Tributes are pouring in for Dame Shan Legge-Bourke, a stalwart of Welsh public life and a close confidante of the Royal Family, who has died at the age of 82.
The Honourable Dame Shân Legge-Bourke DCVO CstJ passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her children, her family announced. She was a former lady-in-waiting to Princess Anne and the mother of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, the beloved childhood nanny to Princes William and Harry.
A Pillar of Welsh Life and Royal Connections
Dame Shan's connection to the young princes was deeply personal. Her daughter, Tiggy, was their trusted nanny, and the brothers were frequent visitors to the family's sprawling Glanusk estate on the Welsh border. Tiggy once affectionately referred to William and Harry as "my babies," underscoring the intimate bond between the families.
Inheriting the vast Glanusk lands from her father, William Bailey, the 3rd Lord Glanusk, Dame Shan became a pivotal figure in Wales. Her decades of service included roles as Lord Lieutenant of Powys, High Sheriff of Powys, and President of both the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and Save the Children in Wales.
A Devoted Family Woman and Country Stalwart
In a heartfelt statement, her devastated family said: "We are devastated to lose our mother. She was an inspiration to us all, and to many people she met over her years of service to Wales. A country girl at heart, she has left an indelible legacy at Glanusk, the wider countryside and beyond."
Her hands-on, no-nonsense approach to life was famously captured in a 2006 BBC Wales documentary, 'The Lady of Glanusk'. Viewers saw her climbing onto her roof to clean gutters and plucking pheasants with her seven grandchildren. Her daughter Zara once remarked on her formidable skills, stating, "She can drive a tractor better than any man I've ever seen."
Royal Bonds and Recent Family Tragedy
Dame Shan's long friendship with the royals was evident in photographs with the late Queen, King Charles, and Queen Camilla from various engagements in Wales. This year, however, brought profound sadness to the wider family circle.
In January, Tiggy's stepson, Edward Pettifer, 31, was killed in a terror attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Following the tragedy, the Prince of Wales issued a moving tribute, saying, "Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family."
The death of Dame Shan Legge-Bourke marks the passing of a formidable woman who seamlessly bridged the worlds of aristocratic duty, passionate stewardship of the Welsh countryside, and an intimate, trusted role within the heart of the British Royal Family.
