Virginia Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie

The Right Honourable
The Countess of Airlie
DCVO
The Countess of Airlie in 2005
Born
Virginia Fortune Ryan

(1933-02-09)9 February 1933
Mayfair, London, England
Died16 August 2024(2024-08-16) (aged 91)
Cortachy, Scotland
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1952; died 2023)​
Children6
Relatives

Virginia Fortune Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, DCVO (née Ryan; 9 February 1933 – 16 August 2024) was a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II. She was born in London to American family, and grew up in the United States before returning to the United Kingdom. In 1973, she became the first American to be a lady-in-waiting.[1]

Early life

Lady Airlie was born in Mayfair, London, on 9 February 1933, the daughter of John Barry Ryan Jr. (1901–1966) and Margaret Kahn (1901–1995).[2] Her mother was the daughter of German-American financier Otto Hermann Kahn and her father was the grandson of Thomas Fortune Ryan.[3] She had one brother John Barry Ryan III (1931–2003).[2]

She was raised in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. She was educated at the Brearley School in Manhattan and the James Franklyn School of Professional Arts.[4] She often accompanied her mother on long trips to London.[2]

She came out in society in 1950 with a ball at the Waldorf Astoria, other debutantes that evening included Lee Bouvier. She had a ball of her own at the St. Regis.[4]

Royal household

The Countess of Airlie returns to Buckingham Palace in a carriage in 2008, having attended the State Opening of Parliament in her capacity as Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II.

Lady Airlie was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II on 1 January 1973.[5] She was the first American to serve as a lady-in-waiting.[6] She was following in the footsteps of her husband's grandmother, Mabell, Countess of Airlie, who had been a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Mary. She remained in the position until Queen Elizabeth II's death in September 2022.

For her royal service, she was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 1983 New Year Honours.[7] She was promoted to a Dame Commander of the same order (DCVO) in the 1995 New Year Honours.[8]

In 2003, Lady Airlie celebrated her 70th birthday with a dinner at the private member's nightclub Annabel's in Mayfair, which the Queen attended. It is thought to be the only occasion on which the Queen visited a nightclub after she was married.[9]

As Lady of the Bedchamber she was a senior lady-in-waiting and attended to the Queen on major occasions and overseas tours. In May 2007, she accompanied the Queen on her trip to the United States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of England's first American settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. On 7 May 2007, she attended a state dinner at the White House, hosted by President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.[10] She was in attendance when the Queen received President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle on 13 July 2018.[11]

After the Queen's death, King Charles III retained his mother's ladies-in-waiting to assist with hosting events at Buckingham Palace. In this role they were known as "ladies of the household".[12]

Personal life

At the age of 16, she met David Ogilvy, Lord Ogilvy, at a dance at the Savoy Hotel.[2] They were married on 23 October 1952 at St Margaret's, Westminster.[13] 1000 guests attended, including Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.[14] She wore a white satin gown by Jean Dessès.[4]

Virginia and David, who in 1968 became 13th Earl of Airlie, had six children:

  • Lady Doune Mabell Ogilvy (born 13 August 1953);[15] served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of her uncle Angus Ogilvy and Princess Alexandra of Kent. Lady Doune married Sir Hereward Charles Wake, 15th Bt, on 16 April 1977; they had four children, and divorced in July 1995.
  • Lady Jane Fortune Margaret Ogilvy (born 24 June 1955); married François Nairac on 30 August 1980. The couple have two daughters.
  • David John Ogilvy, 14th Earl of Airlie (born 9 March 1958);[16] served as a page boy at the wedding of his uncle Angus Ogilvy and Princess Alexandra. He married first, in 1981, the Hon. Geraldine Harmsworth, daughter of Vere Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere. They had a daughter before divorcing in 1990. Lord Ogilvy married secondly, in 1991, Tarka Kings, with whom he has three children.
  • The Honourable Bruce Patrick Mark Ogilvy (born 7 April 1959).
  • Lady Elizabeth Clementine Ogilvy (born 4 June 1965); married Jonathan Baring, with whom she has one child; and
  • The Honourable Patrick Alexander Ogilvy (born 24 March 1971).

They resided at Cortachy Castle in Angus. She supported a scheme for the Refugees Defence Committee to provide holidays for concentration camp survivors. She also served on the Royal Fine Art Commission from 1975, was a trustee of the Tate, National Gallery in London and the Scottish National Gallery.[17][18] She was chairman of the American Museum in Britain from 1997 to 2000 and was president of the local branch of the Scottish Women's Institutes.[2][19] The Earl of Airlie died on 26 June 2023, aged 97.[6]

The Dowager Countess of Airlie died in Cortachy on 16 August 2024, aged 91.[2][19][20][21] A statement released by Buckingham Palace stated that the King 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."[20] Her funeral was held at Cortachy on 30 August 2024.[22]

Awards and honours

Country Date Appointment Ribbon Post-nominal letters Notes
 United Kingdom 31 December 1982 Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
CVO
[7]
31 December 1994 Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
DCVO
[8]
6 February 1977 Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
6 February 2002 Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
6 February 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
6 February 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal

References

  1. ^ Bedell Smith, Sally (14 February 2012). "Her Majesty's A-Team". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Virginia, Countess of Airlie obituary: lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II". The Times. 21 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  3. ^ Barron, James (27 January 1995). "Margaret Kahn Ryan, 93, Financier's Daughter, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "The Countess of Airlie, Lady of the Bedchamber and confidante of Queen Elizabeth II – obituary". The Telegraph. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  5. ^ "No. 45868". The London Gazette. 2 January 1973. p. 105.
  6. ^ a b "Earl of Airlie, dashing courtier who led Schroders through the Big Bang and reviewed the royal finances – obituary". The Telegraph. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b "No. 49212". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1982. p. 4.
  8. ^ a b "No. 53893". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1994. p. 4.
  9. ^ Whitworth, Damien (21 October 2014). "The club that still smells of sex and exclusivity". The Times. No. 71333. p. 73. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Guest List for the State Dinner in Honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh". The White House. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  11. ^ Richards, Alexandra (16 July 2018). "Donald Trump and the Queen: lady-in-waiting plays US President at his own game with 'power handshake'". The Standard. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  12. ^ Coughlan, Sean (26 November 2022). "Camilla scraps ladies-in-waiting in modernising move". BBC News. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  13. ^ "U. S. HEIRESS WED TO PEER IN LONDON; Queen Mother Sees Virginia Ryan Married to Lord Ogilvy - Crowds Throng Streets". The New York Times. 24 October 1952. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  14. ^ "London Pageantry AKA Queen Mother Attends Ogilvy-Ryan Wedding (1952)". British Pathé. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Milestones, Aug. 24, 1953". TIME. 24 August 1953. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Milestones, Mar. 24, 1958". TIME. 24 March 1958. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  17. ^ "No. 46493". The London Gazette. 14 February 1975. p. 2089.
  18. ^ "No. 50713". The London Gazette. 11 November 1986. p. 14526.
  19. ^ a b Cochrane, Alan (19 August 2024). "I'll never forget my first encounter with the late Queen's companion, Lady Airlie". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  20. ^ a b Johnston, Harriet (20 August 2024). "King Charles pays tribute as it is announced Virginia Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, has died". Tatler. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Virginia Airlie (née Ryan), Dowager Countess of Airlie". The Times. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  22. ^ "Court circular: August 30, 2024". The Times. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.

Further reading

  • Williams, Iain Cameron. The KAHNS of Fifth Avenue: the Crazy Rhythm of Otto Hermann Kahn and the Kahn Family, 2022, iwp publishing, ISBN 978-1916146587