Ethel Grenfell, Baroness Desborough

Ethel Anne Priscilla Grenfell, Baroness Desborough (née Fane), was born on 27 June 1867 and died on 28 May 1952. She was a member of the British aristocracy and is known for her role as a society hostess.

Born into an aristocratic family, Ethel Fane was orphaned at the age of three following the deaths of both her parents. Her father was Julian Fane, the younger son of an earl, who died at age 42. Her mother also passed away during her early childhood.

In 1887, Ethel Fane married William Grenfell, who later became the 1st Baron Desborough. At the time of their marriage, William was an untitled Member of Parliament, representing the Liberal Party and subsequently the Conservative Party. Their marriage was described as a happy union.

Ethel was known to have had male admirers, including Archie Ian Gordon, the son of John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair. Gordon was devoted to her, but he died in a car crash in 1909.

Starting in 1911, Ethel served periodically as a Lady of the Bedchamber to Mary of Teck, Queen Consort to King George V. Her appointment to this role was considered somewhat anachronistic by her son.

Ethel and William Grenfell had several children. Three of her sons predeceased her:

- Julian Grenfell, a war poet, was killed during the First World War. He was wounded in France, and her daughter, a nurse serving there, conveyed the news. Julian died after 13 days with a splinter in his brain.

- Gerald William (Billy) Grenfell was killed in July 1915, only months after Julian.

- Ivo Grenfell, who became a farmer, died in a car accident in 1926.

Her daughter Monica Margaret Grenfell received nursing training at The London Hospital during the early part of World War I, under Matron Eva Luckes.

Ethel was a prominent society hostess, hosting notable figures such as Winston Churchill and H. G. Wells. She was considered a confidante of six British prime ministers: Archibald Rosebery, Arthur Balfour, H. H. Asquith, Stanley Baldwin, Neville Chamberlain, and Winston Churchill. The family was part of the social group known as "The Souls," which included prominent figures such as Henry Irving, Vita Sackville-West, Edward VII (then Prince of Wales), Patrick Shaw-Stewart, Edith Wharton, and Oscar Wilde.

Further biographical information about Ethel Anne Priscilla Grenfell can be found in Richard Davenport-Hines's book titled "Ettie: The Intimate Life and Dauntless Spirit of Lady Desborough," published in 2008 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.