Agnew of Lochnaw/Forsyth engagement

_. The engagement has been announced between Mark Douglas Noel Agnew, younger of Lochnaw [born 1991], only son and heir of Maj Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw, 11th Baronet [born 1944], of Edinburgh, by his wife the former Susan Rachel Strang Steel [born 1952], & Sophie Rebecca Forsyth [born 1991], daughter Mr Stuart Forsyth and Mrs Anne Forsyth, of East Lothian.

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Buxton/Currey engagement

_. The engagement has been announced between Robert Alexander Buxton [born 1984], scion of the Buxton baronets, son of Joseph William Henry [Joe] Buxton [born 1943], of Sopworth, Wiltshire, by his second wife the former Ann Boggis-Rolfe [born 1952], scion of that landed family, & Alice Catarina Mary Currey [born 1988], scion of the Barons Howard De Walden, daughter of [Charles] Alistair Currey [born 1947], of Fulham, London, by his former wife the former Henrietta Mary Rosario Czernin [born 1960], of Bosham, West Sussex, second daughter of Baroness Howard De Walden [born 1935].

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Allhusen/Hubert engagement

_. The engagement was announced 18 January, 2020, between Benjamin Christian Thomas Allhusen [born 1989], scion of that landed family, eldest son of Christian Henry Allhusen [born 1956], of Bradenham, Norfolk, by his wife the former Penelope Amanda Champion [born 1959], & Sophie Hubert, eldest daughter of Mr & Mrs Alain Hubert, of La Forêt-Fouesnant, France.

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The Baron Maclennan of Rogart, PC 1936-2020

_. The Baron Maclennan of Rogart, PC, died 18 January, 2020. He was 83.

Robert Adam Ross Maclennan was a Liberal Democrat politician and the last leader of the SDP, and was an MP from 1966 to 2001, in which year he was created a life peer.

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Kain/Mansel engagement

_. The engagement has been announced between Tom A. Kain, elder son of Mr & Mrs Trevor Kain, of Rye, East Sussex, and Isabella Maria Mansel [born 1985], daughter of the late Hugh Clavell Mansel, by his wife the former Diana Theresa Violet Scrope [born 2 Feb, 1951], scion of that ancient landed gentry family [now Mrs Diana Mansel, of Wareham, Dorset].

The bride-to-be is a great-granddaughter of the 4th Earl of Ellesmere.

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Fetherstonhaugh/Smith engagement

_. The engagement has been announced between Hugh Fergus Fetherstonhaugh [born 1990], scion of that landed family, son of Hugh Simon Fetherstonhaugh [born 1949], of Corwen, Denbighshire, by his wife the late former Louise Philipps [1946-2013], & Susan Smith, elder daughter of Mr & Mrs Stuart Smith, of Higher Kinnerton, Flintshire,

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Ludo Arthur Edward Crichton-Stuart [born 2019]

_. Euan-Hee Isobella Gage [Izzie] Crichton-Stuart [born 1977, nee Heygate], scion of the Heygate baronets, and wife of [Niall] Rollo Robert Crichton-Stuart [born 1977], scion of the Marquesses of Bute, gave birth to a son, Ludo Arthur Edward, 17 December, 2019, a brother for Henry Richard Niall, who was born in 2010.

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Speke/Lascelles engagement

_. The engagement has been announced between Toby Benjamin Fenwick Speke [born 1989], scion of that landed gentry family, son of Mr [Ian] Benjamin Speke [born 1950], of Corbridge, Northumberland, by his wife the former Ailsa Fenwick [born 1957], & Camilla Mary Lascelles [born 1991], scion of the Earls of Harewood, daughter of Hugo Giles Lascelles [born 1958], of Elmdon, Essex, by his wife the former Joanna Catherine Philipson [born 1961], descended from from extinct barons Woolavington.

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Broxham/Hadden-Paton engagement

_. The engagement has been announced between Blaze Broxham, eldest son of Mr & Mrs George Broxham, of Marondera, Zimbabwe, and Clementine Sarah Hadden-Paton [born 1992], daughter of Capt Nigel Hadden-Paton [born 1952], of Dorset, scion of that landed gentry family, and Mrs Hadden-Paton [nee Sarah A.J. Mellor, [born 1954].

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Can Harry lose his styles and titles?

With The bombshell that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to ‘step down’ as senior members of the Royal Family let’s look at the styles and titles enjoyed by the couple.

Many members of the public and on social media are demanding that the renegade Harry be ‘stripped’ of his styles, titles and peerages, following his shock announcement.

Harry, as a male line grandson of the monarch, was born HRH Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales on September 15, 1984. The HRH handle or the title Prince were not conferred by the Queen, but came at birth under the terms of the 1917 Letters Patent of Harry’s great-great grandfather, King George V.

On his father’s accession Harry would be upgraded to HRH ‘The’ Prince Harry. All children and male line grandchildren of the monarch are princes and princesses of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Queen, as fountain of all honour, can remove the style of Royal Highness. The issuing of Letters Patent or a Royal Warrant could strip both Harry and Meghan of the rank, style and title of HRH.

On Harry and Meghan’s wedding day in 2018 the prince was created Baron Kilkeel, Earl of Dumbarton and Duke of Sussex, all in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The three peerages were created by the issuing of Letters Patent under the Great Seal. 

The recipient of a peerage cannot afterwards go on an disclaim that peerage or peerages. He or she is a peer for life. 

The 1963 Peerage Act made provision for a new peer, having succeeded to a peerage, to then go on and disclaim that peerage with 12 months of succession. The Peerage Act made no provision for a newly created peer to disclaim. 

A peer can be deprived of his peerage by an Act of Parliament. No peer has been so stripped of his title since the days of the First World War when several peers who supported or fought on the side of Germany had peerages removed under the terms of the Titles Deprivations Act 1917. 

For Harry to relinquish or be deprived of his peerages then another act of Parliament would be required. 

The Duchess of Sussex possesses no titles in her own right. No styles or titles were specifically created for her on her marriage. Her rank and precedence come as the wife of Prince Harry. Meghan’s styles and titles mirror those held by her husband. She is HRH Princess Henry, Baroness Kilkeel, Countess of Dumbarton, Duchess of Sussex.

In the event of the Sussex marriage ending in divorce then under the terms of the Letters Patent of 1996 Meghan would cease to be Her Royal Highness, following the precedent of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah Duchess of York.

A divorced Meghan would be styled in the same way as the ex-wife of any other duke, and would be ‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’, but only for as long as she remained in the divorced state. On any subsequent marriage she would lose the Sussex title.

And so Harry is destined to be Duke of Sussex for the remainder of his life, and on his death his son, Archie, will automatically succeed as 2nd Duke of Sussex.

Of course Harry could drop the use of rank, styles and titles unofficially. The late Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, widow of the Queen’s uncle, was known as ‘Princess Alice’ for thirty years of widowhood without being formally so styled by Letters Patent or Royal Warrant.

Similarly, when the Prince of Wales announced his engagement to Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005 it was announced that his wife would not be styled Princess of Wales but be known as HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. It was also stated that Camilla, on Charles’s accession, would not be known as Queen but instead be styled HRH The Princess Consort.

Harry and Meghan have already gone down this road by declaring that their son will not use a courtesy title as son of a Duke. Young Archie Mountbatten-Windsor would traditionally have been styled Earl of Dumbarton from birth.

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Niarchos/Zhukova marriage

 _. The marriage took place 17 January, 2020, at St Moritz, between Stavros Niarchos [born 17 Apr, 1985], son of Philippos Niarchos, by his wife the former Victoria Christina Guinness [born 20 January, 1960], scion of the Guinness dynasty, descended from the Barons Churston, & Darya Alexandrovna Zhukova, previous wife of  Roman Abramovich.

Stavros Niarchos is a grandson maternally of Patrick Benjamin Guinness [1931-65], by his wife Dolores Maria Agatha Wilhelmine Luise Gräfin von Fürstenberg, and is a great grandson of Group Capt Thomas Loel Evelyn Bulkeley Guinness, RAF [1906-88], by his wife the former Hon Joan Yarburgh Yarde-Buller [1908-97] [she married ii Prince Ali Khan, and iii, the 2nd Viscount Camrose].

Stavros Niarchos is a great-great grandson of the 3rd Baron Churston [1873-1930].

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Catherine Mary Adele Stopford 1965-2020

_,. Catherine Mary Adele Stopford, who died 17 January, 2020, aged 54, was a scion of the Earls of Courtown.

She was born 20 March, 1965, daughter of Capt the Hon Terence Victor Stopford, RN [1918-98], by his wife the former Sheila Adele Page [died 1994}, and was a granddaughter of the 7th Earl of Courtown [1877-1957].

The funeral takes place at St James the Less, Dorney, 13 Feb, 2020.

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Claude Ernest Breese Hope Henderson [born 2020]

 _. Cecily Anne Tyler Henderson [nee Breese, born 1983], wife of Alexander Storm David Hope Henderson [born 1982], scion of the Barons Faringdon, gave birth to a second son, Claude Ernest Breese Hope, 16 January, 2020, a brother for Laurence Alfred Douglas Hope [Laurie], who was born in 2017.

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Arthur & Walter Walton-Pocock [born 2020]

 _. Christina Frances Walton-Pocock [nee Walton, born 1986], descended from the Barons Dunboyne, wife of Thomas Raymond Le Feuvre Walton-Pocock [born 1986], gave birth to twin sons, Arthur Victor Le Feuvre, and Ralph Walter Butler, 14 January, 2020.

Thomas is a son of Mark Edward Le Feuvre Pocock [born 1944], by his wife the former Joanna M. Fox [born 1956]. He married in 2019, Christina Frances Walton, daughter of Alastair Henry Walton [born 1954], by his wife the former Hon Mary Synolda Butler [born 1954], daughter of the 18th/28th Baron Dunboyne.

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The Countess of Erroll dies aged 64

_. The Countess of Erroll, who died 13 January, 2020, aged 64, was the wife of the Earl of Erroll, the Hereditary Lord High Constable of Scotland.

The former Isabelle Jacqueline Laline Hohler was a daughter of Thomas Sidney Astell Hohler, MC [1919-89], of Wolverton Park, Basingstoke, by his wife the Comtesse Julie Marie Isabelle Jeanne De Jouffroy D’Abbans, and married in 1982, the 24th Earl of Erroll [born 1948], 18th Hereditary Lord High Constable of Scotland. Her husband was elected to the House of Lords in 1999. 

The Countess of Erroll is survived by her husband and four children.

A memorial service will be held at the Guards Chapel.

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Rev Timothy Fyffe 1923-2020

_. The Rev Timothy Fyffe, died 12 January, 2020, aged 94. He was born in 1923, son of the Rt Rev Rolleston Sterrit Fyffe [1868-1964], by his wife the former Annis Kathleen Hardy.

His grandfather, Dr William Johnstone Fyffe [1837-1901], married Caroline Margaret Kington [1837-97], daughter of Thomas Kington [1795-1857], by his wife the former Margaret Oliphant [1799-1839], daughter of Laurence Oliphant 8th of Gask [1768-1819], &c.

He married Judith Birkett, by whom he had issue, a son John [deceased], and a daughter, Margaret.

The funeral takes place at St Mary's Church, Great Shelford, Cambridge, 17 February, 2020.

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Masha, Baroness Bolton 1946-2020

_. Masha Baroness Bolton, who died 11 January, 2020, aged 73, was the second wife of the 7th Baron Bolton [1929-2001], of Bolton Castle, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire. Her home was at Arklow Hill, Thornton Steward.

Masha Anne Hudson was born in 1946, a daughter of Major Francis Edward [Tony] Hudson [1912-2002], of Winterfield House, Bedale, by his wife the former Masha Muirhead-Murray, a descendant maternally of the Vavasour baronets.

Her father was High Sheriff of North Yorkshire in 1981, and was Chairman of Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd, 1981-83.

She married 26 June, 1981, as his second wife, the 7th Baron Bolton, a North Yorkshire landowner. The marriage ended in divorce in 1990.

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Rev Canon Josceline Maurice Vaughan Drummond 1929-2020

_.The Rev Canon Josceline Maurice Vaughan Drummond, who died 11 January, 2020, aged 90, was a scion of the Earls of Perth.

He was born 3 April, 1929, son of Maurice John Heneage Drummond [1894-1975], by his wife the former Celia Vaughan [1896-1964].

He married firstly, 31 March, 1962, Christine Mary Read [1934-87], daughter of Alfred George Read [1902-2005] by his wife the former Ida Gertrude Bannister [1907-65]; married secondly, 1988, as her second husband, Mrs Susan Helena Bowman, widow of the Rev Canon Andrew Bowman, and daughter of William Bolitho Rowe [1900-69], of Plymouth, Devon, by his wife the former Olive Mary Richards [1911-2007].

He leaves a son, Andrew, and daughter, Lydia, from the first marriage.

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John Paul James Alessandro Manassei di Collestate 1937-2020

_. John Paul James Alessandro Manassei di Collestate, who died 10 January, 2020, aged 82, was a grandson of the 16th Earl of Perth [1876-1951].

He was born 16 December, 1937, son of Comte Alessandro Agosto Giovanni Giacinto Barnabo Manassei di Collestate [who died 1962], by his wife the former Lady Angela Drummond [1912-2002]; married 16 Dec, 1965 [divorced 1975], the Hon Susan Barbara Addington [born 1945], daughter of the 7th Viscount Sidmouth. Father of Marina and Hugo.

 A funeral service will be held at Our Lady & All Saints RC Church, Stourbridge, 29 January, 2020.

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The Baron Chalfont, OBE, MC, PC 1919-2020

_. The Baron Chalfont, OBE, MC, PC, died 10 January, 2020, aged 100.

Alun Arthur Gwynne Jones was born 5 December, 1919. Created a life peer as Baron Chalfont in 1964 he served in the administration of Harold Wilson as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, 1964-68. He was the senior extant life peer from 2003.

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