Jane Loftus, Marchioness of Ely

Jane Loftus, Marchioness of Ely (née Hope-Vere; 3 December 1821 – 11 June 1890)

Attendance on Queen Victoria Jane was appointed as a lady of the Queen's bedchamber on 15 July 1851. Although hard-working, loyal and devoted, she lacked the knowledge and discretion required for the role. In 1855, Mary Bulteel, later the wife of the Queen's private secretary Sir Henry Ponsonby, disapproved of Jane's conduct, and commented that “Lady E[ly]. is more utterly the reverse from what she ought to be on this occasion than anybody can possibly conceive. I mean, I see she is preparing to be foolishly cringing to all the little miseries of etiquette...I quite long for somebody as the Queen's first lady with more natural dignity”.

Despite her shortcomings, the Queen came to rely heavily on “Dearest Jane”, as she was referred to.

Jane was also concerned about her own health, and in 1876, she confided to Ponsonby that “she cannot go on as it is, that it is killing her”, and he advised her to write to the Queen threatening to resign if her position was not made easier. Jane became the most prominent of ladies that were recognised “agents” of the Queen, the others being Harriet Phipps and Horatia Stopford. The role was exploited, especially in the royal household, where they found in Jane a useful advocate to the Queen when requesting approval for a course of action. When the Earl of Beaconsfield fell out with the Queen after he refused to meet Lord Chelmsford, he wrote despairingly to Jane, with the probable intention that she would show it to the Queen, that “I love the Queen — perhaps the only person in this world left to me that I do love; and therefore you can understand how much it worries and disquiets me, when there is a cloud between us.”

Personal life Jane's relationship with the Queen was close, but it became strained for a short period when rumours circulated that Jane was to remarry. Lord Torrington mentioned the possibility of her remarriage to Robert St Clair-Erskine, Lord Loughborough, but shortly afterwards, Jane personally denied that there was any truth in it. Other suitors included Count Cavour, the Piedmontese leader. Following her resignation, she was granted the honorary title of Extra Lady of the Bedchamber.

On 11 June 1890 she died at her home at 22 Wilton Place, Knightsbridge in London, and was interred next to her husband at Kensal Green Cemetery.