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Obituary: Lord Charles O’Hagan, Godson of Queen Elizabeth II, Dies at 79
Lord Charles O’Hagan, a godson of the late Queen Elizabeth II and a former Member of the European Parliament, has died at the age of 79. He reportedly sustained a severe head injury prior to his passing.
Details of Death and Cause
Charles Towneley Strachey O’Hagan, known as Lord Charles O’Hagan, passed away on March 23 at North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple, South West England, according to reports.
The official cause of death was recorded as a subdural hematoma, a medical condition characterized by blood vessel rupture and subsequent blood accumulation on the brain’s surface, typically resulting from a head injury. The circumstances surrounding the injury remain unclear.
Royal Connection and Early Life
A prominent politician, Lord O’Hagan shared a close relationship with Queen Elizabeth II, having been christened as her godson when she was still Princess Elizabeth.
Educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford, his foray into politics was influenced by his paternal grandfather, Maurice Towneley-O’Hagan, the 3rd Baron O’Hagan.
Political Career
Lord O’Hagan dedicated a significant portion of his career to public service, notably serving as a Member of the European Parliament for Devon on two separate occasions: from 1973 to 1975 and again from 1979 to 1994.
His mother, Lady Mary Sophia Palmer, maintained a close association with the Royal Family, serving as Lady-in-Waiting to then-Princess Elizabeth from 1944 to 1947. She later held the position of Extra Lady-in-Waiting until 1949.
Lady Mary played a role in the care of Princess Elizabeth following the birth of King Charles III at Buckingham Palace in 1948.
This enduring royal connection led to Princess Elizabeth becoming godmother to Charles O’Hagan. He later served as Page of Honor to the Queen following her coronation in 1953, a ceremonial duty he fulfilled from 1959 to 1962.
In 1960, he was photographed carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s train during the Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle.
Family and Marriages
In his personal life, Lord O’Hagan was married three times.
His first marriage in 1967 was to Georgian Princess Tamar Bagration-Imeretinsky. They divorced in 1984 and had a daughter, Nino Natalia O’Hagan Strachey, born in 1968.
He married Mary Claire Roose-Francis in 1985, with the marriage ending in divorce a decade later.
His third marriage was to Elizabeth Lesley Eve Smith in 1995. They remained married until his death.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Godchildren
Throughout her life, Queen Elizabeth II had 30 godchildren, including her nephew, David Armstrong-Jones, son of her sister, Princess Margaret, and Earl Spencer.
While the identities of all her godchildren have not been publicly disclosed, Lord Charles O’Hagan’s connection as one of them was well-known.
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, passed away in September 2022 at the age of 96.