compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

Ladies of the Bedchamber were always wives of peers. Only one Lady of the Bedchamber was in waiting at a time and was always ready to attend to the Queen. The Lady-in-Waiting attended all State occasions and presided over the Household table when the Mistress of the Robes was not in residence. A Lady of the Bedchamber had two to three waits a year from twelve to thirty days at a time.

Louisa Petty-FitzMaurice, Marchioness of Lansdowne (1785 – 1851)

• Birth Name: Lady Louisa Fox-Strangways
• Served: 1837 – 1838
• Parents: Henry Fox-Strangways, 2nd Earl of Ilchester and Mary Theresa O’Grady
• Husband: Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne
• The Peerage: Lady Louisa Fox-Strangways

Louisa Lambton, Countess of Durham (1797 – 1841)

• Birth Name: Lady Louisa Grey
• Served: 1837 – 1838
• Parents: Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey and The Honorable Mary Elizabeth Ponsonby
• Husband: John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham
• The Peerage: Lady Louisa Grey

Maria Phipps, Marchioness of Normanby (1798 – 1882)

• Birth Name: The Honorable Maria Liddell
• Served: 1837 – 1841
• Parents: Thomas Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth and Maria Susannah Simpson
• Husband: Constantine Phipps, 1st Marquess of Normanby
• The Peerage: The Honorable Maria Liddell

Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford (1783 – 1857)

• Birth Name: The Honorable Anna Maria Stanhope
• Served: 1837 – 1841
• Parents: Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington and Jane Fleming
• Husband: Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford
• Unofficial Royalty: Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford
• Noted for: creating the practice of the British meal afternoon tea and her participation in the Lady Flora Hastings incident

Sarah Lyttelton, Baroness Lyttelton (1787 – 1870)

• Birth Name: Lady Sarah Spencer
• Served: 1837 – 1842; also served as Governess of the Royal Children 1842–1850
• Parents: George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer and Lady Lavinia Bingham
• Husband: Sir William Henry Lyttelton, 3rd Baron Lyttelton
• Unofficial Royalty: Sarah Lyttelton, Baroness Lyttelton

Frances Noel, Countess of Gainsborough (1814 – 1885)

• Birth Name: Lady Frances Jocelyn
• Served: 1837 – 1842
• Parents: Robert Jocelyn, 3rd Earl of Roden and The Honorable Maria Frances Stapleton
• Husband: Charles Noel, 1st Earl of Gainsborough
• Wikipedia: Frances Noel, Countess of Gainsborough

Emma Portman, Baroness Portman (1809 – 1865)

• Birth Name: Lady Emma Lascelles
• Served: 1837 – 1851
• Parents: Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood and Henrietta Sebright
• Husband: Edward Portman, Baron Portman, became 1st Viscount Portman after Emma’s death
• Unofficial Royalty: Emma Portman, Baroness Portman

Anne Caulfield, Countess of Charlemont (1780 – 1876)

• Birth Name: Anne Bermingham
• Served: 1837 – 1854
• Parents: William Bermingham and Mary Ruttledge
• Husband: Francis Caulfield, 2nd Earl of Charlemont
• Wikipedia: Anne Caulfield, Countess of Charlemont

Blanche Cavendish, Countess of Burlington (1812 – 1840)

• Birth Name: Lady Blanche Howard
• Served: 1838 – 1840
• Parents: George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle and Lady Georgiana Cavendish
• Husband: William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Burlington, succeeded as 7th Duke of Devonshire after Blanche’s death
• Wikipedia: Blanche Cavendish, Countess of Burlington

Elizabeth Campbell, Marchioness of Breadalbane (1803 – 1861)

• Birth Name: Lady Elizabeth Baillie
• Served: January 1839 – July 1839
• Parents: George Baillie of Jerviswoode and Mellerstain and Mary Pringle
• Husband: John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane
• The Peerage: Lady Elizabeth Baillie

Mary Montagu, Countess of Sandwich (1812 – 1859)

• Birth Name: Lady Mary Paget
• Served: 1839 – 1842
• Parents: Field Marshal Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey and Lady Charlotte Cadogan
• Husband: John Montagu, 7th Earl of Sandwich
• The Peerage: Lady Mary Paget
• Noted for: Sister of Lord Alfred Paget, Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal to Queen Victoria

Carolina Edgcumbe, Countess of Mount Edgcumbe (1808 – 1881)

• Birth Name: Caroline Augusta Feilding
• Served: 1840–1854 and 1863–1865
• Parents: Rear-Admiral Charles Feilding and Lady Elizabeth Theresa Fox-Strangways
• Husband: Ernest Edgcumbe, 3rd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe
• The Peerage: Caroline Augusta Feilding

Catherine Murray, Countess of Dunmore (1814 – 1886)

• Birth Name: Lady Catherine Herbert
• Served: 1841 – 1845
• Parents: George Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke and Countess Catherine Vorontsov
• Husband: Alexander Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore
• Wikipedia: Catherine Murray, Countess of Dunmore
• Noted for: promoting Harris Tweed

Frances Jocelyn, Viscountess Jocelyn (1820 – 1880)

• Birth Name: Lady Frances Cowper
• Served: 1841–1867, extra lady 1867-1880
• Parents: Peter Cowper, 5th Earl Cowper and Emily Lamb
• Husband: Robert Jocelyn, Viscount Jocelyn, eldest son and heir apparent of Robert Jocelyn, 3rd Earl of Roden, predeceased his father
• Wikipedia: Frances Jocelyn, Viscountess Jocelyn
• Noted for: maid of honor at the coronation of Queen Victoria, a bridesmaid at the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, an accomplished photographer

Susan Broun-Ramsay, Countess of Dalhousie (1817 – 1853)

• Birth Name: Lady Susan Hay
• Served: 1842, resigned due to health issues
• Parents: George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale and Lady Susan Montagu
• Husband: James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 10th Earl of Dalhousie
• Wikipedia: Susan Broun-Ramsay, Countess of Dalhousie

Charlotte Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk (1788 – 1870)

• Birth Name: Lady Charlotte Leveson-Gower
• Served: 1842 – 1843
• Parents: George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland and Elizabeth Sutherland, 19th Countess of Sutherland
• Husband: Henry Charles Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk
• Wikipedia: Charlotte Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk
• Noted for: a 166-piece collection of songs and piano pieces that she translated into five languages

Charlotte Canning, Countess Canning (1817 – 1861)

• Birth Name: The Honorable Charlotte Stuart
• Served: 1842 – 1855
• Parents: Sir Charles Stuart (later 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay) and Lady Elizabeth Yorke
• Husband: Charles John Canning, 1st Earl Canning, Governor General of India
• Unofficial Royalty: Charlotte Canning, Countess Canning
• Noted for: her artwork especially her drawings of plants from India

Elizabeth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington (1820 – 1904)

• Birth Name: Lady Elizabeth Hay
• Served: 1843–1858, also served as Mistress of the Robes 1861 – 1868 and 1874 – 8880
• Parents: George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale and Lady Susan Montagu
• Husband: Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington
• Unofficial Royalty: Elizabeth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington
• Noted for: Her sister Susan Broun-Ramsay, Countess of Dalhousie also served as a Lady of the Bedchamber

Elizabeth Cuffe, Countess of Desart (1822–1898)

• Birth Name: Lady Elizabeth Campbell
• Served: 1845–1864
• Parents: John Campbell, 1st Earl Cawdor and Lady Elizabeth Thynne
• Husband: John Cuffe, 3rd Earl of Desart
• The Peerage: Lady Elizabeth Campbell

Jane Loftus, Marchioness of Ely (1821 – 1890)

• Birth Name: Jane Hope-Vere
• Served: 1851–1889
• Parents: James Hope-Vere and Lady Elizabeth Hay
• Husband: John Loftus, 3rd Marquess of Ely
• Unofficial Royalty: Jane Loftus, Marchioness of Ely

Anne Murray, Duchess of Atholl (1814 – 1897)

• Birth Name: Anne Home-Drummond
• Served: 1854 – 1897, also 1892 – 1895 Acting Mistress of the Robes with Anne Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe
• Parents: Henry Home-Drummond and Christian Moray, 18th of Abercairney
• Husband: George Murray, 6th Duke of Atholl
• Unofficial Royalty: Anne Murray, Duchess of Atholl

Jane Spencer, Baroness Churchill (1826 – 1900)

• Birth Name: Lady Jane Conyngham
• Served: 1854 – 1900
• Parents: Francis Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham and Lady Jane Paget
• Husband: Francis Spencer, 2nd Baron Churchill
• Unofficial Royalty: Jane Spencer, Baroness Churchill
• Noted for: longest-serving member of Queen Victoria’s household

Maria Bosville-Macdonald, Baroness Macdonald of Slate

• Birth Name: Maria Anne Wyndham
• Served: 1855 – 1863
• Parents: George Thomas Wyndham and Maria Augusta Windham
• Husband: Godfrey Bosville-Macdonald, 4th Baron Macdonald of Slate
• The Peerage: Maria Anne Wyndham

Jane Alexander, Countess of Caledon (1825 – 1888)

• Birth Name: Lady Jane Grimston
• Served: 1858 – 1878
• Parents: James Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam and Lady Charlotte Jenkinson
• Husband: James Alexander, 3rd Earl of Caledon
• The Peerage: Lady Jane Grimston

Elizabeth Cavendish, Baroness Waterpark (1816 – 1894)

• Birth Name: The Honorable Elizabeth Anson
• Served: 1864 – 1890
• Parents: Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson and Lady Anne Coke
• Husband: Henry Cavendish, 3rd Baron Waterpark
• The Peerage: The Honorable Elizabeth Anson

Susanna Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe (1814 – 1895)

• Birth Name: Susanna Dalbiac
• Served: 1865 – 1895
• Parents: Lieutenant General Sir James Charles Dalbiac and Susanna Dalton
• Husband: James Innes-Ker, 6th Duke of Roxburghe
• Unofficial Royalty: Susanna Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe
• Noted for: Her daughter-in-law Anne Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe (born Lady Anne Spencer-Churchill) served Queen Victoria as Lady of the Bedchamber and as Mistress of the Robes.

Eliza Agar-Ellis, Viscountess Clifden (1833 – 1896)

• Birth Name: Eliza Seymour
• Served: 1867 – 1872
• Parents: Frederick Seymour and Lady Augusta Hervey
• Husband: Henry Agar-Ellis, 3rd Viscount Clifden
• The Peerage: Eliza Seymour

Blanche Bourke, Countess of Mayo (1826 – 1918)

• Birth Name: The Honorable Blanche Wyndham
• Served: 1872 – 1874
• Parents: George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield and Mary Fanny Blunt
• Husband: Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo
• The Peerage: The Honorable Blanche Wyndham
• Noted for: Her husband was assassinated while inspecting a penal colony in the Andaman Islands (India) in 1872

Eliza Hay, Countess of Erroll (1848 – 1916)

• Birth Name: Eliza Gore
• Served: 1873 – 1901
• Parents: General The Honorable Sir Charles Gore and Sarah Fraser
• Husband: William Harry Hay, 19th Earl of Errol
• Peerage: Eliza Gore
• Noted for: Her husband was the grandson of King William IV of the United Kingdom via one of William IV’s illegitimate children with Dorothea Jordan

Julia Abercromby, Baroness Abercromby (1840 – 1913)

• Birth Name: The Honorable Julia Haldane-Duncan
• Served: 1874–1885
• Parents: Adam Haldane-Duncan, 2nd Earl of Camperdown and Juliana Cavendish Philips
• Husband: George Abercromby, 4th Baron Abercromby
• Unofficial Royalty: Julia Abercromby, Baroness Abercromby
• Noted for: Julia was an artist. She painted the first official portrait of Queen Victoria for the National Portrait Gallery. Her works are in the collection of National Portrait Gallery, Balliol College, Oxford and the Britannia Royal Naval College.

Ismania FitzRoy, Baroness Southampton (1838 – 1918)

• Birth Name: The Honorable Ismania Nugent
• Served: 1878–1901
• Parents: Walter Nugent, 1st Baron Nugent and Georgiana Jenkinson
• Husband: Charles Fitzroy, 3rd Baron Southampton
• Wikipedia: Ismania FitzRoy, Baroness Southampton

Emily Russell, Baroness Ampthill (1843 – 1927)

• Birth Name: Lady Emily Villiers
• Served: 1885–1901
• Parents: George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon and Lady Katherine Foster-Barham
• Husband: Odo Russell, 1st Baron Ampthill
• Wikipedia: Emily Russell, Baroness Ampthill
• Noted for: Was one of Princess Alexandra of Denmark’s bridesmaids

Cecilia Dawnay, Viscountess Downe (1838 – 1910)

• Birth Name: Lady Cecilia Molyneux
• Served: 1889–1901
• Parents: Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton and Mary Gregg-Hopwood
• Husband: Major-General Hugh Dawnay, 8th Viscount Downe
• The Peerage: Lady Cecilia Molyneux

Louisa McDonnell, Countess of Antrim (1855 – 1949)

• Birth Name: Louisa Grey
• Served: 1890–1901
• Parents: General Sir Charles Grey and Caroline Farquhar
• Husband: William McDonnell, 6th Earl of Antrim
• Unofficial Royalty: Louisa McDonnell, Countess of Antrim
• Noted for: Also served as Acting Mistress of the Robes 1894 and  Lady of the Bedchamber for Queen Alexandra 1901-1910

Edith Bulwer-Lytton, Countess of Lytton (1841 – 1936)

• Birth Name: Edith Villiers
• Served: 1895–1901
• Parents: The Honorable Edward Villiers and The Honorable Elizabeth Liddell
• Husband: Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton, Viceroy of India
• Wikipedia: Edith Bulwer-Lytton, Countess of Lytton

Anne Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe

• Birth Name: Lady Anne Spencer-Churchill
• Served: 1897–1901, also served as Mistress of the Robes 1883–1885 and 1892–1895
• Parents: John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough and Lady Frances Vane
• Husband: James Innes-Ker, 7th Duke of Roxburghe
• Unofficial Royalty: Anne Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe
• Noted for: She was the aunt of Winston Churchill. Her mother-in-law Susanna Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe served as Lady of the Bedchamber for 30 years.

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