Denys Gravenor Rhodes (9 July 1919 – 30 October 1981) was an English writer. He was best known for his

novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...

''The Syndicate'', which was adapted into a 1968 film.

Early life and background

Rhodes was born in Ireland, the son of (Arthur) Tahu Gravenor Rhodes, MVO (d. 1947), a solicitor and Captain in the

Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...

, by his wife, Hon. Helen Cecil Olive, eldest daughter of the 5th Lord Plunket,

Governor of New Zealand A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...

from 1904 to 1910. His paternal grandfather was the New Zealand politician Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes OBE and his granduncle was the politician and pastoralist William Barnard Rhodes. Rhodes served in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

with the

Rifle Brigade The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...

, fighting in North Africa and Italy.

Personal life

He was married twice. His first marriage was to actress

Rachel Gurney Rachel Gurney (5 March 1920 – 24 November 2001) was an English actress. She began her career in the theatre towards the end of World War II and then expanded into television and film in the 1950s. She remained active, mostly in television a ...

in 1946. The couple had a daughter, Sharon Gurney. The marriage was annulled in 1950. His second marriage was on 31 July 1950 to The Honourable Margaret Elphinstone (1925–2016), a

first cousin A cousin is a relative who is the child of a parent's sibling; this is more specifically referred to as a first cousin. A parent of a first cousin is an aunt or uncle. More generally, in the lineal kinship, kinship system used in the English-s ...

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. ...

served as a bridesmaid. The couple had four children and one grandson: *Annabel Margaret Rhodes (born 21 February 1952); served as a bridesmaid to

in 1960. She married Christopher James Downing Strickland-Skailes in 1978. They have one son. She remarried G. V. Charles Cope in 1986. **Andrew James Downing Strickland-Skailes (born 1980) *Victoria Ann Rhodes (born 27 September 1953), a goddaughter of

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

; married Nicholas Deans in 1974. *Simon John Gravenor Rhodes (born 22 February 1957), a godson of

; married Susan Simon in 1983, who was appointed as an extra

lady-in-waiting A lady-in-waiting (alternatively written lady in waiting) or court lady is a female personal assistant at a Royal court, court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking nobility, noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was o ...

to Queen Elizabeth II in July 2017. *Michael Andrew Gravenor Rhodes (born 8 June 1960) After his second marriage, Rhodes lived and wrote at Uplowman HouseDebrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage 1963, Kelly's Directories, pg 453 and pg 961 at Uplowman in

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

, until inoperable

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

led to a move nearer

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. They were offered The Garden House in

Windsor Great Park Windsor Great Park is a Royal Park of to the south of the town of Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. It is adjacent to the private Home Park, Windsor, Home Park, which is nearer the castle. The park ...

by the Queen, where his wife continued to live until her own death in 2016, and where she wrote her 2011 memoir, ''The Final Curtsey''.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rhodes, Denys 1919 births 1981 deaths English writers Moorhouse–Rhodes family