Lady Jane Fellowes (née Spencer) and Family

[Denville]

I haven't read it, but I don't know of any estrangement from either of her sisters. She might have rows with them but they were fond of each other.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Diana was a bit snarky about Sarah, both in HER TRUE STORY and in her interviews with Settelen; i.e. "She's a tough old thing." I don't think that she was estranged from either of them, but she seemed to be more respectful towards Jane--at least from what's in the public record.

 

[Denville]

true but ther's a long way between frank comments on a sister, which may not always be complimentary and estrangement. I think she and Sarah may have butted heads more because Sarah sounds like a rather stupid and overly outspoken woman, and also, she and Di both dated Charles, but I dont beleive they were ever estranged. and if she and Jane didn't row, And I've never heard that they did, I dont believe they were likely to be estranged.

 

[PrincessofEurope]

I was on a recent weekend break to Bath and during a trip to Bath Abbey i happened to see Lady Jane there also touring the abbey.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Lady Jane is said to be a quiet woman who is very religious. I can see her being easier to get on with than Sarah, who frankly sounds rather unpleasant from what I have read about her.

Diana tried to emulate Sarah as a child, but as an adult had an easier relationship with Jane.

 

[Dman]

I was on a recent weekend break to Bath and during a trip to Bath Abbey i happened to see Lady Jane there also touring the abbey.

Wow, it must've been nice to see her there.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Sarah is my fav Spencer girl based only on looks. I don't know enough about the sisters to judge anything else. Jane is definitely the most homely of the siblings. Either way, I theorize that it shows strength and a deep love that Jane and Robert survived the Wars of the early 90s; both of them had to be divided in some way. Robert being devoted to the Queen but also his wife whose sister is involved in the war. Jane sympathizing with both her little sister and her husband's career. Theirs is a marriage to truly be admired.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, I agree. The pressure on Jane, in particular, during the War of the Waleses must have been very heavy.

Theirs is a marriage to truly be admired.

 

[Mirabel]

true but ther's a long way between frank comments on a sister, which may not always be complimentary and estrangement. I think she and Sarah may have butted heads more because Sarah sounds like a rather stupid and overly outspoken woman, and also, she and Di both dated Charles, but I dont beleive they were ever estranged. and if she and Jane didn't row, And I've never heard that they did, I dont believe they were likely to be estranged.

I read that at the time of Diana's death, she and Jane were not on speaking terms.

 

[Curryong]

Jane was indeed placed in an awkward position during the breakup of Diana's marriage. I always thought for years of Jane as the eldest sister, quiet, mature, restrained.

I read an article about Lord Fellowes life after Royal service in which it was hinted that there had been strains in the Fellowes marriage about Diana, and really it would be hardly surprising if it was so. All sorts of feelings would come into it for Jane, love for one's sibling clashing with that for a husband, duty to the Crown, knowledge about what really went on in the marriage as distinct from the public image, Diana's relationship with their mother later on, the shock of Diana's death. Wounds would have been left that would have taken a long time to heal.

 

[Mirabel]

Jane was indeed placed in an awkward position during the breakup of Diana's marriage. I always thought for years of Jane as the eldest sister, quiet, mature, restrained.

Jane was the middle sister.
Sarah was the eldest.

Although Jane seems to have been the mature one.

 

[Curryong]

Yes, I know. As an onlooker in the early Diana years and perhaps because Jane was the first sister to marry, I was under the impression that Jane was the eldest. It was only when I read an early biography of Diana that I realised that Sarah the firecracker was the firstborn, appearing about nine or ten months after her parents' wedding.

 

[Denville]

I read that at the time of Diana's death, she and Jane were not on speaking terms.

Never heard of this....

 

[Mirabel]

Never heard of this....

Burrell said they hadn't been on speaking terms for two years.
But he may not be the most credible source.

 

[Denville]

I wouldnt say so, no.

 

[Mirabel]

I wouldnt say so, no.

Perhaps you are correct.

(I know I accepted it at face value, due to Diana's track record of falling out with people and cutting them off.)

 

[Osipi]

One thing that should be noted too is that during Diana's later years with the BRF and with her marriage crumbling around her, Jane was between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, Diana was her sister. On the other hand, her husband, Robert Fellows was the private secretary to the Queen.

Its been reported that Fellows was deeply hurt by Diana when she lied to him about her involvement with the publication of the Morton book. Its also quite possible that Diana, herself, could have felt that with Fellows being close to the Queen and to her sister, that they weren't trustworthy with her anti BRF sentiments and would take Charles' side. She grew more and more paranoid about spies and such as the 90s went on.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, I think that Lady Jane was in an impossible position. She probably had compassion for her younger sister and her troubles, but she also likely knew a lot from the Palace's point of view as well. Plus, if she ever spoke to Diana suggesting that she needed help or advised her in a way that Diana didn't like, Diana would likely have become distant.

 

[Osipi]

Yes, I think that Lady Jane was in an impossible position. She probably had compassion for her younger sister and her troubles, but she also likely knew a lot from the Palace's point of view as well. Plus, if she ever spoke to Diana suggesting that she needed help or advised her in a way that Diana didn't like, Diana would likely have become distant.

Or even perhaps thought that the "suggestion" of getting help was passed down through Jane from the Palace. Diana was very wary of anything that remotely seemed to come from "palace powers that be" and deemed them as in Charles' camp to manipulate her.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Agreed. Perhaps the more ill she became, the more likely she saw anyone close to the Palace as being one of "them". I think that it was in Morton's book that she said that Jane was sympathetic; i.e. "Oh, poor Duch..." We don't know how her feelings toward Jane changed in the next five or six years.

 

[Denville]

One thing that should be noted too is that during Its been reported that Fellows was deeply hurt by Diana when she lied to him about her involvement with the publication of the Morton book. about spies and such as the 90s went on.

I think that she would have kept the whole thing secret from Jane and of course she lied to Fellows because of his position. So she may not have been close to her sister, but I don't know of their not being on speaking terms. Its true that they problaby DID take the Palaces' side even if Jane did sympathise with her sister...SHe would harldy have approved of Di's going to the Press or setting up a secret interview...

 

[iceflower]

.

Lady Jane and husband Sir Robert Fellowes attended day 1 of the Qatar Goodwood Festival in Chichester today, July 31:


** rex gallery **

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Lady Jane Fellowes arriving for a Ball at Windsor Castle to celebrate The Royal Golden Wedding Anniversary
http://www.gettyimages.com/license/52115346

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Lady Jane Fellowes has the title of Baroness Fellowes.

 

[tommy100]

Not sure where else to put this - Lord Robert Fellowes has passed away.

He was the husband to Diana, Princess of Wales' sister Jane and was the late Queen Elizabeth II's private secretary from 1990-1999.

Lord Fellowes obituary: Queen Elizabeth’s private secretary and broth…

archived 30 Jul 2024 23:52:27 UTC

archive.ph

Prince Harry and William's uncle Lord Robert Fellowes dies aged 82

British courtier Lord Robert Fellowes was Queen Elizabeth II 's private secretary between 1990 and 1999, Princess Diana's brother-in-law and the uncle of Princes Harry and William.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[wbenson]

Lord Fellowes has died:
Lord Fellowes obituary: Queen Elizabeth’s private secretary and brother-in-law of Diana (archive)

Lord Fellowes was private secretary to Queen Elizabeth II during nine turbulent years, through which, as her most influential adviser, he had to steer both her, and the institution of which she was titular head, through the divorces of three of her children; her “annus horribilis”, and the death of his sister-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales.

Lord Fellowes GCB, GCVO, QSO, PC, private secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, was born on December 11, 1941. He died of undisclosed causes on July 29, 2024, aged 82

 

[Biri]

Sad news.

Condolences to his wife, children and grandchildren.

May he rest in peace.

 

[Lady Chiara]

Condolences to the family!

 

[Kaye1850]

Not sure where else to put this - Lord Robert Fellowes has passed away.

Thank you for posting this ~ I always thought well of him.

 

[Alison H]

That's sad news.