Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby


Nancy Jane Marie Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby is an English peer. She is a holder of the office of Lord Great Chamberlain, which is currently exercised by the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley.

Family

She is the daughter of James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster, and the Hon. Nancy Phyllis Louise Astor. Her brother Timothy Gilbert, heir apparent of the Earldom of Ancaster, was lost at sea in 1963.

Adult life

Lady Jane was one of the six Maids of Honour at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
She succeeded according to the modern doctrine as 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby and as the sixth female holder of the barony on her father's death in 1983. She inherited divided between Lincolnshire and Perthshire and was ranked 1572nd in a list of richest people in 2008 forming the annual report of the Sunday Times, citing her wealth as £48,000,000. The report includes domiciled and non-domiciled visitors believed to be in the UK at the start of each year. Her father left net assets subjected to tax to his heirs on his death attested as £1,486,694.
In 1987, she became a patron of King Edward VI School in Spilsby. She served as Deputy Lieutenant of Lincolnshire.
She is a joint hereditary Lord Great Chamberlain and may sit in one in four reigns in the House of Lords as a crossbencher; her relevant noble family tree back to 1789 features in that article as the office was split by decision of the House of Lords between General Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. She has not been elected as one of the 90 hereditary peers to occupy a lifetime seat.
Baroness Willoughby de Eresby is unmarried and without issue. This leaves co-heirs presumptive of the peerage Sebastian St Maur Miller, her older aunt's grandson, and Sir John Aird, 4th Baronet, her younger aunt's son. They will share in the Lord Great Chamberlain's quarter-interest, leaving them one eighth of the role each, ranking them second behind the Marquess of Cholmondeley, who takes the role in every alternate reign.