Queen Elizabeth Locked Away Her Disabled Cousins In An Asylum

The Queen's hidden cousins, Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon, were members of the British royal family who lived much of their lives away from the public eye. Daughters of the Queen Mother's brother, John Bowes-Lyon, and his wife, Fenella, they were born with severe developmental disabilities. In 1941, both sisters were placed in the Royal Earlswood Asylum for Mental Defectives, where they remained for the rest of their lives. Their existence was largely unknown to the public until it was revealed in the 1980s, sparking controversy and discussion about the royal family's handling of the situation. Despite their royal blood, Nerissa and Katherine were listed as deceased in the peerage records in 1963, even though they were still alive, which further fueled speculation and criticism about their treatment and the secrecy surrounding their lives. #royalfamily