The Countess of Crawford & Balcarres has died aged 96

 The Countess of Crawford & Balcarres, who died 2 October, 2021, aged 96, was the wife of the 29th Earl of Crawford [and 12th Earl] of Balcarres, KT, GCVO, PC, DL [born 5 March, 1927].

Her husband is 29th Earl of Crawford (Scotland, let. pat. 21 Apr 1398), 12th Earl of Balcarres (Scotland, let. pat. 9 Jan 1650/51), 37th Lord Lindsay of Crawford (Scotland, let. pat. bef. 1143), 13th Lord Lindsay of Balcarres (Scotland, let. pat. 27 Jun 1633), 12th Lord Balniel (Scotland, let. pat. 9 Jan 1650/51), 5th Baron Wigan, of Haigh Hall in the County of Lancaster, (United Kingdom, let. pat. 5 Jul 1826), Baron Balniel, of Pitcorthie in the County of Fife (United Kingdom Life Peerage, let. pat. 24 Jan 1975), and Head of the House of Lindsay, Premier Earl of Scotland on Union Roll.

The earl was created, 24 Jan 1975, Baron Balniel, of Pitcorthie in the County of Fife (Life Peer).

Lord Crawford and Balcarres was Lieut, Grenadier Guards 1945-49; Deputy Lieutenant of Fifeshire 1953; Member of Parliament (Conservative) for Hertford 1955-74 and for Welwyn and Hatfield 1974; Parliamentary Private Secretary to Financial Secretary of the Treasury 1955-57 and to Minister for Housing and Local Government 1957-60; Minister of State, Ministry of Defence 1970-72 and Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1972-74; Privy Councillor 1972; First Crown Estate Commissioner 1980-85; Lord Chamberlain to HM The Queen Mother 1992-2002; Knight of the Thistle 1996; GCVO 2002.

She was the former Ruth Beatrice Meyer-Bechtler, daughter of Leo Meyer-Bechtler, of Zurich, and married the then Robert Lindsay, styled Lord Balniel, 27 December, 1949, son of the 28th Earl of Crawford and Balcarres [1900-75], and his wife the former Mary Katherine Cavendish [died 1994], scion of the Dukes of Devonshire, by whom she had issue, two sons, Anthony, styled Lord Balniel [born 24 Nov, 1958], and the Hon Alexander Lindsay [born 18 Mar 1961], and two daughters, Lady Bettina Drummond-Hay [born 26 June, 1950], and Lady Iona Mackworth-Young [born 10 Aug, 1957].

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