Wednesday, June 28, 2023

The Earl of Airlie, KT, GCVO, PC 1926-2023

 The Earl of Airlie, KT, GCVO, PC, courtier and merchant banker, a Lord Chamberlain to the Household of Queen Elizabeth II, died 26 June, 2023, aged 97.

Lord Airlie, the 8th Earl (or 13th Earl but for the attainder), was Lord Chamberlain to the Household, 1984-1997, Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order, 1984-87, and Lord Lieutenant of Angus 1989-2001. He was a brother-in-law of Princess Alexandra, the Hon Lady Ogilvy, and a Permanent Lord in Waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, 1997-2023.

Airlie was a commissioned as a lieutenant in the Scots Guards in 1944, and served in the 2nd Battalion in Germany in 1945; Captain, ADC to the High Commissioner and C-in-C Austria 1947-48; served in Malaya 1948-49; merchant banker and joined J. Henry Schroder in 1953. He was appointed a director of the company in 1961 and chairman of Henry Schroder Wagg & Co in 1973, and then of Schroders plc from 1977. In 1984, Lord Airlie resigned from Schroder to take up the position of Lord Chamberlain.

He was seated at Cortachy Castle, Kirriemuir, Angus and had a London home in Sloane Court West, London SW.

Lord Airlie was thought to be the last surviving participant from the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, 12 May, 1937.

He was Earl of Airlie (Peerage of Scotland, cr 1639), the 11th Lord Ogilvy of Airlie (Peerage of Scotland, cr 1491), 8th Lord Ogilvy of Alyth and Lintrathen (Peerage of Scotland cr 1639), and was Chief of the Name and Arms of Ogilvy.

David George Coke Patrick Ogilvy was born 17 May, 1926, son of the 7th (or 12th) Earl of Airlie, KT, GCVO, MC (1893-1968), and his wife the former Lady Alexandra Marie Bridget Coke (1891-1984), daughter of the 3rd Earl of Leicester, GCVO, CMG (1848-1941), and was an older brother of the Hon Sir Angus James Bruce Ogilvy, KCVO, PC (1928-2004), husband of HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent (born 25 Dec, 1936).

He succeeded to his father's peeragages 28 December, 1968. He was appointed GCVO in 1984, made a Knight of the Order of the Thistle in 1985, and received the Royal Victorian Chain in 1997. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1984. He was appointed Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle in 2007, a post he held until his death.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret were present at his wedding at St Margaret's, Westminster, 23 October, 1952, to Virginia Fortune (Ginny) Ryan, DCVO (born 9 February, 1933), Lady of the Bedchamber to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 1973-2022, daughter of John Barry Ryan (1901-1966), of Moorland Farm, Newport, Rhode Island, United States, by his wife Margaret Dorothy 'Nin' Kahn (1901-1995), daughter of the American banker and philanthropist Otto Kahn (1867-1934), by whom he had three sons, David, Lord Ogilvy, the Hon Bruce Patrick Mark Ogilvy (born 7 Apr, 1959), and the Hon Patrick Alexander Ogilvy (born 24 Mar, 1971), and three daughters, Lady Doune Ogilvy (born 13 Aug, 1953), Lady Jane Fortune Margaret Ogilvy (born 24 Jun 1955), and Lady Elizabeth Clementina Ogilvy (born 4 Jun, 1965).

The eldest son, David John Ogilvy, styled Lord Ogilvy, who was born 9 March, 1958, now succeeds the family peerages and as Chief of the Name and Arms of Ogilvy. He has been twice wed. firstly, in 1981 (div 1990) to the Hon Geraldine Theodora Mary Gabriel Harmsworth (born 25 July, 1957), elder daughter of the 3rd Viscount Rothermere (1925-1998); and married 2ndly, 1991, Tarka Kings, daughter of John Kings, of Austin, Texas, United States. He has a daughter from his 1st marriage, Lady Augusta (born 3 Dec, 1981), and three sons from his second marriage, David, now styled Lord Ogilvy (born 11 Dec, 1991), the Hon Joseph Skene Ogilvy (born 21 Mar, 1995), and the Hon Michael Moir Ogilvy (born 20 Jan, 1997).

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