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]