Ernestine Bowes-Lyon

Ernestine Maude Bowes-Lyon, known as "Tenie" to her friends, was born at Glamis Castle in Scotland in 1891 and died in 1981 in Navarrenx, south of France. Tenie was one of five children. Her father Ernest Bowes-Lyon (son of Claude Bowes-Lyon) died ten days after her birth, 2 days after Christmas, in a riding accident in 1891. He was a diplomat; a Consul in Belgrade. Tenie's mother was a Drummond, of the family of Drummonds bank, of 49 Charing Cross, the bank of the Royal Family.

Tenie grew up in Glamis Castle along with her younger cousin Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon the future Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and learnt to drive a coach and four down Glamis drive. During her early years she had the privilege of meeting and learning from poets, writers, philosophers and other intelligencia of the period. One in particular, writer P. G. Wodehouse, remained a friend and correspondent until his death and one of his last letters written was to Tenie.^[1] Wodehouse dedicated his book The Pothunters to Ernestine Bowes-Lyon.

Tenie first married in 1910, and had two children. She met Ronald Grant de Longueuil, 10th Baron de Longueuil, at the Christmas Ball of the Tate family, (Tate Gallery) in December 1913. Having eloped with Ronnie and the ensuing scandal, she followed Ronnie to the Western Front where she took the role of a nursing assistant dealing with the horrors of the dreadful injuries of the war. At the declaration of the Armistice she met up with Ronnie. He, war-weary and uncertain of his future, asked her to return to her family. Shocked at this and the certain humiliation, she took out of her shoulder bag the small revolver she kept for protection, and shot herself in the chest. Miraculously she survived (with the bullet lodged by her heart) and in hospital informed Ronnie that she was pregnant. Having had two children previously she knew the sign and symptoms.

Ronald and Ernestine moved to The chateau of Sus, near Navarrenx in the south west of France, essentially they were squatters. Raoul Charles was born in 1919, and Raymond de Longueuil followed soon after in 1921. Raoul who went on to be a naval aviator and was killed over the North Sea in 1942 in pursuit of the Nazi Tirpitz Battleship, hence Raymond the second born inherited the title Baron de Longueuil.

Tenie enjoyed outdoor life as well as high society. She knew her flowers and the stars. She sketched and painted in watercolour and in 1970 had her own exhibition in France and was greeted in a number of local papers. One thing that recurs daily is her routine of afternoon tea, prompt at 3.45, or 4pm; invariably with tea that was a mixture of Ceylon and Earl Grey. This was a time of discussion, topics of interest. She remained an aristocrat in her behaviour and was very much The Lady. She held opinions, and could be very critical.

She told stories to her grandson Michael Grant about Glamis castle being haunted and her experiences there.

Tenie lead quite a social life between Navarrenx and Pau. She and her husband Ronnie travelled widely in Europe, especially Switzerland. She drove up until she was 85; usually a big Citroen DS classic. She had her hip replaced in 1976 and was swimming in the river six months later. In fact, Tenie had been swimming in the local river up to six months before she died. The bullet lodged in her heart remained there for over 60 years until her death at age 89/90.

Tenie's great granddaughter is the actress and adventurer Rachel Grant de Longueuil, best known for her role as Bond girl Peaceful in the James Bond film Die Another Day.

Ancestry

References