Lady Elizabeth Shakerley
A society fixture who turned party planning into a high art, orchestrating some of London's most dazzling and discreet events for decades.
1941–2020 (age 79)·British party planner and socialite·Birthday: June 7·The Silent Generation
Biography
Lady Elizabeth Shakerley operated in the rarefied world where aristocracy met the new wealth of the late 20th century. A cousin of the Queen and sister to society photographer Lord Lichfield, she possessed an innate understanding of the unspoken rules and theatrical potential of high society. She leveraged this into a profession, founding a party planning company that became synonymous with exclusive, flawlessly executed events. Her client list was a roll-call of European royalty, British nobility, and global tycoons who trusted her taste and discretion implicitly. More than an organizer, she was a creator of atmosphere, known for transforming venues into immersive fantasies. She also authored books on entertaining, distilling her philosophy that a great party was a form of generous communication. In a life spent at the intersection of tradition and glamour, she became the indispensable architect of London's most coveted social moments.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Lady was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lady Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Lady's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 60
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 70
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Died at 79
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Founded and ran a premier party planning company that organized events for European royalty and international high society.
- Authored several influential books on style and entertaining, including 'The Perfect Party.'
- Served as a lady-in-waiting to Princess Alexandra, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.
- Was a recognized arbiter of taste and style, frequently featured in publications like Tatler and Vogue.
Did You Know?
She was a first cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth II through her mother's lineage.
Her brother was Patrick Anson, 5th Earl of Lichfield, a noted society photographer.
She was a godmother to several children within the British aristocracy.
She was known for her distinctive, elegant personal style and was often photographed at major society events.
“A good party is a perfect illusion of effortless magic.”
