Sadness as close friend of The Royal Family dies

Hilary Weston, the Irish-born philanthropist, fashion entrepreneur and former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, who for more than four decades maintained a warm and enduring friendship with the Royal Family, has died at the age of 83.

Mrs Weston died surrounded by her family. She is mourned not only in Canada and her native Ireland but also within the Royal Household, where she maintained close ties to the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

The Weston family have long been associated with Fort Belvedere, the secluded and storied residence on the southern edge of Windsor Great Park. Leased by Hilary and her late husband, retail magnate Galen Weston, from the early 1980s, the fort was lovingly restored and transformed into a quiet retreat, hosting royalty and dignitaries in equal measure.

Once the private residence of Edward VIII, Fort Belvedere has since taken on a more discreet role in royal life. Under the Westons’ stewardship, it flourished again as a centre of warmth, tradition and refined hospitality. They undertook extensive renovations to the estate, building a polo stud and expanding the lake. It became a favourite venue for private royal gatherings, a place of relaxation removed from the public eye.

Over the years, the Westons’ bond with the Royal Family deepened. The couple were frequent guests of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother at the nearby Royal Lodge, and in turn hosted Queen Elizabeth II at Fort Belvedere. King Charles III shared a particular camaraderie with Galen Weston, with whom he often played polo. The King’s own polo ponies were, until recently, stabled at Fort Belvedere, a quiet testament to the closeness of the families.

In earlier years, Hilary Weston’s 60th birthday was celebrated in suitably royal fashion, attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Queen Noor of Jordan, and Princess Caroline of Monaco – an indication of the esteem in which she was held across continents and courts.

Her death marks the end of a remarkable chapter at Fort Belvedere. Galen Weston died in 2021; now, with Mrs Weston’s death, the stewardship of the property and its history passes to the next generation of the Weston family, who continue to occupy Fort Belvedere under lease from the Crown Estate.