Lady Jane Lacey

Lady Jane Antonia Frances Lacey (born Vane-Tempest-Stewart on 11 August 1932, later Rayne) is a British socialite and philanthropist.

Lady Jane Lacey
Born
Jane Antonia Frances Vane-Tempest-Stewart

(1932-08-11) 11 August 1932
London, United Kingdom
Other namesLady Jane Rayne
Jane Rayne, Baroness Rayne
Known forMaid of honour at the coronation of Elizabeth II
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1965; died 2003)​
    ​
    (m. 2012)​
    Children4
    Parents

    Biography
    Lady Jane, front row, sixth from left, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the coronation of Elizabeth II, 2 June 1953

    Born The Honourable Jane Vane-Tempest-Stewart on 11 August 1932 in London,[1] she was born into an Anglo-Irish aristocratic family with its roots in Ulster and County Durham. She is the eldest daughter of Robin, Viscount Castlereagh, later 8th Marquess of Londonderry, and Romaine Combe (1904–1951), daughter of Major Boyce Combe.[2] She had two younger siblings, Lady Annabel Goldsmith and Alistair, 9th Marquess of Londonderry.[3] She was raised on the family estates, Mount Stewart in County Down, Wynyard Park in County Durham, and Londonderry House in Park Lane, London.[3]

    A painting of her by Edmund Brock appeared on the cover of the February 1939 issue of Woman's Journal.

    In 1953, Lady Jane was chosen as one of six aristocratic young ladies chosen to serve as maids of honour at the coronation of Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey.[4] Her duties included carrying the Queen's train during the procession. The maids of honour all wore matching gowns by Norman Hartnell.[5] Lady Jane, along with Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill, rode in a carriage with Lord Tryon, the Keeper of the Privy Purse, during the procession while the other maids of honour waited at the abbey.[6]

    on 2 June 1965, Lady Jane married Anglo-Jewish developer Max Rayne.[7] They had four children:[8]

    • The Honourable Natasha Deborah Rayne (born 1966)
    • The Honourable Nicholas Alexander Rayne (born 1969)
    • The Honourable Tamara Annabel Rayne (born 1970)
    • The Honourable Alexander Philip Rayne (born 1973)

    In 1976, Rayne was made a life peer and she thus became The Lady Rayne. She was widowed in 2003. In August 2012, she married royal biographer and historian Robert Lacey.

    Lady Jane was a founding member and director of Chickenshed, a children's theatre company, and was president of trustees until her daughter Natasha took over in 2013. She is also patron and trustee of the Rayne Foundation and trustee of the Jerusalem Foundation.[9][10]

    References
    1. "Lady Jane Rayne". London Remembers. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
    2. Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 2385. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
    3. Langley, William (10 June 2007). "First lady of the night". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 23 December 2007. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
    4. "No. 40020". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 November 1953. p. 6244.
    5. Sampson, Annabel (13 September 2022). "The day of the Queen's Coronation as remembered by five of her six blue-blooded Maids of Honour". Tatler. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
    6. "The Queen's Coronation Cay maids of honour: where are they now?".
    7. Cowe, Roger (14 October 2003). "Lord Rayne". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
    8. Hosking, Patrick (25 November 2019). "Rayne storm over family fortune comes to a head". The Times. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
    9. "Lady Jane Rayne Lacey". Chickenshed. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
    10. "Our Trustees". The Rayne Foundation. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
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