Lady Rosetta Christina Clare FitzRoy (born 2015)

_.The Duchess of Grafton (nee Olivia Margaret Sladen, b 1978), wife of Henry Oliver Charles FitzRoy, 12th Duke of Grafton (b 6 Apr, 1978) (Peerage of England, cr 1675), of Euston Hall, Thetford, Norfolk, gave birth to a daughter, Lady Rosetta Christina Clare Fitzroy, 20 July, 2015, a sister for Alfred, styled Earl of Euston, who was born in 2012.

 The Duchess of Grafton is a daughter of Simon Hogarth Sladen (b 1943), and Mrs Sladen, and a granddaughter of Edward Carew Sladen (1914-44), and a great-granddaughter of Brig-Gen Sir Gerald Carew Sladen, by his wife the former Mabel Ursula Orr Ewing, dau of Sir Archibald Orr Ewing, 3rd Baronet.

The Duke of Grafton is the son of the late James Oliver Charles FitzRoy, styled Earl of Euston (1947-2009), by his wife the former Lady Clare Amabel Margaret Kerr (b 1951), daughter of the 12th Marquess of Lothian (1922-2004).

The Duke succeeded to the family honours on the death of his grandfather, the 11th Duke, 7 Apr, 2011.

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Alexia Brandram, descended from the Greek royal family, to wed

__The engagement was announced 30 July, 2015, between William John P. Hicks (born 1983), son of Mr & Mrs Jeremy Hicks, of Winstone, co Gloucester, & Alexia Katherine Brandram (b 6 Dec, 1985), scion of that landed family, & descended from the Royal House of Greece & Denmark, younger daughter of (Richard) Paul George Andrew Brandram (b 1 Apr 1948), of London, by his former 1st wife the former Jennifer Diane Steele (b 1951, now Mrs Robert Enslow, also of London).

Alexia Brandram's paternal grandmother was HRH Princess Katherine of Greece & Denmark (1913-2007), who married Richard Campbell Brandram (1911-94) and became (by courtesy of King George VI)  'Lady Katherine Brandram'. 

William Hicks's mother is the former Joanna Vivian Palairet (b 1955), is a great-niece of Sir Michael Palairet, who was British Ambassador to Greece in the Second World War.

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Wilfred Alexander Biddulph (born 2015)

_.Dr Alexandra J. Biddulph (nee Day), wife of Dr James Jasper (Jamie) Biddulph, b 1977, scion of the Barons Biddulph (Baron UK, cr 1903), gave birth to a son, Wilfred Alexander, 12 July, 2015, a brother for Jasper Julian, who was born 28 May, 2013. 

Jamie Biddulph is a son of Mr and Mrs Jasper Biddulph, of Tarlton, Glos, and Alexandra is a daughter of Mr and Mrs Julian Day, of Sutton Coldfield.

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Birth of a playmate for Princess Charlotte

_. Violet Gweneth Vestey (born 1985, nee Henderson), wife of the Hon William Guy Vestey, born 23 August, 1983, scion of the Barons Vestey (Peerage of the UK, cr 1922), gave birth to a daughter, Ella Victoria, 13 July, 2015.

The Hon William Vestey is the elder son and heir of the 3rd Baron Vestey (b 19 March, 1941) , of Stowell Park, Gloucestershire, by his second wife, the former Celia Elizabeth Knight.

Violet Vestey is a scion of the Barons Faringdon,  a daughter of the late Gavin Adrian Alexander Henderson (1944-1991) by his wife the former Juliet Victoria Baring (b 1953), scion of the Earls of Cromer, daughter of Maj Sir Mark Baring, KCVO (1916-88), &c.

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Death of Lady Bramall

_. The Baroness Bramall, who died 22 July, 2015, aged 93, was the wife of Field Marshal the Baron Bramall, KG, GCB, OBE MC (b 18 Dec, 1923), a life baron since 1987.

She was the former Dorothy Avril Wentworth Vernon, daughter of Brig-Gen Henry Albemarle Vernon, DSO, of Stoke Bruerne Park, co Northampton, and married Edwin Noel Westby Bramall in 1949. She is survived by Lord Bramall and by a son, Nicolas and daughter, Sara.

Cremation at Basingstoke Crematorium, 6 Aug. Memorial Service at All Saints, Crondall, near Farnham, 15 Sept, 2015.

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Viscount Melville to marry Lucinda Lowe

_. The engagement was announced 23 July, 2015, between Robert Henry Kirkpatrick Dundas, 10th Viscount Melville (b 23 April, 1984) (Peerage of the UK, cr 1802), son of the late 9th Viscount Melville (1937-2011), by his wife the former Fiona Margaret Stilgoe (Viscountess Melville, of Luckington, co Wilts) & Lucinda C.C. Lowe, daughter of the late Judge David Lowe, and Mrs David Lowe, of Cresswell Gardens, London.

Lord Melville succeeded to the peerages on his father's demise, 21 July, 2011.

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Nova Pilbeam 1919-2015

. Nova Pilbeam, the child actress who enjoyed success in several Alfred Hitchcock films, & married a great-grandson of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. died 17 July, 2015, aged 95.

She was born Nova Pilbeam, 15 Nov, 1919, daughter of Arnold William Pilbeam, of Datchet, co Buckinghamshire, and married 1stly, 19 Oct 1939, Frederick Penrose (known as Pen) Tennyson (1912-41), scion of the Barons Tennyson (Baron, Peerage of the UK, cr 1884), film director, and assistant to Alfred Hitchcock, son of Sir Charles Bruce Locker Tennyson (b 1879), by his wife the former Ivy Gladys Pretious; her 1st husband was killed in a 'plane crash on active service; she married 2ndly, 27 Nov 1950, Alexander Hamilton Whyte (d 1972), son of Sir Alexander Frederick Whyte.

She had a daughter from her second marriage, Sarah Jane Whyte.

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Lawrence Kenneth Elson Rhodes

_.Sarah Elizabeth Rhodes (nee Elson), wife of Samuel Lawrence Dixon Rhodes, gave birth to a son, Lawrence Kenneth Elson, 17 July, 2015, at Harrogate. A brother for Arabel & Madison.

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Rosemary Alice Collins 1940-2015

_. Rosemary Alice Collins, who died 10 July, 2015, aged 74, was a scion of the Dukes of Buccleuch & Queensberry, and a niece of HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.

She was born Rosemary Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, 3 Aug 1940, twin with her sister Frances (later Baroness Cranworth), third daughter of Lord William Walter Montagu Douglas Scott MC (1896-1958), by his wife Lady Rachel Douglas-Home, dau of the 13th Earl of Home and sister of the Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home, &c.

She was a granddaughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch, and niece of Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott (1901-2004), who, in 1935, married King George V's third son, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900-74).

Rosemary Montagu Douglas Scott married in 1978, (Samuel Alexander) Mark Collins, son of publisher Sir William Collins, by whom she had issue, Sampson William Francis (b 1982), and Benjamin Mark Timothy (b 1984).

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Santo Domingo/Wellesley engagement

_. The engagement was announced 14 July, 2015, between Alejandro Santo Domingo, son of the late Julio Mario Santo Domingo & of Beatrice Santo Domingo, & the Lady Charlotte Wellesley (born 8 Oct, 1990), youngest daughter of Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington (b 19 Aug 1945), of Stratfield Saye, Berkshire, and Apsley House, London, by his wife the former Princess Antonia Brigid Elizabeth Louise von Preussen (born 28 Apr, 1955), descended from the Royal House of Prussia, & ____.

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Giles Peter Townsend 1942-2015

 Giles Peter Townsend, who died 7 July, 2015, aged 73, was the son of Group Capt Peter Woolridge Townsend, CVO, DSO, DFC (1914-1995), sometime Equerry to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, whose love affair with Princess Margaret in the 1950s caused the biggest royal scandal since the abdication in 1936.

He was born c 1942, son of Peter Townsend and his first wife the former (Cecil) Rosemary Pawle (1921-2004), later Marchioness Camden, wife of the 5th Marquess Camden (1899-1983).

Giles Townsend married, in April, 1969, (Anne) Victoria Assheton Craven-Smith-Milnes (b 13 Feb 1948), scion of that landed family, second daughter of Ralph Assheton Craven-Smith-Milnes (1906-1993), of Hockerton Manor, Southwell, co Notts,  by his wife the former Elizabeth Josephine Ann Topham (1908-1984), scion of that landed family, by whom he had issue, Olivia, Kate and Harry.

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Warhurst/Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax engagement

_. The engagement was announced 9 July, 2015, between Henry J.C. Warhurst, son of the late Mr John Warhurst, of Walton, Warks,and Mrs Paul Brandram, of Ox House, Warks, & Tamara Katherine Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax (born 1987), scion of the Barons of Dunsany (Baron, Peerage of Ireland, cr 1439), daughter of Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax (born 1958), of Charborough Park, Wareham, Dorset (a grandson maternally of the 1st Baron Weeks), by his former wife, the former Zara Victoria Legge-Bourke (b 1966), scion of the Earls of Dartmouth (Earl, GB cr 1711) (now Mrs Angus Charles Gordon Lennox Lennox, of Gordon Castle, Moray - wife of a scion of the Dukes of Richmond & Gordon (Duke, Peerage of England, cr 1675).

Henry Warhurst's mother, the former Kate Moreton, is now the wife of (Richard) Paul George Andrew Brandram (b 1948), of that landed family, son of the late Maj Richard Campbell Andrew Brandram (1911-94), by his wife HRH Princess Katherine of Greece & Denmark (1913-2007), a cousin of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, &c.

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Spencer Churchill/Strutt engagement

_. The engagement was announced 4 July, 2015, between Alexander David Spencer Churchill (born 1983), scion of the Dukes of Marlborough (Peerage of England cr 1702), third son of Lord Charles George William Colin Spencer Churchill (b 1940), of London, by his 2nd wife the former (Elizabeth) Jane Wyndham (b 1948), scion of the Barons Egremont & Leconfield, & Scarlett Strutt (born 1985), scion of the Barons Belper (Peerage of the UK, cr 1856), daughter of Henry Clavering Tollemache Strutt (b 1953), of Stutton, Suffolk, and Mrs Athena Strutt, also of Stutton.

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Pleydell-Bouverie/Oates engagement

_. The engagement was announced 7 July, 2015, between Edward Richard Pleydell-Bouverie (born 1984), scion of the Earls of Radnor (Earl, GB cr 1765), second son of Rupert William Pleydell-Bouverie (b Dec 1950), of Monkwood, Alresford, Hampshire, by his wife the former Evelyn Marie Conlon, & Imogen N.B. Oates, daughter of Mr John Oates and Mrs Claire Oates, both of Barnard Castle, co Durham.

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Adler/Kerr engagement

_. The engagement was announced 7 July, 2015, between Mr Zackary Adler, son of Dr Richard Adler, of New York, & Mrs Virginia Day, of Dorset, & the Lady Mary Cecil Kerr (born 1981), scion of the Marquesses of Lothian (Peerage of Scotland, cr 1701) second surviving daughter of Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquis of Lothian (b 7 Jul 1945), of Monteviot, Scotland, & the Marchioness of Lothian (nee the Lady (Theresa) Jane Fitzalan-Howard, daughter of the 16th Duke of Norfolk), &c.

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Sibyl Nancy Astor (born 2015)

_. The Hon Mrs Jake Astor (nee Hargreaves), wife of the Hon James Jacob (Jake) Astor (born 4 March, 1981), scion of the Viscounts Astor (Peerage of the UK, cr 1917), gave birth to a daughter, Sibyl Nancy, 22 June, 2015, in Hong Kong.

Jake Astor is the second son of the 4th Viscount Astor (b 27 Dec, 1951), by his wife the former Annabel Veronica Lucy Jones (descended from the Barons Clifford of Chudleigh). Mr Astor is a half-brother of Samantha Cameron, wife of the Prime Minister, &c.

The Hon Mrs Jake Astor is the former Victoria L. Hargreaves, elder daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Hargreaves and Mrs Charles Goodall.

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(Daniel) Patrick Macnee 1922-2015

The actor Patrick Macnee, who died 25 June, 2015, aged 93, was the suave and dapper 'Steed' in The Avengers.

Daniel Patrick Macnee was born 6 Feb, 1922, son of Daniel Macnee (c1877-1955), by his wife the former Dorothea Henry (1898-1984).  Dorothea was the daughter of Frances Hastings (1870-1945), a granddaughter of the 11th Earl of Huntingdon (1779-1828).

Macnee was a second cousin of the actor David Niven ~ both must have inherited the "suave" gene.

Macnee was three times wed; 1stly (1942) (div) to Barbara Douglas, 2ndly, in 1965, to Katherine Woodville (b  c1938), actress (div), and 3rdly, in 1988, to Baba Majos de Nagyzsenye (died 2007).

He is survived by a son and a daughter from his 1st marriage.

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Lord Black of Brentwood marries Mark Bolland

_. The marriage took place 22 June, 2015, at Islington Town Hall, between Guy Black, the Baron Black of Brentwood, Conservative life peer, son of the late Tom & Monica Black, & Mr Mark W. Bolland, son of the late Mr Arthur Bolland and Mrs Joan Bolland.

Lord Black is a close friend of the Prime Minister. Mr Bolland served the Prince of Wales as deputy private secrtetary for some years.

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The 3rd Duke of Fife 1929-2015

_. The 3rd Duke of Fife, a cousin of the Queen, died at Kinnaird Castle, Angus, 22 June, 2015. He was 85.

The duke was 3rd Duke (Peerage of the UK cr 1900), 9th Earl of Southesk (Peerage of Scot. cr 1633), Earl of Macduff (Peerage of the UK, cr 1900), Lord Carnegie of Kinnaird (Peerage of Scot. cr 1616), Lord Carnegie of of Kinnaird & Leuchars (Peerage of Scot. cr 1633), 4th Baron Balinhard (Peerage of the UK, cr 1869), 9th baronet, Chief of the Name & Arms of Carnegie, &c.

James George Alexander Bannerman Carnegie was born in London, 23 Sept, 1929, the only child of Charles Alexander Carnegie, 11th (or 8th) Earl of Southesk, KCVO (1893-1992), by his wife Her Highness Princess Maud Alexandra Victoria Georgina Bertha of Fife (1893-1945), a granddaughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

He succeeded as 3rd Duke of Fife on the death of his aunt, the Duchess of Fife (in her own right) wife of Prince Arthur of Connaught & Strathearn, 26 Feb, 1959, and succeeded his father as Earl of Southesk, 16 Feb, 1992.

The duke married 11 Sept 1956 (div Dec 1966), the Hon Caroline Cicely Dewar, eldest dau of the 3rd Baron Forteviot (1906-93), by his wife the former Cynthia Monica Starkie (d 1986), by whom he had issue, a son, David Charles, styled Earl of Macduff 1961-92, and Earl of Southesk 1992-2015, and a daughter, Lady Alexandra Etherington (b 1959). The son, born 3 Mar 1961, succeeds as 4th Duke of Fife.

The 4th Duke is married to the former Caroline Anne Bunting and is the father of three sons.


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Duke of Edinburgh's godson to marry American fashionista

_. The engagement has been announced between Ashley Louis David Hicks (born 18 July, 1963), only son of the late David Nightingale Hicks by his wife the former Lady Pamela Carmen Louise Mountbatten (born 19 Apr, 1929), scion of the Earls Mountbatten of Burma (Peerage of the UK, cr 1947), & Katalina (Kata) Sharkey de Solis (Born Texas, 31 Dec, 1981), daughter of William Thomas Sharley, of Houston, Texas, by his wife the former Rosalie Solis.

It is Mr Hick's second marriage. He married firstly, in 1990,Allegra Marina Tondato, by whom he has issue. His second bride to be is described in the Daily Mail as an "American fashionista" 17 years his junior.

Ashley Hicks is a godson of the late King of Sweden and of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

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