Aristocrats ‘cash in’ on Royal wedding

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 18

Aristocrats ‘cash in’ on Royal wedding

By

KEN COATES

in London

Links with Royalty are proving useful for Britain's remaining aristocratic families who open their stately homes in the summer to tourists. Lord Cobham, son of a former Governor-General of New Zealand, and owner of eighteenth century Hagley •Hall, has made a handy discovery that his great-great-great-grandmother was Lady Sarah Spencer, of Althorp, in Northamptonshire. As everyone now knows, Althorp has been the ancestral home of' Lady Diana Spencer’s family since the sixteenth century. Lord Cobham made the discovery about his family

links when researching material for his exhibition, “Royal Pageantry,” one of many “Royal” displays opening all over Britain. For the record. Lady Sarah Spencer married William Henry, Lord Lyttelton in 1813 — the Cobham title came to the family towards the end of the century. The Lytteltons have always been passionately fond of cricket and the. exhibition is mounted in the gallery at Hagley Hall, a long room once used by the family for cricket practice. The present Lord Cobham’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather were each elected president of the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club. The Lytteltons’ link with

Royalty comes through Lady Sarah Spencer's appointment as a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria and Governess to the future King Edward VII. Lord Cobham’s exhibition features the costumes of British kings and queens from the eleventh century, but there is also a Wedgwood bust of Prince Charles, and a special Royal wedding Stuart crystal punchbowl. Hagley Hall, a Palladian house set in 1200 ha near Birmingham, is still very much the family home of Lord Cobham and his wife. Penelope. To help make ends meet they will open it to visitors every afternoon until September 6, and serve creafn teas daily.