William Chaine

Chaine was born in Antrim in 1838, the son of William Chaine, of Moylina, Co. Antrim, and was a Lieutenant of the Antrim Artillery Militia in his early teens. He was commissioned as a Cornet in the 7th Dragoon Guards in December 1856,[2] promoted to Lieutenant in October 1857,[3] and Captain (by purchase) in May 1864.[4]

One month later, in June 1864, he exchanged from the Dragoon guards to the 10th Hussars,[5] where he remained until he retired from the army.

In October 1877 came a Brevet promotion to Major.[6] He retired from the army in July 1881,[7] and received the honorary rank of Lieutenant-colonel.[8] On 4 March 1881 Chaine was appointed Marshal of the Ceremonies to Queen Victoria,[9] and in 1887 he advanced to Assistant Master of the Ceremonies to the Queen. He resigned shortly after the accession of King Edward VII in 1901.[1]

He was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) by King Edward VII in July 1901[10] (the order was gazetted 16 August 1901).[11]

Chaine was married, in the Private Chapel, Kensington Palace, on 4 December 1872,[12] to Maria Henrietta Sophia Phipps (1837-1915), widow of Captain Frederick Sayer, and the daughter of Sir Charles Beaumont Phipps, KCB (1801-1866) by his wife Margaret Anne (née Bathurst). They had a son, W. R. Chaine.

Mrs. Chaine held the office of Keeper of the State Apartments at Kensington Palace, and was close to Queen Alexandra and other royal family members.[13] The couple were allowed the use of a grace and favour appartement at the palace, a rare gift.[14] She died at Kensington Palace 21 December 1915,[15] and he himself died at Kensington Palace in July the following year.[16]