Queen Elizabeth II's cousins: The tragic royal secret revealed

Although Prince Harry sought to reveal the monarchy's darker aspects through a series of interviews, the tragedy that befell his grandmother's cousins remains less known to many.

In September 2022, the world was shaken by the news of Queen Elizabeth II's death. The monarch, who had reigned for over seven decades, died at 96, leaving behind a legacy of discretion and secrecy, especially in matters concerning the monarchy. This discretion was evident in her handling of scandals involving the unfaithful Prince Charles or his brother Prince Andrew. Yet, these controversies pale in comparison to the story of Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon.

Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon, daughters of John Herbert Bowes-Lyon and his wife Fenella, were the Queen's first cousins. Despite their royal lineage, they experienced little compassion from the family. Their birth and subsequent health issues were shrouded in secrecy due to their developmental challenges, both physically and intellectually, leading the monarchy to conceal their existence.

**SEE: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip's enduring partnership: Over 70 years of being treated as 'just a human being'**

In 1941, at the ages of 22 and 15 respectively, Nerissa and Katherine were admitted to the Royal Earlswood Hospital for Mental Health in Surrey. The royal family provided a mere $175 per year for their care. According to reports, the sisters were left unvisited, and their living conditions were far from acceptable. They remained in the hospital for the rest of their lives, and, with the monarchy's consent, "Burke’s Peerage" falsely announced their deaths in 1963 to avoid drawing attention to them.

Interestingly, the cousins seemed to understand more than expected. A nurse recalled that they would bow whenever the royal family appeared on TV.

Nerissa passed away in 1986 without an official funeral, buried in a grave marked only by her surname and a number. When this information surfaced a year later, a response from Queen Elizabeth II was eagerly awaited. Buckingham Palace then released a brief statement, acknowledging that the Queen was aware of her cousins' plight but indicated the Bowes-Lyon family had the final say in their affairs.

Katherine was later moved to a nursing home in Surrey in 1997, where she spent her final years, passing away in 2014 at the age of 87. The stories of the Queen's forgotten cousins were later featured in an episode of "The Crown" Season Four, bringing renewed attention to their poignant saga.