At the age of 93, Lady Anne Glenconner, the former lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, is looking back on a life of extraordinary privilege, profound personal tragedy, and ultimate survival with a philosophical eye. In a candid new interview, the nonagenarian aristocrat discusses her latest memoir and the complex legacy of her 54-year marriage to the volatile Colin Tennant, later Lord Glenconner.
A Life in the Royal Circle
Born Anne Veronica Coke on 16 July 1932, she grew up in immense privilege at Holkham Hall in Norfolk. Her childhood was intertwined with royalty, playing with the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, both at her home and at the nearby Sandringham estate. Presented at court in 1950, she was named Tatler's debutante of the year and, in 1953, served as a maid of honour at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Her entry into the royal inner circle was cemented in 1955 when she met Colin Tennant. They married the following year in a lavish ceremony attended by the Queen, the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret. In 1971, she was formally appointed as a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, a role that defined her public life for decades.
The Shadow Behind the Glamour
Beneath the glittering surface of royal galas and Caribbean holidays on the island of Mustique—purchased by her husband in 1958—lay a marriage marked by terrifying violence and infidelity. Lady Glenconner has revealed harrowing details of the abuse she endured, including a vicious attack in the late 1970s that left her permanently deaf in one ear.
The assault occurred on Mustique after she left a party to attend to her children. Colin Tennant hit her from behind with his walking stick, knocking her to the ground, and continued beating her until he exhausted himself. She genuinely feared for her life. Despite this, and his open adultery, she maintained the marriage for over five decades, citing her children's happiness and a sense of duty.
Her family life was also scarred by immense loss. She endured the deaths of two of her five children: Henry, who died from an AIDS-related illness in 1990 aged 29, and Charlie, who passed away from hepatitis C in 1996 aged 39. Her youngest son, Christopher, suffered a severe brain injury in a 1987 motorbike accident but survived.
Finding a Voice and Legacy
The catalyst for sharing her story came at the age of 87, after the death of her husband in 2010. Cut out of his will, she found the impetus to write her first memoir, 'Lady in Waiting', published in 2019. This act of reclaiming her narrative led to a bestselling success and a new career as an author.
Her latest book, Manners and Mischief: An A–Z of Royal Tales and Surprising Wisdom, offers further reflections. She expresses no regret about staying in her marriage, adopting a pragmatic view: "In life you have to take the rough with the smooth... When you marry someone you marry their bad parts too." She has since used her platform to support domestic violence charities, finding an ally in Queen Camilla, who is patron of SafeLives.
Her enduring friendship with King Charles remains a cornerstone of her life. The two share a long history, with Charles spending time at Holkham Hall as a child. She was a guest at his 2023 Coronation, a poignant bookend to her attendance at his mother's ceremony 70 years prior. She dines with him regularly at Sandringham, reminiscing about happier times.
Now, at 93, Lady Glenconner is relishing a late-life renaissance. "Here I am at my age, suddenly I'm out with a bang," she says, enjoying a busy schedule of talks, travel, and social engagements. From a life where she often felt invisible, she has emerged as a singular voice of resilience, offering surprising wisdom from a lifetime of navigating both the gilded cages and dark corners of high society.
