Margaret Rhodes
Encyclopedia
Margaret Rhodes, LVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...

 (née Elphinstone; born 9 June 1925), is a first cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...

 of Elizabeth II.

She was born The Hon. Margaret Elphinstone in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, the youngest daughter of the 16th Lord Elphinstone
Sidney Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, 16th Lord Elphinstone
Sidney Herbert Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, 16th Lord Elphinstone and 2nd Baron Elphinstone KT was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:...

 and his wife Mary
Mary Elphinstone, Lady Elphinstone
Mary Frances Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, Lady Elphinstone and Baroness Elphinstone DCVO was a maternal aunt and godparent of Elizabeth II.-Biography:...

 (née Bowes-Lyon). Margaret was a bridesmaid to her cousin Elizabeth on 20 November 1947. She was herself married to writer Denys Gravenor Rhodes
Denys Rhodes
Denys Gravenor Rhodes was an English writer who is most famous for his novel The Syndicate which was adapted into a 1968 film. He was married twice, once to actress Rachel Gurney and once to The Honorable Margaret Rhodes .-Sources:**...

 (1919 - 1981) on 31 July 1950. The couple had four children together:
  • Annabel Margaret Rhodes (born 21 February 1952); married firstly Christopher Strickland-Skailes in 1978 and had a son, Alexander James Downing Strickland-Skailes in 1980; married secondly Charles Cope in 1986
  • Victoria Ann Rhodes (born 27 September 1953); married Nicholas Deans in 1974
  • Simon John Gravenor Rhodes (born 22 February 1957); married Susan Simon in 1983
  • Michael Andrew Gravenor Rhodes (born 8 June 1960)


She was a lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...

 to her aunt, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...

, from 1991 until the latter's death in 2002. She was awarded the LVO that year and currently lives in the Garden House, a grace and favour
Grace and favour
A grace and favour home is a residential property owned by a monarch by virtue of their position as head of state and leased rent-free to persons as part of an employment package or in gratitude for past services rendered....

 residence in Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park is a large deer park of , to the south of the town of Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. The park was, for many centuries, the private hunting ground of Windsor Castle and dates primarily from the mid-13th century...

. In the run-up to the Queen's 80th birthday in April 2006, Margaret gave an interview to the BBC in which she confirmed that, in her own opinion and despite several rumours, the Queen would not abdicate
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...

.

Ancestry

Being a first cousin of Elizabeth II, Rhodes shares half her ancestry with The Queen. Notable peers exist throughout all lines of Rhodes' recent ancestry.
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