James Carnegie, 3rd Duke of Fife (1929-2015) and Family

[betina]

I dont know if there is such a thread but can someone tell me if there still are dukes of Fife. Queen Victorias grandaughter married the duke of Fife, does anyone have photoes of her and her decendants?

 

[Warren]

Here the lineage...

King Edward VII > Princess Louise, Princess Royal (1867-1931) who marrried 1889 Alexander Duff, 6th Earl and 1st Duke of Fife (1849-1912).
They had two daughters:

• Lady Alexandra Duff (1891-1959), created HH Princess Alexandra by Edward VII. Succeeded her father as 2nd Duchess of Fife.

• Lady Maud Duff (1893-1945), created HH Princess Maud by Edward VII,
married Charles Carnegie, 11th Earl of Southesk (1893-1992);
their son:

James Carnegie, succeeded his aunt as 3rd Duke of Fife in 1959 (1929- )
married 1956 (divorced 1966) Hon Caroline Dewar;
their children:

• Lady Alexandra Carnegie (1959- )
married 2001 Mark Etherington (1952- )
their daughter: Amelia Etherington (2001- )

• David Carnegie, Earl of Southesk (1961- ) (styled Earl of Macduff until his paternal grandfather's death in 1992)
married 1987 Caroline Bunting (1961- )
their children:

• Charles Carnegie, Lord Carnegie (1989- )
• Hon George Carnegie (1991- )
• Hon Hugh Carnegie (1993- )

 

[Beck]

I think Lady Alexandra is godmother to Lady Louise Windsor, so I am guessing the family is still pretty close with the Royal Family

 

[betina]

Does anyone have pictures of the recent and old family?

 

[MOLEY]

His Grace James 3rd duke of fife was born in 1929 and is the only child of princess maud and earl of southesk. is dicorced from hon. caroline dewar and has two children.
Earl of macduff ( southesk also) and is married with I think 3 sons and his sister lady alexandra etherington is married with 1 or 2 children and wore the fabulous fife tiara at her wedding to mark .( a daughter is called amelia), and she is god-mother to lady louise windsor

The duke is often at royal events such as the bremar games in scotland and trooping the colour and golden wedding/coronation celebrations (he is rather rotund with almost white hair and now uses a walking stick).

 

[Thomas Parkman]

Does anybody have a photo of anybody in the family wearing that fabulous tiara. It is out of this world. I have seen pictures of it but no pictures of anybody wearing it since the original duchess wore it at some wedding or other a century ago. Pictures of diamonds back then just stank. they could not caputure the beauty and magic of them and so we have only a pale reflection. It is one of my favorite tiaras. Anybody who woould post such a picture would contribute greatly to my happiness. Cheers Thomas Parkman

 

[Warren]

Any excuse for a tiara pic...

Does anybody have a photo of anybody in the family wearing that fabulous tiara. It is out of this world. I have seen pictures of it but no pictures of anybody wearing it since the original duchess wore it at some wedding or other a century ago. Pictures of diamonds back then just stank. they could not caputure the beauty and magic of them and so we have only a pale reflection. It is one of my favorite tiaras. Anybody who woould post such a picture would contribute greatly to my happiness. Cheers Thomas Parkman

Lady Alexandra wore it at her wedding to Mark Etherington. I have the Hello! article in in one of my folders, so will have to search. What's it worth to you Thomas?

In the meantime, here's the best pic of it you will ever see...
Note that the (very) large diamonds in the central band are suspended and thus sway with each movement of the wearer's head.
Besides the size of the diamonds, this tiara is notable for its very fine and delicate detail, which I guess is why it is some people's favourite.
The spikes along the top row have very sharp points indeed. This tiara would have to be handled with care.
Courtesy Geoffrey Munn from 'Tiaras: A History of Splendour'.

The Fife Tiara

 

[Thomas Parkman]

Dear Warren,

You would rob me of my poverty. This photo-which I have seen before-and the note of a picture existing of somebody wearing it in the past few years has aroused my tiara lust big time. It is indeed just about my most favorite tiara and is hidden away most of the time in some obscure bank vault. Horrors!!! The thing is a superb, indeed sublime bauble. It is beyond beautiful, beyond maginificent So I suppose, since dealing with one of these hard nosed business types-you Aussies are a tough lot-I should just be direct and ask just what is your price?

Pleading mercy would be like trying to plead with the New Jersey Cosa Nostra. Their reply, and yours no doubt, is friendship is friendship and all fine well and good but business is business. However they do provide, if needed an excellent free shoe fitting service-for concrete shoes that is.

That said I do not doubt that you files and files of fabulous goodies and lovingly go through all of them on a regular basis. Sharp, like this tiara. Reminds me of the time when the Duke of Kent-I think-went into his wife's dressing room to advise his wife on what to wear etc. and sat down. On Her Tiara!!!! His most royal posterior was impaled with diamonds. No doubt the nobility of England died with laughter!!!!

So dear Warren, if ever the milk of human kindness flows in your veins and you have these appalling fits of good will and generosity be quick, be kind, go grab that picture and POST IT so I can sit before a computer screen and drool in bliss and happiness. Cheers. Thomas Parkman

 

[Elspeth]

There's certainly a photo of Lady Alexandra wearing the tiara in existence because it was posted at one of the royal jewels sites before the site was shut down. Let's hope Warren manages to find his copy.

 

[betina]

yes its really amazing

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

OMG, the Spencer tiara was my favorite tiara until now, this very moment. I have just seen the Fife tiara for the first time, and this is without question my new favorite. It is beyond amazing. It takes one's breath away. It is beyond words or any kind of expression, how amazing it is. I've never seen any tiara or any piece of jewelry like it. Is it part of the Duchy of Fife estate and, therefore, "owned" by the Duke? Is Alexandra Carnegie the only person of recent times to wear it?

 

[Lady Marmalade]

No, the wife of the present Earl of Southesk, the former Caroline Bunting, wore it to her wedding.

 

[Warren]

I've found the Hello! story on the wedding of Lady Alexandra Carnegie to Mark Etherington, dated 29 May 2001.

I'm afraid it's very disappointing. There are two pics of the bride, one with her obscured behind the driver of her wedding car, and a larger shot in poor lighting where the tiara is a bit out of focus and largely lost in the bridal veil. It is recognisable as the Fife Tiara because of the raised diamonds and spikes along the top row and the vague lozenge shape of the very large suspended diamonds.

Apologies for getting hopes up, but it's not worth scanning as the quality of the pic is too poor.

Among the guests at the wedding were the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Koo Stark, and Tiggy Pettifer (better known to us as Tiggy Legge-Bourke). The wedding took place at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, and the reception was held at St James's Palace.

Sorry Thomas.


A google search on Caroline Bunting, the Countess of Southesk, brought up this pic from her wedding in 1987: http://imgs.sapo.pt/genealogia/pessoas/pes_165826.jpg

 

[Thomas Parkman]

Dear Warren,

We really MUST do better than this!!! One lousy picture of the poorest quality to reveal such a sublime masterpiece. You could find loads of incredibly accurate pictures for junk on the head of some of these brainless not so beauties but a picture of this masterpiece? I know. I must not be bitter. I must be strong. Sigh.

Why don't you up and write a groveling letter imploring whomever to put on her finest gown and that tiara and jewels and have her picture taken and sign it and send it to you. It would cause such happiness. But the happiness of the peasants is the last thing on earth these British aristocrats think about. "Oh how very vulgar. Really. Low indeed, My God what is the world coming to" and all the rest of it. I can hear it now. Maybe someday somebody will have a divorce and then decide to get remarried. Cheers. Thomas Parkman

 

[Zonk]

It is an absolutely beautiful tiara! Pity it is not seen so much.

 

[jm83au]

duke of fife

is the current DOF considered a member of teh royal family or just aristocracy or nobility? is he royalty?

 

[Elspeth]

No, the Duke of Fife isn't considered a member of the royal family.

 

[Roslyn]

I hadn't seen this thread before, but I'm glad I have now. That tiara is quite breathtaking! Thanks for posting the pic, Warren. I shudder to think of the value of all those huge diamonds.

 

[branchg]

is the current DOF considered a member of teh royal family or just aristocracy or nobility? is he royalty?

As a great-great grandson of Edward VII, The Duke is an extended member of the royal family and within the line of succession. However, the great-grandsons of the Sovereign lose the qualification of Royal Highness and become descendants of the blood royal, but are no longer royal themselves.

The same thing will happen when the current Dukes of Gloucester and Kent die and their sons (great-grandsons of George V) succeed to their dukedoms.

 

[momrha]

Lady & Mark Etheridge

Mark and Alexandra are friends and neighbours of mine and recently we've had a lot of interest from 'visitors' asking which house they live in - I am not quite sure why people need to know and I am certainly not going to tell anyone! How do people home in I just don't know.
I have been reading with interest all the comments!
Yes they do have a lovely daughter who's a real sweetheart.

David
Baron of xxxxx

 

[felicia]

The 3rd Duke of Fife is a great-grandson of a monarch (Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) and he is therefore considered a member of the extended British Royal Family. He is a great-great grandson of Queen Victoria, not her son Edward VII.

Mark and Alexandra are friends and neighbours of mine and recently we've had a lot of interest from 'visitors' asking which house they live in - I am not quite sure why people need to know and I am certainly not going to tell anyone! How do people home in I just don't know.
I have been reading with interest all the comments!
Yes they do have a lovely daughter who's a real sweetheart.

David
Baron of xxxxx

Their surname is Etherington, not Etheridge. And there isn't any Barons of xxxxx in the UK, it's just Baron xxxxx. Hmmm?

 

[momrha]

Duke of Fife

Excuse my typo.
If you don't mine me saying - as I suggest you investigate your UK historical information more closely when it comes to titles and the use of and get your facts right before telling me how I should style myself - hmmm indeed! Baron's in this country are always styled 'Baron of xxx' or Baron surname of xxx the xxx is a territorial designation. If you sit in the house of Lords you'll be summonded as Baron surname but styled Lord surname and the term Baron is not used. If there's already another parlimentary Baron with the same surname they'll then be summoned as Baron surname of xxx and styled Lord surname of xxx. Having inherited my own titles of nobility I can style myself as David surname Baron of xxx or Baron surname of xxx. Never should I style myself as simply Baron surname.

One other thing - Wikipedia is not an acurate source of information.......!

 

[HMTLove23]

are there any photos of the duke and the rest of his family?

 

[felicia]

Excuse my typo.
If you don't mine me saying - as I suggest you investigate your UK historical information more closely when it comes to titles and the use of and get your facts right before telling me how I should style myself - hmmm indeed! Baron's in this country are always styled 'Baron of xxx' or Baron surname of xxx the xxx is a territorial designation. If you sit in the house of Lords you'll be summonded as Baron surname but styled Lord surname and the term Baron is not used. If there's already another parlimentary Baron with the same surname they'll then be summoned as Baron surname of xxx and styled Lord surname of xxx. Having inherited my own titles of nobility I can style myself as David surname Baron of xxx or Baron surname of xxx. Never should I style myself as simply Baron surname.

One other thing - Wikipedia is not an acurate source of information.......!

I must reply and clarify what I meant. For a start I have investigated my UK historical information very closely when it comes to titles and the use of them for years and I certaily do have my facts right. I cannot tell you how to ''style yourself'', you can style yourself Santa Clause if you want.

Barons, unless they are feudel baronies are styled as Lord x. When referring to the 6th Baron Byron for example we don't say Lord Byron of Rochdale in the County Palatine of Lancaster. We call him Lord Byron. (To use a famous example of a Baron).

Of course every peerage and even baronetcies have territorial designations, but a a peer is not styled using that. Barons are usually styled on an everyday basis as Lord X. Not Lord of X. Feudal baronies are an exeption, they are different, and they are often Baron X of X. They are Scottish feudal baronies.

And as for Wikipedia, which I didn't even mention in my former post: Considering it has millions of articles, billions of pieces of informaton and billions of words on it, it is extemely silly and wrong to say that it is not considered an accurate source of information. If you want to find the basics out about something it is an extemely useful source, Wikipedia is the curious person's friend. Of course there are some inaccuracies on it, but mostly it is all written in good faith using reputable sources and contains mostly facts which are often rigorously debated, so quit bashing wikipedia, it's so annoying.

 

[felicia]

are there any photos of the duke and the rest of his family?

I have only seen a couple of photos of the current (3rd) Duke of Fife, but none all together with his children and grandchildren. He is of course divorced from Carolyn, the former Duchess of Fife, who was born as The Hon. Carolyn Dewar (if i remember correctly.)

There are quite a few photos of the first Duke of Fife with his wife Princess Louise the Princess Royal and their daughters Princess Alexandra (2nd Duchess of Fife and later HRH Princess Arthur of Connaught) and Princess Maud of Fife, late the Countess of Southesk. They also had a son named Alastair Duff, The Marquess of Macduff, but he died in infancy.

See the Fife family thread at the Alexander Palace, Princess Louise,Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife

 

[noldorlord]

This is my favorite tiara Im glasd that it has had an outing even if it was in 1985

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Princess Alexandra at one time had been Lady Alexandra Duff. What was her highest title? Princess Alexandra of Fife or Princess Arthur of Connaught or Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife

 

[Rudolph]

Joe Little ‏@MajestyMagazine
The 3rd Duke of Fife, son of the late Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk, died this afternoon at Kinnaird Castle, Angus. He was 85. #royal

 

[MAfan]

The news has been reported also by Marlene Koenig's blog Royal Musings:
Royal Musings: Duke of Fife dead at 85

He was a second cousin to Queen Elizabeth II of the UK and King Harald of Norway.

 

[Molly2101]

The funeral of The Duke of Fife took place in Brechin, Scotland today. The Earl and Countess of Wessex were present along with other royal representatives.