Veronica Bingham, The Countess of Lucan

The Right Honourable The Countess of Lucan
Lady Lucan with her husband, John, in 1963
Born	Veronica Mary Duncan (1937-05-03)3 May 1937 Bournemouth, England
Died	26 September 2017(2017-09-26) (aged 80) London, England
Spouse(s)	John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan (m. 1963; separated 1974)
Issue	3, including George Bingham, 8th Earl of Lucan and Camilla Bloch
Occupation	Photographic assistant (formerly)

Veronica, Countess of Lucan, known as Lady Lucan (née Duncan; 3 May 1937 – 26 September 2017), was the wife of the 7th Earl of Lucan, an Anglo-Irish peer. She became widely known following the events of 1974, when her husband attacked her and the family’s nanny. Lady Lucan survived the attack, but the nanny was killed. Lord Lucan disappeared shortly afterwards, leading to one of the most enduring mysteries in British history.

Biography

Lady Lucan was born on 3 May 1937 in Bournemouth, England, as Veronica Mary Duncan, to Major Charles Moorhouse Duncan and Thelma Watt. Her parents divorced when she was young and she and her sister, Christina, had a somewhat challenging childhood.

In her early twenties, Duncan moved to London, where she worked as a photographic assistant. Duncan married John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan in 1963 and she thence became known as Lady Lucan, although officially she was Countess Lucan. The couple had three children. The marriage faced difficulties and by 1972 they were separated.

The 1974 murder and attack

On 7 November 1974, Sandra Rivett, the family’s nanny, was found murdered in the Lucan family home. Lady Lucan was also attacked but managed to escape and informed the authorities that her husband was the assailant. Lord Lucan disappeared shortly after the attack and despite extensive searches, was never found. His disappearance remains one of the most famous unsolved cases in British criminal history.

Aftermath and later life

Immediate aftermath

Following the 1974 attack in her Belgravia home, Lady Lucan was left with injuries from the violent incident. Lord Lucan's disappearance left her in a state of uncertainty and subject to immense public and media scrutiny as she dealt with the traumatic event’s aftermath.

Lady Lucan’s life became the subject of widespread fascination and press attention. In the years following the attack, she faced complex legal battles, primarily around the custody of her three children and her financial security. Initially, she lost custody of her children to Lord Lucan’s sister and brother-in-law, who argued that she was unfit due to her fragile mental health. After a lengthy legal struggle, she regained custody of her children in 1982, when the courts ruled in her favour, deeming her capable of providing a stable environment.

Financial matters related to Lord Lucan’s estate also proved challenging. Lord Lucan’s status remained legally unresolved for decades due to his disappearance, which prevented Lady Lucan from receiving any widow’s inheritance or estate benefits. It wasn’t until 1999, 25 years after his disappearance, that Lord Lucan was formally declared dead, which allowed for some financial resolution. However, the years of legal restrictions contributed to her reported financial difficulties in later life. The ongoing media interest and legal proceedings placed her under continuous public scrutiny, making it difficult for her to move beyond the traumatic events of 1974.

Isolation, and the ITV documentary

Estranged from many friends and family and with strained relationships with her children, Lady Lucan reportedly led a solitary life in the years following the attack. Her social circle dwindled and she became a figure largely associated with the sensational and tragic events of 1974. However in 2017, she agreed to participate in an ITV documentary titled My Husband, the Truth, in which she revisited her memories of the attack and provided insights into her marriage and her perspective on Lord Lucan’s disappearance. Filmed shortly before her death, the documentary marked one of her last public reflections on her life and the Lucan case, in which she openly discussed her theories on Lucan’s fate and her experience living under the shadow of his alleged crimes.

Death and legacy

Lady Lucan spent her final years living alone in London. Believing she had undiagnosed Parkinson's disease, she died by suicide on 26 September 2017, aged 80.

In her will Lady Lucan left her entire fortune to the homeless charity Shelter.

Memoir

Lady Lucan’s memoir, A Moment in Time, was published posthumously in 2017, shortly after her death. The book reflects on her troubled marriage to Lord Lucan and the events that led to the murder of the family’s nanny, Sandra Rivett. It also touches on her personal experiences, her estrangement from her children and the ongoing mystery surrounding her husband’s disappearance.

Titles

• 1937 - 1961 - Miss Veronica Duncan
• 1961 - 1963 - Viscountess Bingham
• 1963 - 2016 - The Right Honourable The Countess of Lucan
• 2016 - 2017 - The Right Honourable The Dowager Countess of Lucan