Our Patron

We are very honoured that our Patron is Her Majesty The Queen. 

Her Majesty Queen Camilla is the great-great-granddaughter of Lord Ashcombe, one of six Founders of St Catherine’s School which opened in 1885.

This personal and historical connection with St Catherine’s led to Her Majesty The Queen bestowing her patronage on St Catherine’s.  She visited in February 2014 to dedicate the Anniversary Halls, our exceptional music, drama and sports facilities at which point she was Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cornwall.  Whilst visiting she generously met with both Prep and Senior School girls, who were delighted to make her acquaintance.  We are looking forward to her return to St Catherine’s in the very near future.

Her Majesty The Queen’s great-great grandfather, Lord Ashcombe (1828-1917) was the son of Thomas Cubitt a famous master builder who developed Belgravia in London. Lord Ashcombe was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, he became an MP for West Surrey and was elevated to the Lords as Baron Ashcombe of Dorking and of Bodiam Castle, having been invested as a Privy Counsellor in 1880.  He also served as Honorary Colonel of the Royal West Surrey Regiment and Deputy Lieutenant of the counties of Surrey and Middlesex.

Lord Ashcombe, with his wife Laura were founders and one of the largest benefactors of St Catherine’s School. Lady Ashcombe gave £1,000 (equivalent to £16,000 today) to build a Medical Centre – now our Music School!  On his wife’s death Baron Ashcombe dedicated a stained-glass window of St Cecilia to our Chapel in memory of his wife.