The aristocratic mother of Prince William and Prince Harry's former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, has died at the age of 82. Dame Shan Legge-Bourke passed away peacefully at her home, her devastated family announced.
A Pillar of Welsh Society and Royal Confidante
Dame Shan was a longstanding friend of the Royal Family and served as a lady-in-waiting to Princess Anne. Born the daughter of William Bailey, the 3rd Lord Glanusk, she inherited the vast 18,000-acre Glanusk Estate on the Welsh border when she was just five years old, following her father's death in 1948. She became a central figure in public life in mid-Wales for decades.
Her family's connection to the royals deepened when her daughter, Tiggy, became nanny to the young princes after the divorce of Charles and Diana. William and Harry were regular visitors to the Glanusk Estate during their childhood.
A Life of Service and Leadership
Dame Shan held an extraordinary number of public roles, demonstrating her deep commitment to her community. Her positions included:
- Lord Lieutenant of Powys
- High Sheriff of Powys
- President of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society
- President of Save the Children in Wales
- Honorary Colonel of the Infantry Battle School in Brecon
She also chaired the Brecon and Radnor Country and Land Association and was Governor of Christ College Brecon. Under her stewardship, the Glanusk Estate successfully diversified from traditional agriculture into property rentals, wedding hosting, and events like the Green Man festival.
Remembered as an Inspiration
In a tribute, her 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, and the countless organisations and institutions she supported. A country girl at heart, she has left an indelible legacy at Glanusk, the wider countryside and beyond."
Her hands-on, practical nature was showcased in a 2006 BBC Wales documentary, 'The Lady of Glanusk', where she was seen cleaning gutters, plucking pheasants, and fixing electrics. Her daughter Zara remarked in the film that Dame Shan "can drive a tractor better than any man I've ever seen."
Dame Shan attributed her skills to a childhood where she was encouraged to engage in all aspects of estate life, from collecting eggs to driving tractors. She also spoke of the heartache of being sent to a distant boarding school in Sussex at age 12, recalling standing on Abergavenny station with "tears streaming down my face" when returning after holidays.
Dame Shan Legge-Bourke is survived by her three children, including Tiggy, and seven grandchildren.
