Zara Cazalet (1917-2004), widow of Peter Cazalet
Michael Rhodes
Elizabeth The Queen Mother and widow of the trainer Peter Cazalet, JP,
DL, of Fairlawne, Tonbridge, Kent.
She was born Zara Sophie Kathleen Mary Mainwaring, in 1917, daughter
of Sir Harry Stapleton Mainwaring, 5th and last Baronet (1878-1934), by
his wife, the former Generis Alma Wyndham Bulkeley, elder daughter of
Sir Richard Williams Bulkeley, Bt.
Zara was twice married, firstly, in 1940 (divorced 1949) to Capt. the
Hon. (Alexander) Ronald George Strutt, Coldstream Guards (1912-99)
(afterwards the 4th Baron Belper); and secondly, in 1949, as his second
wife, Peter Victor Ferdinand Cazalet, JP, DL (1907-73), Welsh Guards
(descended from the Heron-Maxwell Baronets), son of William Marshal
Cazalet. Peter Cazalet's first wife had been Leonora, step-daughter of
the author P.G. Wodehouse.
Peter Cazalet was an amateur rider and trainer. Queen Elizabeth The
Queen Mother first became interested in racing via her friendship with
Lord Mildmay. Peter Cazalet trained Mildmay's horses, and he found
Queen Elizabeth and Princess Elizabeth an Irish-bred steeplechaser
*Monaveen*. The horse, racing in Princess Elizabeth's colours won his
first race for the royal partnership and sealed the owners enthusiasm.
*Monaveen* won four races and finished fifth in the Grand National in
his first season for his new owners.
The Queen Mother was a frequent weekend visitor to the splendid
Fairlawne. In his diary (Dec 11, 1962) Noel Coward wrote: 'I had lunch
with Liza and John Hope and drove to Fairlawne where the Cazalets
receive us cosily. Altogether a lovely weekend. The Queen Mother
absolutely enchanting and particularly sweet to me. I really do love
her very much. We discussed all sorts of forbidden topics such as the
abdication, my long-ago refused knighthood, Tony Armstrong-Jones etc.'
And again, Coward wrote (Dec 6, 1964): 'I dined with Princess Marina
and Princess Olga, sweet but a tiny bit dull. My weekend with Zara and
Peter Cazalet was far from dull. In the first place the Queen Mother
was sweeter to me than ever...the house party was fun all the time. We
played croquet, we giggled, I played the piano a lot..'
Coward's diary (June 23, 1968): 'I forgot in my last entry to mention
the Cazalet wedding which was glamorous to a high degree (Peter and
Zara's daughter Sheran married Simon Hornby). The reception, of course,
was at Fairlawne and was most beautifully done. Zara and Peter had
organised it a fair treat. I sat next to the Queen Mother at lunch. She
was as dear as ever. The weather behaved with royal consideration and
it was all enchantment. Sheran and her groom looked lovely, in fact
everyone looked pretty lovely. I was resplendent in my morning coat and
grey topper.'
>From her marriage to Capt. Strutt she leaves a son, Richard, 5th Baron
Belper, who was born 24 Oct, 1941; from her marriage to Capt Cazalet
she leaves a son, Victor, b. 1951 (married to a Dawnay of the Viscounts
Downe); and a son, Anthony Peter, b. 1953.
According to Who was Who, Peter Cazalet had a son, Sir Edward Stephen
Cazalet (the Hon Mr Justice Cazalet), and a daughter from his first
marriage; and two sons from his second. Was Sir Noel Coward incorrect
to say that Sheran was Zara's daughter?
The Telegraph death notice describes Zara as 'widow of Peter; mother of
Richard, Victor and Anthony, grandmother of Michael, Henrietta,
Catherine, Edward and Clare and great grandmother of Rose'.
The funeral for family and close friends at St. Giles, Shipbourne, nr
Tonbridge, at 12 noon on 21st December, 2004.
Source: Daily Telegraph, 13 Dec 2004
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ri_c...@yahoo.com
Michael Rhodes
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