Arms: Gules, a chevron or, between in chief two hammers Or and in base two wings con joined in lure Argent. Impaled with quarterly,
first and fourth Sable a lion rampant Argent, overall on a quarter of last a cross Gules
second and third, a grand quarter , 1st and 4th Argent, 2nd and 3rd Gules a fret Or, overall a bend Sable charged with three escallops Argent; in chief an escutcheon Argent a cross Gules thereon an inescutcheon Azure three fleurs-de-lys Or.
SOURCE/NOTES & CREDITS: Illustration for background from Burke’s Peerage 1959,
Background for text, the Wikipedia article on Lady Soames and the book ,“The Splendid and the Vile” by Erik Larson, Crown NY 2020.
Mary Spencer-Churchill Soames, LG, DBE, FRSL was born on 15 Sep 1922 as the fifth and youngest child of Sir Winston and Clementine Churchill.
On 11 Feb 1947 she married Christopher Soames later created a life peer on 19 Apr 1978 as Baron Soames of Fletching, He died in 1987.
Lady Soames was created a Lady of the Garter in 2005 and was also a Dame of the British Empire.
Sir Winston Churchill and Lady Mary Churchill Soames are the only non-royal father daughter duo to be members of the Order of the Garter !
Lady Soames died on 31 May 2014 at age 91.
The artwork is an interpretation by John Hamilton Gaylor.
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