The dowager Duchess of Devonshire, the last of the Mitford sisters, was laid to rest at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, on Thursday amid royalty, ranks of servants and the strains of Elvis Presley.
In scenes recalling a bygone, Downton Abbey age, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall paid their respects to the duchess, who died last week at the age of 94, along with hundreds of members of the public.
More than 600 Chatsworth staff members, dressed in traditional livery, lined the route as the cortege wound its way through the park to St Peter’s church, in the estate village of Edensor.
Prince Charles walked behind the hearse just after the dowager’s son, the Duke of Devonshire. The less formal side of the dowager was more evident as her wicker basket coffin, which was adorned with holly and other woodland foliage, was carried into the church by the estate’s gamekeepers.
Once the service began, Elvis Presley’s rendition of How Great Thou Art, punctuated the more traditional hymns and prayers. When the mourners gathered around the Cavendish plot for the burial, a brass brand played the Frank Sinatra classic New York, New York.
Around 200 mourners packed into the church but hundreds more crowded on to the village green outside to follow the funeral on two giant screens.
The was no eulogy during the service, led by Canon David Perkins, and, at the dowager’s request, there will be no memorial service.
Deborah Vivien Cavendish moved in the same circles as Winston Churchill, John F Kennedy and Evelyn Waugh, and recalled having tea with Adolf Hitler in Munich in 1937. Charles paid tribute to her after her death, saying he “adored and admired” her.
Known as Debo to family and friends, the dowager probably led the most normal life out of the Mitford sisters – Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity and Jessica – who were the It girls of their day.
She married Andrew Cavendish, who succeeded his father as 11th Duke of Devonshire in 1950, and devoted her life to running Chatsworth with her husband. The dowager had spent much of her later life developing the house and grounds as a visitor attraction.
She was buried in the same plot as her husband, who died in 2004. The grave is next to the that of Kathleen Kennedy, President Kennedy’s sister, who died in 1948 and was married to the 10th duke’s son. JFK once visited the church to see his sister’s grave.
The dowager confessed to having a love for the music of Elvis, enjoyed keeping chickens and was keenly interested in art. She was made a Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (DCVO) in 1999 for her service to the Royal Collection Trust.
In later life she revealed a talent for writing and published her memoirs and other works to acclaim, following in the footsteps of her sister Nancy who was famed for her novel about upper-class life, Love In A Cold Climate.
Chatsworth House contains one of the most important art collections in the country and the dowager was one of the first trustees of the Royal Collection Trust when it was formed in 1993.