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Thomas Coke, 5th Earl of Leicester

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The Earl of Leicester


PredecessorThomas William Coke
SuccessorAnthony Louis Lovel Coke
BornThomas William Edward Coke
(1908-05-16)16 May 1908
Died3 September 1976(1976-09-03) (aged 68)
Spouse(s)
Lady Elizabeth Yorke
(m. 1931)
Issue
ParentsThomas Coke, 4th Earl of Leicester
Marion Trefusis

Thomas William Edward Coke, 5th Earl of Leicester MVO DL (16 May 1908 – 3 September 1976) was a British peer.[1]

Holkham Hall, Norfolk

Early life

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Major Thomas William Edward Coke, 5th Earl of Leicester of Holkham, was born on 16 May, 1908. He was the son of Thomas William Coke, 4th Earl of Leicester, and Marion Gertrude Trefusis. He was educated at Eton, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He succeeded to the title of 5th Viscount Coke and 5th Earl of Leicester of Holkham on 21 August, 1949.

Courtier

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He was Equerry to the Duke of York between 1934 and 1937, and was invested as a Member, Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) in 1937. When the Duke of York became King George VI, the Earl became Extra Equerry to the King between 1937 and 1952, and continued as Extra Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II.

He was awarded the Order of Christ of Portugal[2] in 1955 and later with the Royal Order of George I of Greece in 1963.

Country Date Appointment Ribbon Post-nominal letters
United Kingdom 1937 Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order MVO
United Kingdom 6 May 1935 King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
United Kingdom 12 May 1937 King George VI Coronation Medal
United Kingdom 2 June 1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Portugal 1955 Order of Christ
Greece 1963 Royal Order of George I

Military career

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He served as Aide-de-Camp to the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East in World War II, reaching the rank of major, and later becoming an Honorary Colonel of the Royal Norfolk Regiment. He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) of Norfolk from 1944.

Marriage and family

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Leicester married Lady Elizabeth Mary Yorke (born 10 March 1912, died 1985), daughter of Charles Yorke, 8th Earl of Hardwicke and Ellen Russell, on 1 October 1931.

The couple had three daughters.[1]

  • Lady Anne Veronica Coke (born 16 July, 1932) Lady Anne was one of Queen Elizabeth II's Maids of Honour at the coronation in 1953.[3] She married the Scottish peer Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner on 21 April 1956. They have five children. She was Extra Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon between 1971 and 2002. After her marriage, Lady Anne Veronica Coke was styled as Baroness Glenconner on 4 October 1983. She was appointed Lieutenant, Royal Victorian Order (L.V.O.) in 1991.[4]
  • Lady Carey Elizabeth Coke (5 May, 1934 – 14 May, 2018)[5] She married Bryan Ronald Basset on 30 April 1960. They have three sons: David Francis Basset (1961—2010), Michael James Basset (b. 1963) and James Bryan Basset (b. 1968).[6]
  • Lady Sarah Marion Coke (born 23 July, 1944) She married Major David Finlayson Wylie-Hill Walter on 27 June 1970. They have two sons: Nicholas Robert Walter (b. 1972) and James George Walter (b. 1975).[7]

Leicester died on 3 September 1976 at age 68. Because he had no sons, on his death he was succeeded in the earldom and other titles by his cousin Anthony Coke, 6th Earl of Leicester. Coke was the great-uncle of the actress Miranda Raison.

References

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  1. ^ a b Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, Volume 2. Wilmington: Burkes. p. 2290. cited in Lundy, Darryl. "Major Thomas William Edward Coke, 5th Earl of Leicester of Holkham". ThePeerage.com.
  2. ^ "Cidadãos Estrangeiros Agraciados com Ordens Portuguesas". Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  3. ^ Cooke, Rachel (24 November 2019). "Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner review – fascinating portrait of English repression". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  4. ^ "Person Page". thepeerage.com. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Announcements: Basset". The Daily Telegraph. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Person Page". thepeerage.com. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Person Page". thepeerage.com. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Earl of Leicester
1949–1976
Succeeded by