The hidden sorrows of Queen Elizabeth II: The tale of the forgotten cousins

Although Prince Harry aimed to shed light on the monarchy's darker side through a series of interviews, not all may know the sad fate of his grandmother's cousins.

In September 2022, the world was saddened by the news of Queen Elizabeth II's passing. Having reigned for over seven decades, she died at the age of 96. Her death was widely mourned, and as Prince William and Prince Harry's grandmother, she was known for her secretive handling of monarchy affairs, a habit developed from her earliest years. Compared to scandals involving the unfaithful Prince Charles or his brother Prince Andrew, the story of Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon seems even more profound.

Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon, daughters of John Herbert Bowes-Lyon and his wife Fenella, were the Queen's close cousins. Yet, the royal family showed them no kindness. Their births were shrouded in secrecy, largely due to their health issues. Neither sister developed normally, physically or intellectually, leading the monarchy to shield them from public view.

In 1941, at the ages of 22 and 15, Nerissa and Katherine were admitted to the Royal Earlswood Hospital for Mental Health in Surrey. The royal family covered their care costs with just around £140 per year. According to reports, the women received no visits, and their living conditions were dire. This was where they spent their remaining days. With royal approval, "Burke’s Peerage" falsely reported their deaths in 1963 to avoid scrutiny.

An interesting observation was that the queen's cousins understood more than they seemed to. A nurse from the hospital later recalled that Nerissa and Katherine would bow whenever the royal family appeared on TV.

Nerissa passed away in 1986 without an official funeral and was buried in a grave marked only with her surname and a number. When this was disclosed by the media a year later, a response from Queen Elizabeth II was awaited. Buckingham Palace then released a statement, indicating that the monarch was aware of her cousins’ plight, but the decision rested with the Bowes-Lyon family.

Katherine was relocated to a nursing home in Surrey in 1997, where she spent her final years, dying in 2014 at the age of 87. The story of Queen Elizabeth II's forgotten cousins was featured in one episode of the fourth season of "The Crown", bringing their story to light once more.