A thanksgiving ceremony and memorial service for the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne is to be held at Glamis kirk next month.
Michael Fergus Bowes-Lyon, the 18th Earl and a great-nephew of the late Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, passed away at the end of February, aged 58.
A private family funeral and cremation for the Eton-educated former Scots Guards captain and London stockbroker took place at Romaldkirk Parish Church near the Earl’s Holwick Lodge estate in County Durham.
Now Glamis Castle has confirmed the village kirk will host a memorial service for the immensely popular Earl at 10.30am on April 12.
Lord Strathmore was involved in many aspects of life locally as well as the wider Angus and across the UK, and the memorial service is expected to be a well-attended celebration of his life.
In recent years and despite failing health, the Earl had found true happiness with his third wife, Karen, who he married in 2012.
He was a government whip in the House of Lords in John Major’s Conservative government from 1989-94, serving as deputy chief whip from 1991-94, a role that involved him being Captain of the Yeoman of the Guard.
A deputy lieutenant for the county of Angus, his custody of the Glamis estate witnessed many improvements including major developments of the tourism infrastructure at the famous landmark and the restoration of the 19th century pinetum laid out by his great-great-grandfather, the 13th Earl.
The Earl had three sons from his first marriage, Sam, Jock and Geordie, and Sam has succeeded his father as the 19th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.
The Earl also had a son, Toby, from his second marriage and was a stepfather to his third wife’s, daughters Chloe and Kristen.
Photo by Angus Pictures