Dione Grimston, Countess of Verulam

Dione Angela Grimston, Countess of Verulam, CVO (née Smith; born 19 July 1954) is a British artist and former Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire.

The Right Honourable

The Countess of Verulam

LL
Born
Dione Angela Smith

(1954-07-19) 19 July 1954
OccupationArtist
Spouse(s)John Grimston, 7th Earl of Verulam
ChildrenJames, Hugo, Sam, and Flora
Parent(s)Jeremy Smith
Julia Burrell
WebsiteOfficial website

The daughter of Jeremy Smith and Julia Burrell, she is maternally granddaughter of Sir Walter Burrell, 8th Baronet. She married John Grimston, 7th Earl of Verulam, on 12 September 1976. Lord and Lady Verulam have four children:

  • James Grimston, Viscount Grimston (b. 6 January 1978)
  • Hon. Hugo Guy Sylvester Grimston (b. 5 November 1979)
  • Hon. Sam George Grimston (b. 18 October 1983)
  • Lady Flora Grimston (b. 28 September 1981)

The Countess of Verulam served as High Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 2002 and was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire in June 2007 following the retirement of Sir Simon Bowes-Lyon.[1] She served until July 2017 and was the first woman to hold that office. She was succeeded by Robert Voss.[2] She was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2019 Birthday Honours.[3]

Lady Verulam has worked on churches, Cliveden Hall and Hambleton Hall, and has exhibited her paintings in London.[4] She is the patron of Home-Start St Albans.[5] A keen artist, Lady Verulam specialises in collages and has her works exhibited in collections across the UK, America, Switzerland and Spain.[6]

References
  1. Number10.gov.uk » Lord-Lieutenant for Hertfordshire Archived 2012-02-12 at the Wayback Machine, number10.gov.uk; accessed 8 June 2017.
  2. "Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire: Robert Voss". 4 August 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  3. "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B4.
  4. "Lady Verulam to be first female Lord Lieutenant". The Gazette. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  5. "Countess of Verulam is new patron of Home-Start St Albans". Hertfordshire Advertiser.
  6. "Dione Verulam". Cricket Fine Art. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Sir Christopher Laing		 High Sheriff of Hertfordshire
2002		 Succeeded by
Susanna, Lady Lyell of Markyate
Preceded by
Sir Simon Bowes-Lyon		 Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire
2007–2017		 Succeeded by
Robert Voss
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