About Lady Foley
Alexandra Foley named her venture Lady Foley Grand Tour as a tribute to past and present Lady Foley's.
The current Lady Foley's are Alexandra's American mother Patricia, Lady Foley; her stepmother The Lady (known as Bebe) Foley and Lady (Ann) Foley who is married to Alexandra's cousin General Sir John Foley KCB, OBE, MC, DL.
The 1st Baron Foley of Kidderminster (Worcestershire), Thomas Foley, was ennobled in 1712 for his good works and philanthropy made possible by his considerable fortune accrued from the Foley families success in the iron industry. The title died out in 1766 but was created for the second time in 1776 for a cousin, also Thomas Foley. Alexandra Foley's father, Adrian Gerald Foley is the 8th Baron and her brother Thomas will inherit the title, which is one of the oldest peerages in England.
The many Lady Foley's throughout the two creations of the Barony have been distinguished personages in their own right. In the 19th Century Lady (Emily) Foley of Stoke Edith was an influential landowner in the Malvern area and the Foleys had their own railway station at their Stoke Edith Estate. Lady Foley was a key sponsor of the station at Great Malvern and had her own waiting room which still exists to this day.
Alexandra's paternal grandmother Minoru Foley married Gerald, the 7th Baron Foley and she became a grand society figure known for her extravagant tastes, particularly in fashion. Lady Foley's frequent trips to Paris resulted in her acquiring a vast collection of haute couture dresses including those by the great couturier Madeleine Vionnet. Several of Lady Foley's dresses made for her by Madeleine Vionnet were bought for the nation by the Victoria and Albert Museum three years ago.
Alexandra's late stepmother, Ghislaine, married to her father, was a well-known society beauty of the 1950's and a celebrity panelist on the original television show 'What's My Line?'
