1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, 1900-79

TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS MEMORY OF ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LOUIS FRANCIS ALBERT VICTOR NICHOLAS, EARL MOUNTBATTEN OF BURMA, KG GCB OM GCSI GCIE GCVO DSO PC.

On the 27th August, 1979, Lord Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA, who planted a bomb in his fishing boat, Shadow V, at Mullaghmore, County Sligo, in the Irish Republic.

Others killed by the blast were Nicholas Knatchbull, his elder daughter's 14-year-old son, and Paul Maxwell, a 15-year-old boy from County Fermanagh, who was a crew member.

Lord and Lady Mountbatten in Coronation Robes

First published in August, 2010.

Miranda, Countess of Iveagh

The funeral service was held in London on Tuesday of Miranda, Countess of Iveagh.

The service in St George’s Church in Hanover Square, which she had had organised in her final months, was conducted by the Venerable David Pierpoint, Archdeacon of Dublin, assisted by the Rev Roderick Leece.

She died, aged 70, shortly after Christmas at her Wiltshire home surrounded by four children, Edward, Rory, Emma and Louisa, and close friends, the Archdeacon told the crowded congregation.

The service was attended by the present Earl and Countess of Iveagh; the Hon Rory and Mrs Guinness; Lady Emma and James Barnard; and Lady Louisa Uloth and Rupert Uloth. Also there were her grandchildren, including Arthur Benjamin Geoffrey Guinness, Viscount Elveden (b 2003).

HRH The Duke of Kent; Princess Salimah Aga Khan; the Duchess of Grafton GCVO; the Duchess of Abercorn OBE; the Marquess of Londonderry; the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava; the Viscount and Viscountess Cowdray; and Teresa Stopford Sackville also attended.

Her coffin was draped in a bouquet of cream roses and lilies, while a choir sang a number of hymns, including O Christ The Same, Through All Our Story’s Pages to the tune of the Londonderry Air.

Miranda Lady Iveagh celebrated her 70th birthday in August 2010 at a large party attended by many members of the family. The Guinness Storehouse at St James’s Gate, Dublin, was the venue for the party as Iveagh House, which was the old family town-house in Dublin, has been occupied by the Irish Government and was unavailable for the occasion.

Among those who joined in the celebrations were the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn; the Marquess and Marchioness Conyngham; the Earl and Countess of Rosse; Anna Harvey, editorial director of Vogue in London; Jonathan Irwin of the Jack and Jill Foundation; James Mellon of the famous New York banking dynasty; Jennifer Guinness and Robert Guinness; and Mr Sean Rafferty of BBC Radio 3.

1st Earl of Iveagh's arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

The Hon. Alan Clark, 1928 - 1999

I am convinced that, had he survived and been so inclined, Alan Clark would have made a brilliant blogger.

Although he achieved high - though not the highest - office as a Minister of State, the late Alan Clark had a refreshingly independent streak as a politician and member of Parliament. Indeed, he could sometimes appear a maverick! Despite these characteristics, Clark's loyalty remained steadfast and exemplary towards the Great Lady while she was in Office. His attitude to some of his disloyal ministerial colleagues, when Lady Thatcher was deposed, was one of contempt.

I liked him all the more for this. Admirable; and he was undeniably a great diarist, not least due to his candour and literary prowess. I approved of his politics, to a large degree, as well.

I have his complete diaries; and an excellent book he wrote about motoring and classic cars - his passion - called Back Fire.

He became the Honourable Alan Clark when his father, the Lord Clark, was elevated to the Peerage as a life baron; and subsequently became Right Honourable when he was appointed a Privy Councillor.

The Right Honourable Alan Clark, MP, died in 1999.