PUBLICITY SHY RADICAL AND THE CATWALK STARS

Muriel, Countess de la Warr and her greatgreat-granddaughters Idina Moncreiffe, 25, and sister Alexandra, 21.

THE Countess was born into an illustrious family. She was the daughter of Thomas Brassey, the 1st Earl of Brassey, Lord of the Admiralty. Her grandfather was the tycoon railway contractor Thomas Brassey. She made an appropriate match, aged 18, with Gilbert, the 8th Earl De La Warr, with whom she had three children.

Eleven years later, however, when she found her husband had cheated on her with an actress, she divorced him and joined the Labour Party. It was unheard of for a woman of her class and time.

Muriel, her younger sister Louise and her daughter Idina were all founder members of the East Grinstead Suffrage Union in 1913.

Muriel originally supported the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) but left during their arson campaign, of which she disapproved. The heiress, a peaceful sort who preferred to remain in the background, bankrolled the only newspaper on the women’s side, the Daily Herald, thus ensuring vital publicity.

Her great-great-granddaughters, however, have chosen a life in the limelight. Idina Moncreiffe, 25, and her sister, Alexandra, 21, are both models with Select agency. Educated at Yorkshire Catholic public school Ampleforth, they were brought up on a Perthshire estate. They are the daughters of City grandee the Hon Peregrine Moncreiffe and his wife, artist Miranda Fox-Pitt.

Idina (right) has appeared in Vogue and modelled for Vivienne Westwood and Simone Rocha. Alexandra has been a Tatler cover girl and modelled for Lanvin, Diesel and Fred Perry.