The Marchioness of Lansdowne | |
|---|---|
| Born | Fiona Mary Merritt 3 October 1954 |
| Education | Inchbald School of Design |
| Spouse | |
Fiona Mary Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marchioness of Lansdowne, DL (née Merritt; born 3 October 1954), previously known professionally as Fiona Shelburne, is a British aristocrat, socialite and interior designer. Since 2022, she has served as a queen's companion to Queen Camilla.
Life
[edit]Born in 1954, Fiona Merritt married in 1987, as his second wife, Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice, Earl of Shelburne.[1] She was styled Countess of Shelburne by courtesy until her husband succeeded to his father's titles in 1999. The family seat is Bowood House, Wiltshire,[2] and Lord and Lady Lansdowne have overseen the restoration of the house.[3][1]
Lady Lansdowne trained as an interior designer at the Inchbald School of Design and worked for Colefax & Fowler. She first met her husband (then Lord Shelburne) on a working visit to Bowood while employed by Charles Hammond in the early 1980s.[3]
A close friend of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, she is godmother of the Queen's daughter, Laura Lopes.[4]
Royal service
[edit]In 2019, Lady Lansdowne was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Wiltshire.[5][6] She was High Sheriff of Wiltshire for 2022–2023.[7]
She was appointed one of six of Camilla's queen's companions, the modern equivalent of ladies-in-waiting, in 2022.[8] She was one of her two ladies in attendance, alongside the Queen's sister Annabel Elliot, at the coronation on 6 May 2023.[2][9] She was one of two companions in attendance at the State Opening of Parliament in November 2023, and again in July 2024.[10]
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Lady Lansdowne, sixth from right, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, 6 May 2023 -
Lady Lansdowne in attendance at the State Opening of Parliament, 7 November 2023
Honours
[edit]
6 May 2023: King Charles III Coronation Medal
References
[edit]- ^ a b "My English Home: The Marchioness of Lansdowne". The English Home. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ a b Sawer, Patrick (27 November 2022). "Mother of Harry and Meghan's matchmaker among Queen Consort's new 'companions'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ a b Fraser, Virginia (28 January 2021). "An English country house with a very modern art collection". House & Garden. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ Nikkah, Roya (15 April 2023). "Queen Camilla: the 'lady boss', by her inner circle". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
- ^ "No. 62782". The London Gazette. 27 September 2019. p. 17388.
- ^ "Deputy Lieutenants and biographies". Wiltshire Lieutenancy. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ "New High Sheriff for Wiltshire and Swindon 2022-23". Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ Nikkah, Roya (27 November 2022). "Camilla's break with tradition as closest friends become Queen's companions". The Times. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ Ward, Victoria (21 April 2023). "Queen chooses sister and close friend to be her Coronation Ladies in Attendance". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
- ^ Vanderhoof, Erin (17 July 2024). "Queen Camilla Was a Literal Birthday Queen In Historic Crown of More Than 1,000 Diamonds". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 14 August 2024.