On her father’s side, we’ve got Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore. Try saying that after a glass of wine. He was her grandfather, and he was old-school Scottish nobility.
He was born in 1824. That’s before the telephone existed! Imagine him, all Victorian and stern, but probably a softie underneath. He owned a massive castle called Glamis. Yes, that Glamis—the one full of legends and ghosts.
His wife, Frances Dora Smith, was his countess. She was a quiet, religious woman. She raised her children with strict discipline. But she also had a wicked sense of humor. Favourite fact: she once hid from a boring visitor under the dining table. Iconic.
Grandma from the “Other Side”
Now, turn to her mother’s side. That’s where the real firecrackers live. Her mother was Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. And Cecilia’s father was Charles Cavendish-Bentinck.
Charles was a clergyman. A reverend! But he was also a riot. He loved nature, hated pretension, and once tried to cure his son’s depression by shouting at him. It didn’t work. But he meant well.
His wife, Louisa Burnaby, was the star of this show. She was known as “the most beautiful woman in England.” No joke—she had a portrait that made men swoon. She was also incredibly stubborn. She once refused to leave a burning house until she finished her biscuit.
