Lady Ursula Tenby, 93, whose husband was grandson of former PM David Lloyd George died after falling in her bedroom while adjusting a slipper, coroner rules

• Lady Ursula Tenby slipped and fell at her home in Condall, Hampshire last year
• She died in hospital on July 29, 2022, two days after falling in her bedroom  

Lady Ursula Tenby – whose husband is the grandson of former Prime Minister, David Lloyd George – died after accidentally falling in the bedroom of her home while adjusting a slipper, a coroner ruled today.

The 93-year-old who died on July 29 last year, was the wife of the 3rd Viscount Tenby, William Lloyd George, whose father served as Home Secretary under Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden.

The inquest, held at Portsmouth Coroner’s Court, was presided over by area coroner Jason Pegg who told how, on the morning of July 27 last year, Lady Tenby fell in her bedroom at the Hampshire family home, The White House in Crondall, while adjusting her slipper. She cut her head on the dressing table as she fell.

Her daughter, Clare, who was in the house at the time, heard the fall and was there within seconds, discovering her mother on her back but conscious. There was a small cut to the back of Lady Ursula’s head which was bleeding but did not seem major.

The coroner said that Clare initially took her mother to the minor injuries unit in Haslemere, Surrey, but was advised to go to A&E at the Royal County Hospital in Guildford where an initial CT scan showed there was no bleed or abnormalities – just the minor laceration to Lady Tenby’s head which was repaired with glue.

Lady Ursula Tenby died two days after she fell at home in July 2022. Her inquest at Portsmouth Coroner’s Court heard she accidentally fell over while adjusting a slipper

Lady Ursula’s husband was the grandson of former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George

In a statement to the inquest Dr Keira Welman, who examined Lady Tenby, said: ‘The first CT scan was normal. There were no concerning neurological features but it was advised that Lady Tenby spend the night in hospital over concerns in relation to her heart at the time.’

The inquest then heard how Lady Ursula deteriorated overnight, complaining the next morning of feeling unwell and very sick. Clare sat with her mother for a few hours and a further CT scan that day showed a large, left-side subdural heamotoma – where blood is pushed against the brain causing it to become starved of oxygen.

Lady Tenby sadly passed away on July 29.

In giving his conclusion, Mr Pegg read a statement from Viscount Tenby – who was one of the 90 elected hereditary peers to remain in the House of Lords after the House of Lords Act 1999 – describing Lady Ursula as a ‘much loved wife, mother and grandmother who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a few years ago but remained relatively active until the end of her life.

‘She enjoyed walking in the garden every day and undertaking some household chores which she was keen to do,’ he wrote.

Continuing his conclusion, the coroner said: ‘Lady Ursula Diana Ethel Tenby was in relatively good health for someone of her age. I find as a fact that on the morning of July 27 she suffered a fall in her bedroom, striking her head on the dressing table causing a minor laceration.

‘It seems to me that it was this head injury which led to a subdural heamatoma. I’m also going to record that her frailty contributed to her death. But it seems to me that it was an accidental fall and therefore the appropriate conclusion in this case is one of accident.’

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