Background
Fane was born into an aristocratic family but she had no title. By the age of three she was an orphan when her father, Julian Fane died at the age of 42.
Fane was born into an aristocratic family but she had no title. By the age of three she was an orphan when her father, Julian Fane died at the age of 42.
He was untitled but he was a Whig Member of Parliament William and Ethel had a happy marriage but Ethel had young lovers. One of her lovers was Archie Ian Gordon who was the son of John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair. He was devoted to her and she lost him when he died in a car crash in 1909.
Her son, the war poet Julian Grenfell, was killed in the First World War.
Julian took 13 days to die. Another son was killed months later.
A third son, who became a farmer,died in a car accident in 1925. From 1911 Ettie was periodically Lady of the Bedchamber to Mary of Teck.
Lady Desborough was known as a hostess and Winston Churchill and H.G.Wells were amongst her guests and she was said to be the confidante of six Prime Ministers (ie Rosebery, Balfour, Asquith, Baldwin, Chamberlain and Churchill).
Visitors included Henry Irving, Vita Sackville-West, Edward VII when Prince of Wales, H. G. Wells, Patrick Shaw Stewart, Edith Wharton and Oscar Wilde
Ettie by Richard Davenport-Hines.