyllis Cuthbert (who died in 1982); and married 24 July, 1954, Dr Russell William Andrew Charles Barton (1923-2002), son of Charles William Barton, by whom she had issue, two daughters, Karen (born 24 May, 1956), and Sarah (born 23 May, 1958).

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Friday, June 19, 2026

Rev Anthony Hazlerigg Proctor-Beauchamp 1940-2026

The Rev Anthony Hazlerigg Proctor-Beauchamp, who died 11 June, 2026, aged 86, was a scion of the baronets of that name.

The clergyman was Curate-in-Charge of Lower Willingdon (1977-80); Chaplain of Bethany School, Goudhurst (1980-86); Luckley-Oakfield School, Wokingham (1986-88); Clayesmore School, Blandford (1989-93); Rector of Kirby-le-Soken with Great Holland (1993-2000); Assistant Priest of Wetheral with Warwick (2000-01).

He was born 25 February, 1940, second son of Sir Ivor Cuthbert Proctor-Beauchamp, 8th Baronet (1900-1971), and his wife the former Caroline Muriel Densham (died 1987); and married 30 October, 1965, Anne Elise Hewitt (c1944-2022), daughter of the Rev Thomas Hewitt, of Worthing, West Sussex, by whom he had issue, two sons Guy and Julian, and a daughter, Claire.

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Kenneth Francis Clarke-Jervoise 1955-2026

 Kenneth Francis Clarke-Jervoise died 2 June, 2026, aged 70. He was descended from the Jervoise (later Jervoise-Clarke) baronets, now extinct.

Born in Hampshire in 1955, he was the son of Cecil Stanhope Clarke-Jervoise (1905-1982), of Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, and his wife the former Ruth Stables.

His father Cecil Stanhope Clarke-Jervoise, was born in Cape Colony, South Africa, in 1905, the son of Sir Dudley Alan Lestock Clarke-Jervoise, 7th Baronet (1876-1933), of Idsworth Park, Horndean, Hampshire, and Grace Eostre Ellison. However, Cecil's parents did not marry until 1908. The baronetcy became extinct with the death of the 7th baronet, 24 August, 1933.

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The 8th Earl of Mexborough 1931-2026

 The 8th Earl of Mexborough, a Yorkshire landowner, died 16 June, 2026. He was 95.

The Earl was the 8th Earl of Mexborough of Lifford, co. Donegal Peerage of Ireland[1766] the 8th Viscount Pollington of Ferns [Ireland., 1766] and the 8th Baron Pollington of Longford, co. Longford [Peerage of Ireland 1753].

Lord Mexborough's family seat was Arden Hall, Hawnby, North Yorkshire, purchased in 1897 by the 6th Earl, as a second home. The Savile family estate at Methley Hall, where the family had been seated since Elizabethan times, was demolished in the late 1950s.

John Christopher George Savile was born 16 May, 1931, son of the 7th Earl of Mexborough (1906-1980). and his wife the former Josephine Bertha Emily Fletcher (1908-1992); and was twice married. He married 1stly, 30 May, 1958 (div. 1972), the Lady Elizabeth Harriot Grimston (1939-1987), daughter of the 6th Earl of Verulam (1912-1973), and his wife the former Marjorie Ray Duncan (who died 1994); and married 2ndly, 5 June, 1972, Catherine Joyce Hope (born 1939), former wife of Nicholas Vivian (1935-2004, later the 6th Baron Vivian), and daughter of James Kenneth Hope, CBE, DL (1896-1983), of West Park, Lanchester, County Durham, and his wife the former Mary Joyce Orlebar (1903-2004), scion of that landed gentry family.

He succeeded his father in the Irish peerages, 15 July, 1980.

From his first marriage Lord Mexborough had issue, a son John, styled Viscount Pollington (born 30 Nov 1959, who died from cancer,23 Oc, 2024, after years of drug and alcohol addiction, and a daughter Lady Alethea Savile (born 3 June, 1963, and who committed suicide 16 September 1994, when her fiance James Gilbey dumped her for Diana, Princess of Wales. 

From his second marriage he leaves a son, the Hon James Savile, styled Viscount Pollington from his half-brother's demise in 2024 (born 21 Aug, 1976), and Lady Lucinda Savile (born 3 Apr, 1973).

The peerages now descend to his only surviving son, John.

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Thursday, June 18, 2026

Margaret Mary Tweedie (died 2026)

Margaret Mary Tweedie died 26 May, 2026, aged 70.

The former Margaret O'Kelly she married in 1980, Simon Vere Tweedie (1954-2022), son of Vere Justin Tweedie (1914-1993), and his wife the former Anne Temple Githa Hoare (1916-1986), scion of the Hoare baronets, by whom she had issue, two sons, Angus and Oliver, and a daughter, Helen.

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Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Lady Marina Windsor & Nico Macauley’s wedding to take place on Saturday

 The marriage will take place on Saturday 20 June, 2026, between Mr Nico Macauley and the Lady Marina Windsor, granddaughter of The Duke of Kent, and the late Duchess of Kent.

It is not known as yet where the 'royal' nuptials will take place. It is almost certain that as both Marina and Nico are Roman Catholics that the wedding will be held in a prominent Catholic church. 

Rumours that the wedding was to take place at St Mark's Church, Englefield, have been denied. The Englefield estate is owned By Lord Benyon, Lord Chamberlain to the Royal Household, who is in today's royal procession at Ascot. St Mark's is an Anglican church, and the setting of the wedding in 2017 of the Princess of Wales's sister, Pippa Middleton and James Matthews. 

It is not known when Lady Marina and Nico started dating though the socialite cousin of the King was first linked to the cyber security account executive in 2023, when she posted a selfie with Nico to mark his 30th birthday. Lady Marina recently as shared images on Instagram featuring Nico in a loving embrace at last year’s Glastonbury festival.

Nico Julian Macauley (born 6 April, 1993), is the elder son of the late William Francis Macauley (born 30 Sept, 1953), and his wife the former Nicola Jane Thompson. Nico's father died 16 June, 2019, aged 65. He was a grandson of the newspaper magnate, William Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose (1879-1954).

Nico was educated at the top Catholic school Ampleforth College in Yorkshire and at Newcastle University.

Nico's grandfather, William Perine Macauley (who died in 1990), of Ballward House, County Wicklow, married 7 April, 1948, the Hon Diana Phyllis Berry (1924-94), fourth daughter of the 1st Viscount Camrose. 

The 1st Viscount Camrose started his working life as a journalist and established his own paper, Advertising World, in 1901. Berry made his fortune with the publication of the First World War magazine The War Illustrated, which at its peak had a circulation of 750,000. In partnership with his younger brother, Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley (the elder brother was Seymour Berry, 1st Baron Buckland), he purchased The Sunday Times in 1915 and was its editor-in-chief until 1937. In 1919 the pair also purchased the Financial Times.

In 1924 the Berry brothers and Sir Edward Iliffe set up Allied Newspapers and purchased the Daily Dispatch, the Manchester Evening Chronicle, the Sunday Chronicle, the Sunday News, and the Sunday Graphic, as well as a string of other newspapers across the country. In Cardiff they merged four newspapers into the Western Mail. In 1927 they purchased The Daily Telegraph from the 2nd Harry Levy-Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham, with William Berry becoming its editor-in-chief. In 1937 they purchased its rival, The Morning Post.

In 1926, the Berry brothers/Allied Newspapers purchased Amalgamated Press (AP), which had been started by Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, in 1901 (Harmsworth had died in 1922).

Berry bought out his partners in 1937 and amalgamated The Morning Post with The Daily Telegraph, with himself as chairman and editor-in-chief. His sons Seymour, the 2nd Viscount, and subsequently Michael, continued to run the newspaper until 1986; in addition, Seymour was Vice Chairman of Amalgamated Press from 1942 to 1959 (when AP was acquired by the Mirror Group).

Camrose provided financial assistance to Sir Winston Churchill after the Second World War. He and ten other wealthy well-wishers each donated £5,000 to the Churchills, allowing them to keep their home, Chartwell, on the condition that it would be presented to the nation upon their deaths.

One of Nico's great-aunts, Sheila, Countess of Birkenhead (nee Berry) (1913-92), was a lady-in-waiting to Lady Marina's great-grandmother and namesake, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent from 1949 to 1953. Another of Nico's great-aunts was Shelagh (nee Macauley), Countess of Lisburne (who died in 2016), wife of the 8th Earl of Lisburne, a television executive. Nico's father was a first cousin of Lady Juliet Townsend, DCVO, a Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon from 1971 to 2002.

Nico's cousin, Valerie McNair-Scott was wife of the 8th Earl of Longford. She died 22 January, 2023. Another cousin is the actor Joshua Sasse (born 9 December, 1987).

Lady Marina Charlotte Alexandra Katharine Helen Windsor (born 30 September, 1992), is a great-great granddaughter of King George V and a second cousin once removed of King Charles III. She is the second child, and eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of St Andrews. Her father is the elder son and heir of HRH The Duke of Kent, who is a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.

Lady Marina’s only brother is Edward, styled Baron Downpatrick, who will one day succeed to the dukedom of Kent. Marina’s sister, Lady Amelia, is a mannequin. Both Edward and Amelia are single. 

Nico's parents married in Westminster, 5 February, 1992. They have a younger son, Alexander Ronnie Macauley born in 1995.

Lady Marina is a Roman Catholic and excluded from the line of succession to the Throne.


Tuesday, June 16, 2026

The Baroness Glenarthur 1945-2026

The Baroness Glenarthur, wife of the 4th Baron, has died aged 81. Susan Barry was born 5 May, 1945, a scion of the Barry baronets, daughter of Commander Hubert Wyndham Barry, and his wife Violet Agatha Ruggles-Brise, scion of that family of baronets, and married 12 Nov, 1969, the then Hon Simon Mark Arthur, who succeeded as 4th Baron Glenarthur, in 1976. Lady Glenarthur is survived by her husband and a son, Edward, and daughter, Emily. -~-

Rebecca Louise Whitworth (née Bowring) 1953-2026

Rebecca Louise Whitworth (née Bowring) died 13 June, 2026.

She was born in 1953, daughter of Richard Hardcastle Bowring (1916-1990), and his wife Gabrielle Edith Cropper (1923-1988), scion of that landed gentry family; and married in 1974, Robert St John Whitworth (born 2 Apr, 1949), son of Major Ian Henry Whitworth (1919-1983), and his wife the former Rosamund Audrey Blunt (1921-1972), scion of the Blunt baronets, by whom she had issue, two sons, Hugh Charles (born 21 Sept, 1978), and Mark St John (born 15 Apr, 1981).

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