Sad news today! Frances Manners (née Sweeny), the Dowager Duchess of Rutland has passed away at the age of 86. The only daughter of the infamous Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, she was the Debutante of the Year in 1955 and married the 10th Duke of Rutland, becoming the chatelaine of the magnificent Belvoir Castle for over four decades, in addition to being an accomplished polyglot, horse breeder and gardener, horse breeder and gardener!
Frances Helen Sweeny was born in London to American golfer and socialite Charles Francis Sweeny and his wife, heiress Margaret Whigham, arriving after her mother had suffered eight miscarriages. She was joined by a younger brother, Brian, before her parents divorce in 1947, and her mother’s subsequent remarriage to the 11th Duke of Argyll. In 1955, Frances Sweeny was proclaimed the ‘Debutante of the Year’ following her debut in society with a Ball at Claridge’s Hotel.
In 1958, she married, as his second wife, Charles Manners, 10th Duke of Rutland, at Caxton Hall Registry Office. The couple had four children, the now 11th Duke of Rutland, Lord Robert, Lady Theresa, and Lord Edward Manners.
Upon her marriage, the Duchess became the chatelaine of the spectacular Belvoir Castle and the secondary seat at Haddon Hall, hosting many spectacular gatherings over the years, and since the Duke was an active member of the Conservative party, she was also often present at the State Openings of Parliament, glittering in the magnificent Rutland Tiara. In 1970, the Duchess discovered an overgrown and neglected secret garden in the castle grounds, which she restored and it has been named the Duchess Garden.
The Duchess, who was fluent in seven languages, was a keen breeder of Arabian Horses, following a family tradition dating back to the 4th Duke of Rutland. Following the 10th Duke’s death in 1999, the now Dowager Duchess moved out of Belvoir Castle, handing over a big box of keys to the new Duchess, to the smaller Belvoir Lodge on the Estate, while the Castle was taken over by the 11th Duke and Duchess and Haddon Hall was occupied by her younger son, Lord Edward Manners. The Dowager Duchess remained a beloved member of the family, hosting a yearly charity event in her gardens, and will be dearly missed!
Our condolences to the Manners Family on their loss!
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