The Viceroy's Daughters

The Viceroy's Daughters by Anne de Courcy explores the fascinating lives of Irene, Cynthia, and Alexandra, the three daughters of Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India from 1898 to 1905. These sisters were entwined in the glamorous and tumultuous world of the Twenties and Thirties.

Irene, born in 1896, was known for her love affairs within the prestigious Melton Mowbray hunting set. Cynthia, born in 1898 and affectionately called "Cimmie", married Oswald Mosley. She followed him from the Labour Party into the realm of fascism.

Alexandra, or "Baba", the youngest sister born in 1904, was renowned for her beauty. She married Fruity Metcalfe, the best friend of the Prince of Wales. Following Cimmie's untimely death in 1933, Baba embarked on a passionate affair with Mosley himself, and engaged in a liaison with Count Dino Grandi, Mussolini’s ambassador to London. During this period, she also attracted the romantic attentions of Lord Halifax, the Foreign Secretary.

During the war, the sisters were based at "the Dorch" (the Dorchester Hotel), where they dedicated themselves to good works. By the end of their remarkable lives, both Irene and Baba had become, perhaps unexpectedly, stalwarts of the establishment. Notably, in 1958, Irene was honoured as one of the very first Life Peers for her contributions to youth clubs.