Anastasia de Torby

Anastasia Mikhailovna
Anastasia Mikhailovna
Countess de Torby; Lady Anastasia Mikhailovna Wernher
	Portrait by Philip de László, 1913
Born	9 September 1892; Wiesbaden, Hesse-Nassau, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died	7 December 1977 (aged 85); 15 Grosvenor Square, London, England
Spouse	Sir Harold Wernher, 3rd Bt (m. 1917; died 1973)
Countess Sophie Nikolaievna of Merenberg

Lady Anastasia Mikhailovna Wernher CBE (née Countess Anastasia Mikhailovna de Torby; 9 September 1892 – 7 December 1977), also known as Lady Zia Wernher, was a German-born Russian-British aristocrat and thoroughbred racehorse owner.

She was the elder daughter of

Countess Sophie Nikolaievna of Merenberg. She was the owner of Charlottown, winner of the 1966 Epsom Derby

.

Early life

Born on 9 September 1892 in

banishment from Russia, Sophie was made Countess de Torby by her uncle, Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Due to her unequal birth, Zia was unable to inherit her father's title or rank, but was able to inherit her mother's Luxembourgish comital title. She had two younger siblings; Nadejda, who married George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven, and Michael

.

In 1900, the family moved to England, leasing Keele Hall in Staffordshire, and later Kenwood House in Hampstead in 1910. The family also spent part of the year in Cannes.^[1]

Marriage and family

On 20 July 1917, Zia married

Royal Warrant of Precedence granting Zia the style, title, place, pre-eminence and precedence as the daughter of an earl.^[3]

From then she was known as Lady Anastasia Mikhailovna Wernher or more commonly Lady Zia Wernher.

Having already inherited his family fortune and seat, Luton Hoo, Harold inherited the Wernher Baronetcy upon the death of his brother, Derrick, in 1948. Zia's father lost much of his fortune in the Russian Revolution and had to be financially supported by his wealthy son-in-law. Their other homes included Thorpe Lubenham Hall in Northamptonshire, Someries House in Regent's Park and Downie Park in Angus, Scotland.

Zia and her husband had three children:

George Michael Alexander Wernher (22 August 1918 – 4 December 1942), a godson of King George V, killed in action in during World War II^[4]
Georgina Wernher (17 October 1919 – 28 April 2011), married, firstly, Harold Phillips, had issue, secondly, Sir George Kennard, 3rd Bt, no issue
Myra Alice Wernher (18 March 1925 – 29 July 2022), married Sir David Butter, had issue

Her descendants include the 7th Duke of Westminster and the heirs apparent to the dukedom of Abercorn and the earldom of Dalhousie.

Later life

Lady Zia was a successful owner and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses, and she was Champion Owner in 1955 and 1966. The best horses to run in her colours included Precipitation, Persian Gulf, Meld, who won the Filly Triple Crown in 1955, and Charlottown, who won the Epsom Derby in 1966. The family owned Someries Stud in Newmarket and Blackhall Stud in County Kildare.

During World War II, she was County President of the St John Ambulance Brigade of Leicestershire.^[1] During the war, her son was killed in action while serving with the 17th/21st Lancers on the Tunisian campaign. Their London home, Someries House, was damaged in the Blitz and subsequently demolished. The site is today home to the headquarters of the Royal College of Physicians.

For her services with the St John Ambulance, she was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1946 New Year Honours.^[5] She was promoted to a Commander (CBE) in the 1956 New Year Honours for political and public service in Bedfordshire.^[6]

The Wernhers were lifelong friends of the royal family, sharing both ancestry and a passion for horseracing. Zia and her husband were regarded as "honorary aunt and uncle" to

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip would often spend their wedding anniversary at Luton Hoo. In the autumn of 1977, Zia realized she would not be strong enough to host the royal couple for their 30th anniversary. She made the arrangements and left it to her grandson and his wife to host. She died weeks later on 6 December 1977 at the age of 85 at 15 Grosvenor Square.^[1] Her funeral was held on 10 December at St Mary's Church, Luton.^[7] She was interred in the Wernher Mausoleum in Holy Trinity Churchyard, East Hyde

, Bedfordshire.

Lady Zia Wernher School in Luton is named after her.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Anastasia de Torby

8.

Natalya Nikolaevna Goncharova

References

^
Faber and Faber
.
^ "Wedding of Countess Anastasia de Torby and Major-General Sir Harold Wernher". World War One: Great War Stories. The Culture Trust. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
^ "No. 30313". The London Gazette. 28 September 1917. p. 10046.
^ "Captain George Alexander Michael Wernher". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
^ "No. 37412". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1945. p. 285.
^ "No. 40669". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1955. p. 12.
^ "WERNHER". The Times. 8 December 1977.

Bibliography

Alexander, Grand Duke of Russia, Once a Grand Duke, Cassell, London, 1932.
Chavchavadze, David, The Grand Dukes, Atlantic, 1989;
ISBN 0-938311-11-5

Crawford Rosemary and Donald, Michael and Natasha, Phoenix, 1998;
ISBN 0-380-73191-6

Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh (editor), Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, Burke's Peerage, London, 1973;
ISBN 0-220-66222-3

[Trevelyan-1] 
Faber and Faber
.

[2] "Wedding of Countess Anastasia de Torby and Major-General Sir Harold Wernher". World War One: Great War Stories. The Culture Trust. Retrieved 5 August 2022.

[3] "No. 30313". The London Gazette. 28 September 1917. p. 10046.

[4] "Captain George Alexander Michael Wernher". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 4 August 2022.

[5] "No. 37412". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1945. p. 285.

[6] "No. 40669". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1955. p. 12.

[7] "WERNHER". The Times. 8 December 1977.

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