Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An impressive ‘Royal Service’ K.C.V.O. and Great War D.S.O., O.B.E. group of twelve awarded to Major Sir Edward Seymour, late Grenadier Guards, Knighted in 1934 for his services as Comptroller to Princess Victoria and successively as Extra Equerry to Queen Alexandra, King George V, King Edward VIII and King George VI; he was wounded in South Africa in May 1900, and commanded the Grenadier Guards Bearer Party at the funeral of Queen Victoria in March 1901

The Royal Victorian Order, K.C.V.O., Knight Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse officially numbered ‘K468’; and breast star, silver, silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse officially numbered ‘468’ and fitted with gold pin for wearing; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, with integral top riband bar; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, reverse hallmarked London 1919; Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (2/Lt. E. Seymour 1/Gren: Gds.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State (Lieut. E. Seymour, M.V.O., Gren. Gds.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut. E. Seymour, M.V.O. Gren. Gds.); 1914-15 Star (Capt. E. Seymour. G. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major E. Seymour.); Coronation 1911, unnamed; Jubilee 1935, unnamed; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (2nd Lieut. E. Seymour Grenadier Guards) mounted on card for display together with an M.V.O. 4th Class breast badge, silver-gilt, gold and enamels, the reverse officially numbered ‘1128’ [as awarded in January 1922] generally good very fine or better (14) £4,000-£5,000

K.C.V.O. 1 January 1934: ‘Edward Seymour, C.V.O., D.S.O., M.V.O., O.B.E., Comptroller to Princess Victoria and Extra Equerry to His Majesty.’

C.V.O. 26 November 1925: ‘Edward Seymour, D.S.O., M.V.O., O.B.E., Equerry to H.M. Queen Alexandra.’

M.V.O. 4th Class 2 January 1922: ‘Edward Seymour, D.S.O., M.V.O., O.B.E., Comptroller of the Household to H.R.H. The Duchess of Albany.’

D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1917.

O.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919: ‘Capt. (T/Maj.) Edward Seymour, M.V.O., D.S.O., Grenadier Guards.’

M.V.O. 5th Class 19 March 1901: ‘Lieutenant Edward Seymour, Grenadier Guards. Funeral of H.M. Queen Victoria; Commanded Bearer Party.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 15 June 1916, 4 January 1917, and 20 May 1918.

Edward Seymour was born on 10 February 1877, son of Lieutenant-Colonel L. R. Seymour. He was educated at Eton and entered the Army in 1897 as a Second Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards. He served in the campaign in the Sudan under Sir Herbert Kitchener in 1898, and was present at the battle of Khartoum (Queen’s medal and Khedive’s medal with Clasp). Served in South African War in 1900-02, and took part in operations in Orange Free State, April to May 1900; in Orange River Colony May 1900, including actions at Biddulphsberg, 29th May-wounded-invalided 18th June 1900. Whilst convalescing from his wound in England, Seymour had the honour of commanding the Colour Party of the Grenadier Guards at the funeral of Queen Victoria in March 1901, before returning to South Africa to serve the final stages of the war in Cape Colony, December 1901 to May 1902.

Promoted to Captain in the Grenadier Guards in June 1904, he resigned his commission in May 1908, and was appointed Comptroller to the Household of H.R.H. The Duchess of Albany in November of the same year. He carried the Duchess of Albany’s coronet at King George’s coronation in 1911. Recalled from the Reserve of Officers in August 1914, he was appointed Brigade Major on 28 December 1914. He served in France from 6 November 1915, was mentioned in despatches three times and awarded the D.S.O. Promoted to temporary Major (Guards) 25 February 1918, and confirmed as Major on 20 April 1919, he was created O.B.E. in June 1919.

Seymour was made M.V.O. 4th Class for his services to The Duchess of Albany in January 1922, and appointed Equerry to H.M. Queen Alexandra on 1 January 1923. He was appointed to be C.V.O. in November 1925 and, shortly afterwards, on 1 December, appointed to the office of Comptroller to H.R.H. Princess Victoria and created a K.C.V.O. for these services in January 1934. He held the appointment as Extra Equerry to King George V, King Edward VIII, and to King George VI.

Edward Seymour married, 29 July 1905, Lady Blanche Conyngham, daughter of 4th Marquess Conyngham. They had a daughter, Verena Mary Doyne, born 24 May 1906, and a son, John Edward, born on 18 October 1915. Sir Edward Seymour died on 28 February 1948.