Tragedy for royal family as Princess Anne's former lady in waiting dies
Dame Shan Legge-Bourke has died at the age of 82
Dame Shan Legge-Bourke, former lady-in-waiting to Princess Anne and the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry’s nanny, has died at the age of 82.
Her heartbroken family confirmed the news on December 15, revealing that Dame Shan died peacefully at home the night before.
“We are devastated to lose our mother. She was an inspiration to us all, and to many people she met over her years of service to Wales, and the countless organisations and institutions she supported,” they said in a statement, as reported by GB News.
“A country girl at heart, she has left an indelible legacy at Glanusk, the wider countryside and beyond.”
Princess Anne’s former lady-in-waiting dies age 82
Dame Shan inherited the vast Glanusk Estate in Wales at just five years old, following her father’s death in 1948.
The estate would later become a beloved retreat for the young Princes William and Harry. The brothers were reportedly regular visitors during their childhood.
Her close ties to the royals were strengthened through her daughter Tiggy. Tiggy served as a nanny and a personal assistant to the then-Prince Charles from 1993 to 1999.
Dame Shan herself also held a formal role within the royal fold, serving as a lady-in-waiting to Princess Anne.
In 2006, Dame Shan’s remarkable life was chronicled in a BBC Wales four-part series titled The Lady of Glanusk.
The documentary captured her hands-on approach to estate management. It showed her cleaning gutters, preparing pheasants with her grandchildren, and fixing electrical issues well into her sixties.
Her daughter Zara offered a glimpse of her mother’s practical brilliance: “[She] can drive a tractor better than any man I’ve ever seen and can reverse it through a narrow gap with a trailer on the back of it.”
Dame Shan’s work
Speaking in the series, Dame Shan also reflected on her childhood and the early responsibilities instilled in her.
“From a really early age, I was encouraged by everyone on the estate to be able to put my hand to whatever I could,” she recalled. “Whether that be searching for eggs, picking raspberries or sitting in the tractor.”
Despite her strong connection to home, she recalled being sent away to boarding school in Sussex as a young girl. She said the experience was “awful” and left her “extremely homesick”.
Meanwhile, Dame Shan’s public roles were numerous and influential.
She once served as Lord Lieutenant of Powys and chaired the Brecon and Radnor Country and Land Association.
She was also President of Save the Children in Wales and President of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society. The dame also led the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs.
Beyond her ties to royalty and aristocracy, Dame Shan will be remembered for her unwavering commitment to Wales, her community, and her family.
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