Selwyn Sharpe/Allwood engagement

 The engagement was announced 17 August, 2024, between Thomas Richard Gildart Selwyn Sharpe (born 1992) eldest son of Richard Charles Selwyn Sharpe, of Finghall, North Yorkshire, and his wife the former Fleur Josephine Butler (born 24 April, 1967), & Mary Jane Allwood (born 22 September, 1994), eldest daughter of Andrew Geoffrey Allwood (born 1959), of Muiresk House, Aberdeenshire, by his wife the former Hon Catherine Mary Tennant Arundell (born 16 April, 1960), 2nd daughter of the 10th Baron Talbot of Malahide (1931-2016).

Thomas Selwyn Sharpe is a great-grandson of the Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG, CH, PC, DL (1902-1982).

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Major/Stuart Taylor engagement

 The engagement was announced 17 August, 2024, between Major Alexander Leo Major (born 1 July, 1986), Welsh Guards, son of David Major, of Atherington, Devon, and his wife the former Amanda J Sheppard, & Virginia Caterina Stuart Taylor (born 1989), elder daughter of Sir Nicholas Richard Stuart Taylor, 4th Baronet (born 14 January, 1952), of Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire, and his former wife, Malvena Elizabeth, Lady Stuart Taylor (nee Sullivan), of Beaulieu, Hampshire.

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Virginia, Countess of Airlie, DCVO 1933-2024

 Virginia, Countess of Airlie, DCVO, who died 17 August, 2024, aged 91, was widow of the 13th Earl of Airlie, and the first American to serve as a lady in waiting to the sovereign.

The King paid tribute to the Countess of Airlie, his mother's close confidant and first American lady in waiting following news of her death.

Virginia 'Ginny' Ryan was the first American to have served as a lady-in-waiting to the late Queen when she was appointed lady of the bedchamber in 1973 – and was with her until Her Majesty's death, 8 September 2022.

Lady Airlie lived at Cortachy Castle, Kirriemuir, Angus, and had a London home in Sloane Court West, SW3.

So close were they that the late Queen made what is believed to have been her only visit to a nightclub when she visited Annabel's in 2003 to celebrate the 70th birthday of Lady Airlie.

A statement released from Buckingham Palace yesterday read: 'His Majesty was deeply saddened to hear the news, having known Lady Airlie for so much of his life and having so greatly appreciated her immense devotion and dedicated service to Her late Majesty over so many years.'

King Charles is on holiday in Scotland but has spoken with the countess's family to express his sympathies. Lady Airlie's husband David – himself a childhood friend of the late Queen – was the 13th Earl of Airlie and Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle until his death last year at the age of 97.

The couple, who married in October 1952, were key figures in the late Queen's royal household – regularly staying at Sandringham and Balmoral. The wedding took place at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster. The late Queen, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret were all in attendance at what the Telegraph called ‘a major society event’ – so much so it featured on the news.

She was born 9 February, 1933, daughter of John Barry Ryan Jr, of Moorland Farm, Newport, Rhode Island, USA, by his wife the former Margaret Dorothy Kahn (1901-1995), daughter of Otto Kahn (1867-1934), the American investment banker and philanthropist; and married 23 Oct, 1952, the then David George Coke Patrick Ogilvy, styled Lord Ogilvy (born 17 May, 1926), son and heir of the 12th Earl of Airlie, KT, GCVO, MC (1893-1968), and his wife the Lady Alexandra Marie Bridget Coke (died 1984), daughter of the 3rd Earl of Leicester, GCVO, CMG (1848-1941). Her husband succeeded his father in the earldom, 28 Dec, 1968.

The countess was a sister-in-law of the Hon Sir Angus Ogilvy, KCVO, PC, who married Princess Alexandra of Kent in 1963.

Her husband  was cr GCVO 1984; Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order 1984-87; Privy Councillor 1984; Lord Chamberlain of the Household 1984-87; sworn of the Privy Council 1984; Knight of the Thistle 1985; Lord Lieutenant of Angus from 1989; received the Royal Victorian Chain 1997. He died 26 June, 2023.

Virginia Airlie was a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II 1973-2022. The office of Lady or Woman of the Bedchamber and is now defunct, and the ladies attending HM Queen Camilla are now styled 'Queen's Companions'. Sje was appointed DCVO in 1995.

She leaves three sons and three daughters. Her eldest son, David (born 9 March, 1958), succeeded his father in the peerages, the second son is the Hon Bruce Ogilvy (born 7 Apr, 1959), and the third son is the Hon Patrick Ogilvy (born 24 Mar 1971), the daughters are Lady Doune (born 13 Aug 1953), Lady Jane (born 24 Jun 1955), and Lady Elizabeth (born 4 June, 1965).

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Baron Elliott of Ballinamallard

 The life peerage recently conferred upon Thomas Beatty Elliott, MLA, (born 11 December, 1963) - Member of the Legislative Assembly for Fermanagh and South Tyrone and former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, has been gazetted in the name, style and title of Baron Elliott of Ballinamallard, of Ballinamallard in the County of Fermanagh, 16 Aug 2024.

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Minette Batters: life peerage gazetted

 The life peerage recently conferred upon Minette Bridget Batters (born 28 May 1967) - Former President of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales, has been gazetted in the name, style and title of Baroness Batters, of Downton in the County of Wiltshire, 16 Aug 2024.

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Jeremy Leigh-Pemberton, CBE 1933-2024

 Jeremy Leigh-Pemberton, CBE, who died 5 August, 2024, aged 90, was a scion of that landed gentry family. 

He was born 25 November, 1933, the third son of Capt Robert Douglas Leigh Pemberton, MBE, MC (1896-1964), head of that family, and his wife the former Helen Isabel Payne-Gallwey (1898-1985), and was a younger brother of the life peer the Baron Kingsdown, KG (1927-2013)

He married 1stly, 30 May, 1968 (div. 1980), Mary Ames, daughter of John Ames, of Boston, Mass., USA; married 2ndly, 3 June, 1982, Virginia Marion Curle, a half-sister of the 3rd Baron Strathcarron, daughter of Sir John Noel Ormiston Curle (1915-1997), the diplomat, and his former wife Diana Hawtrey Deane (1923-1973). Diana Curle married 2ndly, 18 May, 1948, the 2nd Baron Strathcarron (1924-2006).

He leaves a son from his first marriage, Richard Ames Leigh Pemberton (born 13 Dec, 1971).

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Rowland James Ludo Caldin (born 2024)

Isobel Camilla Honoria Caldin (nee Harrison-Allen, born 23 May, 1990), wife of Alexander Robert Giles Caldin (born circa 1984), gave birth to a son, Rowland James Ludo, 24 July, 2024.

Alexander Caldin is a son of (Peter) Giles Caldin, of Salford, Oxfordshire, and his wife the former Rachel M. Roberts.

Isobel Caldin is a scion of that landed gentry family, daughter of Hugh David Rowland Harrison-Allen (born 1950), and his wife the former Amanda Jane Ommanney (born 26 Feb, 1953), scion of that landed gentry family, daughter of Major Peter Richard Ommanney (1911-1995), and his wife the former Joan Isobel Paterson (1920-2005).

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Kevan Jones's peerage gazetted as Baron Beamish

 The life peerage recently conferred upon the Rt Hon Kevan David Jones, PC, (born 25 April 1964)  - Lately Member of Parliament for North Durham and former Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence, has been gazetted in the name, style and title of Baron Beamish, of Beamish in the County of Durham, 15 Aug 2024.

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The Baron Cryer

 The life peerage recently conferred upon John Robert Cryer (born 11 April 1964), - Lately Member of Parliament for Leyton and Wanstead, has been gazetted in the name, style and title of Baron Cryer, of Leyton in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, 15 Aug, 2024.

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Jane Vanneck (née Blanton) (died 2024)

 Jane Vanneck, who died 7 August, 2024, aged 78, was wife of William Vanneck, scion of the Barons Huntingfield.

She was the former Jane Blanton, daughter of Donald Blanton, and married in 1971, William Bonde Vanneck (born 27 December, 1943), son of the Hon Andrew Nicholas Armstrong Vanneck (1890-1965), and his 2nd wife the former Britta Ingeborg Nilsdotter Bonde (who died 1 Sept, 1998). Her husband is a nephew of the late 5th Baron Huntingfield (1883-1969).

She was mother of a son, Mark Vanneck (born 1979), and a daughter, Nina (born 1975).

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Lady Spencer-Nairn 1937-2024

 Lady Spencer-Nairn, who died 4 August, 2024, aged 86, was the wife of Sir Robert Spencer-Nairn, 3rd Baronet.

She was born Joanna Elizabeth Salt, 10 December, 1937, scion of the Salt baronets of Weeping Cross, daughter of Lieutenant-Commander George Stevenson Salt, RN (1908-1940), and his wife the former Lilian Bridget Francis (1912-2011). Her father was killed in action, 20 Oct, 1940, commanding HM Submarine Triad.

She married 4 May, 1963, Robert Arnold Spencer-Nairn (born 11 Oct, 1933), son and heir of Sir Douglas Spencer-Nairn, 2nd Baronet (1906-1970), and his wife the former Elizabeth Livingston Henderson (who died 1985). Her husband succeeded his father as third baronet, 8 Nov, 1970.

She is survived by her husband, and two sons, James and Andrew, and a daughter, Katharine.

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Sally Moore Garnett (née Hezlett) (died 2024)

 Sally Moore Garnett died 31 July, 2024, aged 93.

She was the former Sally Moore Hezlett, daughter of Ian Moore Hezlett (1907-1957), of Ascot, Berkshire, by his wife the former Cecily Vanda Walker (1907-1995); and married firstly, 14 January, 1953 (div 1971), the Hon Edward Lawies Jackson (1928-1982), son and heir of the 3rd Baron Allerton (1903-1991), and his wife the former Christine Joyce Hatfeild (who died 6 May, 1953).

She married 2ndly, 1972, John A. Garnett (deceased).

From her first marriage she leaves two daughters, Susan Caroline Lawies Jackson (born 25 Sept, 1954), and Lavinia Jane Lawies Jackson (born 25 June, 1957).

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Selby/Blomquist marriage

 The marriage has recently taken place between the 6th Viscount Selby and Amanda Blomquist.

Christopher Rolf Thomas Gully, 6th Viscount Selby (Peerage of the UK, cr 1905) (born 18 Oct, 1993), is the son of the late 5th Viscount (1967-2001), and his first wife the former Charlotte Catherine Brege (who died 1995), daughter of Rolph Brege, of Lomma, Sweden. Christopher succeeded to the viscountcy upin his father's death, 23 January, 2001.

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Angela Mary Pelly (née Gandell) c1927-2024

 Angela Mary Pelly, who died 4 August, 2024, aged 97, was the widow of Lieutenant-Commander David Cecil Pelly, scion of the Pelly baronets.

She was the former Angela Mary Gandell, daughter of Capt. Wilfrid Pearse Gandell, CBE, RN (1886-1986), and his wife the former Lilian Amabel Marian Campbell, BEM (1894-1982); and married 29 July, 1950, David Cecil Pelly (born 17 March, 1922), eldest son of Capt Gilbert Cecil Pelly (1892-1961), & his wife Constance Margery Glazebrook (1892-1952), by whom she had issue, four sons, Richard, Nicholas, Patrick and Gilbert, and a daughter, Alexandra.

Her husband died 8 July, 2003.

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Francis Thomas (Frank) O'Neill 1926-2024

 Francis Thomas (Frank) O'Neill, who died in Australia, 10 July, 2024, aged 97, was an Australian Olympic swimmer of the 1950s who went on to become a poolside instructor to the rich and famous, including Greta Garbo and Ginger Rogers.

He was born 30 September, 1926, son of Tom O'Neill and his wife Etta. Although O’Neill, who had won two silver medals at the 1950 Commonwealth Games and captained the Australia swim team at the 1952 Olympics, was greatly over-qualified to be teaching doggy-paddling stars of stage and screen, the work was financially rewarding and suited his penchant for mixing with high society.

He married 30 September, 1950 (div 1954), Patricia Enid Cavendish (born 30 June, 1925), scion of the Barons Waterpark, daughter of Brigadier-General Frederick William Lawrence Shepperd Cavendish, CMG, DSO (1877-1931), a polo-playing officer known as 'Caviar' Cavendish, and his wife, Enid Maude Cameron (nee Lindeman) (she died 5 January, 1973), a scion of the Croesus-rich Australian wine making family, daughter of Charles Lindeman. Enid was known as 'the Stucco Venus'.

O'Neill was a colourful character who married into great wealth, and he taught his famous clients in the glamorous surroundings of a large villa on Cap Ferrat on the French Riviera, which belonged to his mother-in-law, Enid, Countess of Kenmare. She was a member of the Australian Lindeman’s Wine family and nicknamed “Lady Killmore” by Somerset Maugham because she had outlived four husbands: successively, an American shipping tycoon, Roderick Cameron, of New York, a polo-playing soldier called “Caviar” Cavendish, the 1st Viscount Furness (1883-1940), and the 6th Earl of Kenmare (1891-1943).

O’Neill was great company, a wonderful raconteur and mesmerising to women. He had met the globetrotting Pat Cavendish in 1949 on board a ship to Sydney. They were wed in Nice the following year, but he had a loose attitude to their marriage vows, and though she initially put up with his extra-marital flings she was soon seeking a legal separation. Her mother, Lady Kenmare, hired a female private detective to dig some dirt on her son-in-law, but his charm was so great that the detective fell in love with him and refused to provide any evidence. None the less, a divorce eventually took place in 1954.

Once Frank and Pat got back together in 1969, and re-married, they based themselves in Somerset West in the Western Cape, although he continued to spend much of his time in Sydney, from where he sourced horses for Pat to breed and race in South Africa. In 2000, aged 73, he was given the honour of taking part in the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch relay, running his leg in Goulburn, New South Wales. By 2008 he and Pat had drifted apart again, and he returned to live full-time in Manly, moving in with a girlfriend, Jan Garrett, who looked after him until his death. Patricia O'Neill died in 2019.

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Howard-Vyse/Alessandroni engagement

The engagement was announced 12 August, 2024, between Marcus William Howard-Vyse (born 9 December, 1994), scion of that landed gentry family, elder son of Charles Aubrey Howard-Vyse (born 14 March, 1962), head of that family, by his wife, the former Clare E. King (born 1963), & Miss E.Z. (Lily) Alessandroni, daughter of Signore Leonardo Alessandroni of Urbania, Italy, and Ms Ann Flynn of Rome, Italy.

Marcus Howard-Vyse descends from a marriage between General Richard Vyse (born 1746), who married Anne Howard, descended from the Barons Howard of Effingham.

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Crichton/Twiston-Davies engagement

 The engagement was announced 13 August, 2024, between Hal Julian George Crichton (born 16 February, 1995), scion of the Earls of Erne, second son of Desmond Cadogan Crichton (born 10 March, 1953), of Pilton, Northamptonshire, and his wife the former Emma Jane Crawshay (born 1955), & Zoë Caroline Twiston-Davies (born 24 October, 1992), third daughter of Audley William Twiston-Davies (born 13 November, 1950), of Kilpeck, Herefordshire, and his wife the former Hon Caroline Mary Elaine Harbord-Hamond (born 15 December, 1960), daughter of the 11th Baron Suffield (1922-2011).

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Rev. Richard Graham Borthwick 1939-2024

 The Rev Richard Graham Borthwick, who died at Nedlands, Australia, 1 August, 2024, aged 85, was a scion of the Borthwick baronets; born at Inverell, NSW, 26 Nov, 1939, son of John Mayo Borthwick (1910-1943), and his wife the former Lois Margaret Fitzroy Bayly (1915-2009), scion of the Bayly baronets. He was unmarried.

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William Henry Champion Streafeild 1934-2024

 William Henry Champion Streatfeild, who died 17 July, 2024, aged 89, was a scion of that landed gentry family.

He was born in 1934, son of William Champion Streatfeild (1898-1968), and his wife the former Ursula Maud Tylee (1908-2007), scion of that landed gentry family; and married in 1974, Sarah Delahoy Jennings (1946-2008), daughter of Reginald Angus Unwin Jennings (1899-1987), and his wife the former Miriam Parnell (1912-1983), by whom he had a son, Will, and daughter, Janet.

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Sir George Bull 1936-2024

Sir George Bull, who died 21 July, 2024, aged 88, was the businessman behind creation of Diageo, a salesman who climbed the corporate ladder to become one of the UK’s leading marketeers.

Bull was chairman of J Sainsbury PLC 1998-2004; at IDV Ltd he was a director from 1972, Deputy Managing director 1982-84; Chief Executive 1984-92; Chairman 1988-92; Chairman and Chief Executive of Grand Metropolitan , Food Sector 1992-93, Groupn Chief Executive 1993-96, Chairman 1996-98, Grand Metropolitan PLC; Joint chairman of Diageo 1997-98; non executive director, United Newspapers, 1993-1998, &c. Was President of the Advertising Association, 1996-2000.

Bull was appointed a Chevailier, Legion d'Honneur (France 1994), and knighted 1998.

George Jeffrey Bull was born 16 July, 1936 in London, younger son of Michael Herbert Perkins Bull, QC (1906-1962), and his wife the Hon Noreen Madeleine Mary Hennessy (1909-2004), who was daughter of the first Baron Windlesham, OBE (1877-1953), and worked for Dorling Advertising. Their elder son, Matthew Bull (1932-2002), was a major in the Coldstream Guards who served in Northern Ireland and Cyprus, and later managed the regimental band.

Michael Bull returned to Canada, his birthplace, to defend his own father successfully against a murder charge in 1939, leaving Noreen to bring up the boys. He never returned. Fortunately, her family were wealthy, enabling her to stay in wings of large houses, or in smaller houses on the family’s estates. George’s uncle, the Hon Frederick Hennessey (1906-69), an executive in the family brandy firm, became a substitute father figure. 

In 1954 entered National Service with the Coldstream Guards. He became a second lieutenant, served in Germany and the UK and took a short service extension to be available to go to the Suez Canal zone.

He married 7 January, 1960, Thérèse “Tessa” Freeland, daughter of Patrick Freeland, of Zimbabwe. His wife was a floor model at Fortnum & Mason whom he had met at a House of Lords ball. They had four sons and a daughter. Sebastian and Justin went into banking, Rupert followed his father into the drinks industry, Cassian was a logistics manager for a piano company and Tamsin went into advertising.

 In 1992 Tessa suffered a catastrophic accident when accompanying Bull to a drinks industry conference in Palm Springs, California. Out on a stroll, a palm tree fell on her, breaking multiple bones and putting her in hospital for six months. Doctors thought she would never walk again, but she determinedly overcame her injuries despite lifelong pain. She died 4 October, 2023, aged 86.

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