Queen’s disabled cousins Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon who were kept ‘hidden’

The British royal family has had members who were kept away from public view, albeit for vastly different reasons. Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon, cousins of the late Queen Elizabeth II, were severely disabled and cared for in an asylum, yet they were listed as deceased from 1963 despite being alive. Prince John, the youngest child of King George V, was kept at Sandringham’s Wood Farm due to his severe epilepsy, shielding him from the public eye. Additionally, Prince Charles Edward, the grandson of Queen Victoria, was sent to Germany as a teenager, where he became involved with Nazism. He eventually died penniless, stripped of his English titles and honor.

The cases of Katherine and Nerissa Bowes Lyon, cousins of the late Queen Elizabeth II, shed light on a bygone era when disabilities were shrouded in stigma and misunderstanding. Born in 1919 and 1926 respectively, it became evident within months that they had severe disabilities. Despite being members of the royal family, their father, John Herbert Bowes-Lyon, placed them in an asylum, and they were officially listed as deceased from 1963 onward, even though they remained alive. This tragic situation exemplifies the profound lack of awareness and compassion surrounding disabilities in that era, when they were often viewed as a source of shame for families. The sisters’ plight serves as a poignant reminder of how far society has progressed in embracing and supporting individuals with disabilities.

The text provides insight into the tragic circumstances surrounding the Bowes-Lyon family and their daughters, Nerissa and Katherine. It highlights the societal stigma and lack of understanding surrounding mental disabilities during that era. Despite the family’s privileged background, they faced immense hardship and heartbreak. The father, John Bowes-Lyon, was deeply affected by his daughters’ conditions, ultimately leading to his untimely demise at the age of 44 in 1930. The grave injustice faced by Nerissa and Katherine was further compounded by the fact that Nerissa’s final resting place was marked only by an impersonal plastic tag and a serial number, devoid of any dignity or recognition. This sobering account sheds light on the harsh realities and societal attitudes towards mental disabilities in the past, serving as a poignant reminder of the progress yet to be made in ensuring compassionate and humane treatment for all individuals, regardless of their conditions.

Nerissa and her sister Katherine were born in 1919 and 1926, respectively, to John Herbert Bowes-Lyon, who was the brother of the future Queen Mother. From an early age, it became evident that both sisters had severe disabilities. Initially, they were secretly sent to Arniston School in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, an institution established for handicapped children from high society families.

In 1941, after the outbreak of World War II, Nerissa and Katherine were transferred to the Royal Earlswood Asylum for Mental Defectives in Redhill, Surrey. Nerissa would remain at this institution for the rest of her life. Earlswood was the first purpose-built asylum for individuals with mental disabilities, but its conditions were far from meeting today’s standards.

Notably, the 1963 edition of Burke’s Peerage had erroneously listed Katherine as having died in 1961 and Nerissa 19 years earlier, despite their continued residence at the asylum. This case highlights the historical treatment and societal attitudes towards individuals with disabilities, particularly those from prominent families.

The story of Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon, nieces of the Queen Mother, is a shocking revelation. Despite their royal connections, the two sisters were institutionalized at the Earlswood Asylum, where they endured deplorable conditions. Patients were stripped of their dignity, denied basic comforts, and allegedly subjected to abuse.

The circumstances surrounding their incarceration came to light after Nerissa’s death, when journalists discovered her grave marked only with a plastic name-tag and a serial number. Remarkably, on the same day that Katherine and Nerissa were admitted, their maternal cousins Etheldreda, Idonea, and Rosemary Fane were also institutionalized at Earlswood.

While initially visited by their mother and sister Anne, these family meetings became increasingly infrequent due to the sisters’ inability to communicate meaningfully. The tragic tale of the Bowes-Lyon sisters highlights the harsh realities faced by individuals with disabilities in that era, even those with royal connections.

Speaking in a 2011 Channel 4 documentary, Onelle Braithwaite, who cared for the girls as a nurse, provided insightful observations. She noted that whenever the Queen or Queen Mother appeared on television, the girls would curtsey in a very regal and low manner, suggesting some form of retained memory.

In 1941, following the outbreak of World War II, Nerissa and her sister were transferred to the Royal Earlswood Asylum for Mental Defectives, later renamed the Royal Earlswood Hospital, located in Redhill, Surrey. Braithwaite expressed sadness over the situation, remarking, “It was so sad. Just think of the life they might have had. They were two lovely sisters.”

Despite their lack of speech, the girls communicated through gestures and noises, which Braithwaite learned to understand over time. Her account sheds light on the girls’ remarkable behavior and the poignant circumstances surrounding their lives.

The article provides insightful information about the treatment and circumstances surrounding the Queen Mother’s nieces, Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon, who were born with severe learning disabilities. It highlights the following key points:

1. In today’s context, Nerissa and Katherine would likely receive speech therapy, enabling them to communicate more effectively than they could at the time.

2. Despite their disabilities, former ward sister Dot Penfold described them as relatively easy to care for, although mischievous at times, likening their behavior to that of naughty children.

3. The Queen Mother was unaware that her nieces were still alive until 1982, at which point she immediately offered support and sent them presents upon learning of their existence.

4. The portrayal of the sisters and their treatment in the Netflix series “The Crown” reportedly caused frustration among their relatives.

The article sheds light on the historical perspective on disabilities and the lack of awareness or support available at the time, contrasting it with the potential for better communication and care in the present day.

The recent portrayal of Princess Margaret in the Netflix series “The Crown” has shed light on a controversial aspect of the British royal family’s history. In the show, Margaret, played by Helena Bonham Carter, is informed by a therapist about the existence of her cousins, Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon, who were institutionalized due to their disabilities.

The scene depicts Margaret’s mother, played by Marion Bailey, explaining the decision to conceal the sisters’ existence from the public. She cites concerns about the potential impact on the royal family’s reputation and the perceived purity of the bloodline. According to the show, the sisters’ “illness” and “imbecility” were kept hidden to avoid questioning the family’s suitability for the throne.

However, this storyline has been refuted by David Bowes-Lyon, a relative of the Bowes-Lyon sisters. He claims that the portrayal is a “complete fantasy” and that Princess Margaret was well aware of Nerissa and Katherine’s existence and their circumstances.

The revelation of the Bowes-Lyon sisters’ institutionalization came to light in 1987 through a report in the Daily Mail. Nerissa and Katherine, who were cousins of the Queen Mother, spent most of their lives in the Earlswood Asylum due to their intellectual disabilities.

While the show’s depiction of the family’s reaction has been disputed, it has sparked discussions about the historical treatment of individuals with disabilities and the societal attitudes of the time. Katherine Bowes-Lyon outlived her sister by nearly two decades, passing away in 2014 at the age of 87 after being moved to a care home in Surrey following the closure of Earlswood in the 1990s.

The life of Prince John, the youngest child of King George V, offers an informative glimpse into the challenges faced by individuals with epilepsy in the early 20th century. Exactly a month before the birth of Nerissa Bowes-Lyon, Prince John, who had been diagnosed with epilepsy in his early years, tragically passed away at the age of 13 after suffering a fatal seizure at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate.

As the fifth son and sixth child of King George V and Queen Mary, Prince John’s condition was kept out of the public eye due to the stigma and lack of understanding surrounding epilepsy at the time. With limited treatment options available, his seizures became increasingly frequent and severe, prompting his relocation to the secluded Wood Farm.

Prince John’s story sheds light on the difficulties faced by those living with epilepsy in an era when the condition was poorly understood and often met with little sympathy. His life, though brief, serves as a poignant reminder of the progress made in medical treatment and societal awareness surrounding epilepsy and other neurological disorders.

The life of Prince John, the youngest son of King George V and Queen Mary, took an unfortunate turn due to his epileptic condition. Initially, he played an active role in public family life, but as his condition showed no signs of improvement, he had to live away from the spotlight and his family. The Daily Mail’s obituary portrayed him as a prankster, earning him the nickname “the demon.”

One incident involved him daubing his face with his sister’s paint before bursting into a lunch party hosted by his parents at Sandringham. Another time, he climbed into a car and started it up before being “rescued without any harm done.” His life was depicted in the award-winning TV drama “The Lost Prince” in 2003.

Another royal who faced family estrangement was Prince Charles Edward, the Duke of Albany, and Queen Victoria’s favorite grandson. Born in 1884, he was a first cousin to King George V, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Despite being his grandmother’s favorite, he descended into Nazism, leading to a strained relationship with his family.

The elderly Queen Victoria made a significant decision that would profoundly impact her grandson Prince Charles Edward’s life. Despite his inability to speak German, she bestowed upon him the title of Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the principality from which her late husband, Prince Albert, hailed.

Another royal figure, Prince Charles Edward, the Duke of Albany, was kept at a distance by his family. At the tender age of 16, he was compelled to leave his home and assume his Dukedom, granting him control over 13 castles in Germany and Austria, hunting lodges, a power station, and vast expanses of farmland.

In 1933, the Daily Mail reported on the Duke’s visit to King George V and Queen Mary at Sandringham. The Kaiser arranged for Charles Edward’s marriage to his niece, Victoria, and sent him to enroll in Germany’s prestigious military academy. Consequently, when World War I erupted in 1914, the thoroughly British Charles Edward found himself fighting for Germany. His plight worsened when King George V, under political pressure, abandoned the German Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family name, adopting the Windsor name instead.

Here are the key points presented in an informative tone:

After World War I, George removed his cousin Charles Edward’s British titles and Royal Highness status, declaring him a ‘traitor peer’. With the rise of communism in post-war Germany, Charles Edward allied himself with the increasingly popular Nazi party.

By the time Adolf Hitler became Chancellor, Charles Edward was a fervent Nazi supporter. At King George V’s 1936 funeral, he wore German military attire including a stormtrooper helmet, having been stripped of his British military uniform rights.

As president of the Anglo-German Fellowship, Charles Edward attempted to foster personal dealings between Hitler and King Edward VIII, but Edward’s abdication thwarted this plan. Edward did later meet Hitler in Germany in 1937.

Charles Edward’s Nazi ties deepened when Hitler appointed him president of the German Red Cross. In this role, he presided over the horrific enforced euthanasia program. Photos show him in German military uniform inspecting institutions and meeting with SS doctor Ernst-Robert Grawitz, who conducted inhumane medical experiments.

The story of Charles Edward, a member of the British royal family, and his involvement with Nazi Germany during World War II is a sobering and informative account. It highlights the tragic consequences of his misguided allegiance to the Nazi regime.

The text provides details about Charles Edward’s life, including his German military service, his sons fighting for Germany, and his eventual capture by the Americans. It sheds light on the atrocities committed by the Nazis, such as the murder of 100,000 disabled people, including children, who were deemed “unworthy of life.”

Despite warnings from Hitler, Charles Edward fell into American hands after Germany’s defeat in 1945. His sister, Princess Alice, found him starving in a prisoner-of-war camp and helped him. However, he was put on trial, accused of being a Nazi, and had his properties confiscated, leaving him nearly bankrupt.

The text also touches on the emotional toll Charles Edward endured, such as witnessing the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 from a cinema, knowing he could have been there. His granddaughter’s comments provide insight into his longing for his homeland, England.

Ultimately, Charles Edward’s descent into the clutches of Nazism made him an embarrassment to the royal family, highlighting the consequences of his choices and the weight of his actions during a dark period in history.