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"Sheila
was more than simply a celebrity,” he argues. “She was a
great role model in terms of charity work and
contributions to nursing during wartime.”
Her main legacy, he says, was in organising the Derby
Ball, raising money for the Great Northern Hospital at a
time when there was no National Health Service. “This
was the grandest, biggest event in London’s history and
was held mainly at the Albert Hall. Thousands would
come. She did it every year for 13 years and raised
millions of pounds for the hospital.
Princess Dimitri died on 13
October 1969 at Westminster, London; she was buried with
Episcopal rites in Roslin chapel, near Edinburgh, where
there is a memorial window to her younger son who had
been killed on active service with the Royal Air Force
in 1939. Her elder son, who succeeded as 6th Earl of
Rosslyn, survived her. A woman of style and fashion,
Sheila was an outstanding figure of the London social
scene for half a century. A portrait by Simon Elwes and
a sketch by (Sir) Cecil Beaton are held by the 7th Earl
of Rosslyn.
Read more about her here
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