Blazon of Arms:
Oval shield: Argent a Lion passant guardant Gules crowned with an Imperial Crown and collared with an open one proper.
SOURCE, NOTES AND CREDITS: Illustration for background and the caption’s text adapted for the entry from the Wikipedia article. Additional biographic information received from John Hamilton Gaylor for which we thank him.
Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, DCVO an American lady born to John Barry Ryan, Jr. (1901-1966) and Margaret Kahn (1901-1995) on 9 Feb 1933 in London. Lady Airlie was the great-granddaughter of Thomas Fortune Ryan, the American financier who was the richest man in Virginia ( 10th richest in the US when he died in 1928 with an estimated fortune of $200 million) His was a rags to riches story almost as good as the fictional Horatio Alger.
She was raised in New York City and Newport, RI. She was educated at the Brearley School in Manhattan and the James Franklyn School of Professional Arts. She often accompanied her mother on long trips to London.
She came out in society in 1950 with a ball at the Waldorf Astoria, other debutantes that evening included Lee Bouvier. She then had a ball of her own at the St. Regis.
At the age of 16, she met David Ogilvy, Lord Ogilvy, at a dance at the Savoy Hotel. They were married on 23 October 1952 at St Margaret’s, Westminster. 1000 guests attended, including Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Virginia and David, who in 1968 became 13th Earl of Airlie, had six children: including David John Ogilvy born in 1958, the 14th and current Earl of Airlie.
Lady Airlie was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II on 1 Jan 1973. She was the first American to serve as a lady-in-waiting. She remained in the position until Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022. As Lady of the Bedchamber she was a senior lady-in-waiting and attended to the Queen on major occasions and overseas tours.
For her royal service, she was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 1983 New Year Honours and was promoted to a Dame Commander of the same order (DCVO) in the 1995 New Year Honours.
Lady Airlie died on 16 Aug 2024 at age 91.
The artwork is an interpretation of John Hamilton Gaylor
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