Amyas Michael George Martelli c1940-2026

 Amyas Michael George Martelli died 25 February, 2026, aged 84. 

He married at Bridport in 1980, Gabrielle Mary Frances Weld (born 1950), scion of that landed gentry family of Chideock, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Humphrey Giles Weld, MC, DL (1912-1998), and his wife the former Frances Mary Fraser (1916-2000), who was a granddaughter paternally of the 13th Lord Lovat and a granddaughter maternally of the 3rd Earl of Verulam.

He is survived by Gabrielle and by three sons, Frederick, Francis and Bartholomew, and by a daughter Anna Rose.

His son Bartholomew is married to Lady Amabel Kerr, daughter of the 14th Marquis of Lothian.

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Spencer/Erskine engagement

 The engagement was announced 5 March, 2026, between James Charles J. Spencer (born 1990), eldest son of Judge Timothy J. Spencer, KC, and his wife the former (Ann) Fiona Rigg (born 1959), of Northamptonshire, and Imogen Felicia Anne Erskine (born 1989), scion of the Earls of Mar & Kellie, daughter of Robin David Erskine (born 18 February, 1948), and his former wife the former Belinda Anne Bates (born 1 January, 1957), descended from the Musgrave baronets (she is now Mrs Belinda Speir, of Northumberland).

Sir Christopher Musgrave, 6th Bt (1892-1956) > Elizabeth Musgrave > Belinda Bates (b 1957) > Imogen Erskine (b 1989)

The Earl of Mar & Kellie (1839-1888) > Hon Alexander Erskine (1881-1925) > David Erskine (1921-2006) > Robin Erskine (b 1948) > Imogen Erskine (b 1989)

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The Baroness Emerton, DBE 1935-2026

 Baroness Emerton, DBE, a nursing administrator and life peer who was a member of the House of Lords from 1997 to 2019, died 27 February, 2026, aged 90.

Audrey Caroline Emerton, Baroness Emerton, DBE, GCStJ, FRCN, was born 10 September 1935.

She was appointed DBE in 1989, and raised to the peerage for life in 1997, as Baroness Emerton, of Tunbridge Wells in the County of Kent and of Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington. She sat in the Lords as a Crossbencher.

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Jonathan Charles Galbraith 1942-2026

Jonathan Charles Galbraith, who died 16 February, 2026, aged 83, was descended maternally from the Feilden landed gentry family.

He was born 1 March, 1942, the elder son of Lieutenant-Colonel John Wilson Seton Galbraith (1894-1970), and his wife the former Dorothy Priscilla Feilden (1909-1983), scion of that landed gentry family and descended from the 2nd Viscount Hampden.

He was unmarried.

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The Baroness Cornwallis 1949-2026

 Baroness Cornwallis, who died 9 February, 2026, aged 76, was the wife of the 4th Baron Cornwallis.

She was born Sara Gray de Neufville Stockwell in 1949, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Nigel Stockwell (1909-1976), of Mill Street House, Iden Green, Benenden, Kent, by his wife the former Deirdre Jarman (1920-2007).

She married 29 May, 1969, the then Fiennes Wykeham Jeremy Cornwallis (born 25 May, 1946), son and heir of Fiennes Neil Wykeham Cornwallis (1921-2010), who in 1982 succeeded his father as the 3rd Baron Cornwallis, and his wife the former Judith Lacy Scott. 

Her husband succeeded his father, 6 March, 2010, as 4th Baron Cornwallis (Peerage of the UK, cr 1927).

Sara Cornwallis is survived by her husband, and by a son the Hon (Fiennes) Alexander Wykeham Martin Cornwallis (born 25 Nov, 1987), and by two daughters, the Hon Anna Cornwallis (born 15 Jan, 1971), and the Hon Charlotte Cornwallis (born 3 Sept, 1972).

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Berkeley/Spiller engagement

 The engagement was announced 4 March, 2026, between Dr Rupert Charles Berkeley (born 1988), scion of the Barons Berkeley, the elder son of the late Roger Maurice Berkeley (1961-2011), and his wife the former Victoria Selmon (born 1962), and Mark Kevin Spiller (born 1994), younger son of Kevin Spiller, of Birch Hill, Berkshire, and his wife the former Lesley A. Ayriss.

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Elizabeth Mary Trotter (died 2026)

 Elizabeth Mary Trotter (née Stallard), died 24 February, 2026, aged 98.

She was a daughter of Richard John Stallard, of Monte Carlo, and Ashley Gardens SW1; and married firstly, 15 December, 1950, the Hon Ronald Charles Manus Nall-Cain (born 15 Aug, 1928), eldest son of the 2nd Baron Brocket (1904-1967), of Brocket Hall, and his wife the former Angela Beatrix Pennyman (1906-1975). Her husband died 15 March, 1961, predeceasing his father; she married 2ndly, 10 July, 1964, Colin John Richard Trotter (born 12 September, 1932), head of that landed gentry family. Her second husband died in 2006.

She leaves issue, from her first marriage, three sons, Charles, 3rd Baron Brocket (born 12 Feb, 1952), the Hon Richard Nall-Cain (born 5 Apr, 1953), and the Hon David Nall-Cain (born 17 Dec 1955), and from her second marriage a son, Rupert A.J. Trotter (born 1965).

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John Richard Sclater, CVO 1940-2026

 John Richard Sclater, CVO, sometime of Sutton Hall, Barcombe, Lewes, died 21 February, 2026, aged 85.

He was a member of the Council of Duchy of Lancaster, and appointed CVO by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999.

He was born in June, 1940, son of Arthur William Sclater (1909-2002), of Newick Park, Sussex, and his wife the former Alice Collet (1913-2005); and married 1stly, 1967 (div.), Nicola Mary Gloria Cropper (born 4 May, 1948), daughter of Anthony Charles Cropper (1912-1967), and his wife the former Philippa Mary Gloria Clutterbuck (1917-2009), scion of that landed gentry family; and married 2ndly, 25 April, 1985, (Grizel Elizabeth) Catherine Dawson, MBE (born 6 November, 1944), daughter of Lt-Col Herbrand Vavasour Dawson (1918-2011), head of that landed family, of Weston Hall, near Otley, West Yorkshire, by his wife the former Grizelda Louise Richmond (1919-2001).

He had issue from his first marriage, a son James Arthur Sclater (born 1970), and a daughter, Emma Mary (born 1972, deceased).

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Hon Endora Luna Marie Knatchbull (born 2025)

 Ambre Knatchbull [born Paris, 24 July, 1984], wife of the Hon Nicholas Charles Louis Norton Knatchbull, [born London, 15 May, 1981], scion of the Earls Mountbatten of Burma, gave birth to a daughter, the Hon Endora Luna Marie Knatchbull, in 2025, a sister for the Hon Alexander Nicholas J. Knatchbull, who was born circa 24 June, 2022.

Nicholas, who does not use the courtesy title of Baron Brabourne, is the only son and heir of the 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma [born 8 Oct, 1947], of Broadlands, Hampshire, and his wife the former Penelope Meredith Eastwood [born 16 Apr, 1953]. He married at the family seat, Broadlands, Hampshire, 20 May, 2021, Ambre Pouzet, a French-born behavioural therapist, a 'mer-lesque' performing mermaid, according to the Daily Mail.

Nicholas Knatchbull, a future 4th Earl Mountbatten of Burma is a godson of HRH The Prince of Wales. He is heir apparent to the Earldom, the Barony of Romsey, the Barony of Brabourne, and the Baronetcy, of Mersham Hatch. 

Source: Marlene Eilers Koenig

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Thomas/Gaunt engagement

The engagement was announced 2 March, 2026, between Ivo James Thomas (born 1994), son of Major Nicholas James Thomas, of Burrill, near Bedale, North Yorkshire, and his wife the former Victoria Mary Trotter (born 10 July, 1962), descended from the Holcroft baronets, & Lauren Olivia Gaunt (born 1999), daughter of Roger Stuart Gaunt (born 1966), of Thorner, North Yorkshire, and his wife the former Helen Anne Stevenson (born Aug 1965).

Sir Reginald Holcroft, 2nd Baronet (1899-1978) > Mary Virginia Holcroft (b 1939) > Victoria Mary Trotter (b 1962) > Ivo Thomas (b 1994)

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