Margaret Greville

Margaret Greville photographed in 1900. Courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Dame Margaret Helen Greville, Hon Mrs Greville, DBE (1863–1942), was a British society host and philanthropist.

Family

Born as Margaret Helen Anderson, she was the daughter of William McEwan (1827-1913), a brewery multimillionaire, who later was elected as an M.P. (Member of Parliament) for Edinburgh Central.[1][2] Her mother was Helen Anderson (1835/1836–1906), but she was not married to William when Margaret, their daughter was born. In fact, it was not until 1885, when Margaret was 21, and the family had moved to London.

She was a close friend of Queen Mary. She bequeathed all her jewels to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, including a diamond necklace reputedly belonging to Marie Antoinette, a pair of diamond chandelier earrings[3] and selection of tiaras and a ruby necklace by Boucheron,[4] all of which are in possession of the British Royal Family.

The Greville Emerald and diamond Kokoshnik tiara was worn by Princess Eugenie in 2018 at her marriage to Jack Brooksbank.[5]

Greville also left £20,000 to Princess Margaret, as well as £25,000 to Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain.[6]

Greville was named a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1922. At her death, her estate Polesden Lacey in Great Bookham, Surrey, was bequeathed to the National Trust. She is buried in the grounds of Polesden Lacey.

References

  1. ↑ "Dr. William McEwan: Overview of Dr. William McEwan". Scottish-places.info. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  2. ↑ "McEwan, William". Oxford DNB article. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  3. ↑ "A Royal Wedding". Royal Collection. 1947-11-20. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  4. ↑ "A Royal Wedding". Royal Collection. 1907-10-24. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  5. ↑ "The History Behind Princess Eugenie's Emerald and Diamond Wedding Day Tiara". Vogue. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  6. ↑ James Lees-Milne, Ancestral Voices, London: Faber and Faber, 1975, page 122
  • Royal Magazine
  • ""Uncouth Australians"". Time Magazine. 1927-05-09. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
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