SIMON BOWES - LYON'S GLAMIS CASTLE CRIME SHOCKS THE QUEEN'S FAMILY

In January 2021, a disturbing incident unfolded at the historic Glamis Castle, the ancestral home of the Bowes-Lyon family, which is also linked to the British royal lineage. Simon Bowes, known as the 19th Earl of Strathmore, a second cousin twice removed of the Queen, found himself at the center of a serious legal case after he admitted to committing a sexual assault on a woman during a social event hosted at the castle.

The victim, who was attending the event as a guest, was present at Glamis Castle from February 11 to 13, when the incident occurred. The event was organized by a luxury travel magazine and included various entertainment activities such as helicopter rides, gin tastings, and the showcasing of Bowes-Lyon’s Jaguar F-type. The atmosphere was intended to be festive and luxurious, but it was marred by the subsequent criminal act.

According to court proceedings, the assault took place in the early hours of February 13. The woman, who had gone to bed around 11:30 pm, was abruptly awakened in the middle of the night by a heavily intoxicated Bowes-Lyon. She did not show any signs of interest or consent, yet Bowes-Lyon entered her room, claiming, “It’s Sam, it’s important, please let me in,” before forcing his way inside. Once inside, he pushed her onto the bed and began to physically assault her.

The court heard that Bowes-Lyon, who reeked of cigarettes and was visibly drunk, grabbed her breasts and nipples with force and attempted to lift her nightdress. Despite her repeated pleas for him to leave, he refused and continued his assault. The woman tried to escape by going to the bathroom, but Bowes-Lyon followed her, lit a cigarette, and pushed her against a wall. During this ordeal, he also touched her indecently and made threatening remarks, including a statement that he was going to “f*** you,” and later, that she needed to be “shafted.”

In her distress, the woman attempted to contact her boyfriend via WhatsApp due to poor mobile signal, but Bowes-Lyon continued to refuse to leave her alone. When she told him to “f*** off,” he responded with insults, calling her “rude, mean, bad and horrible.” A fellow guest, who later found the woman visibly shaken, witnessed her distress. Bowes-Lyon initially denied the incident but later sent an email to the guest, including an apology intended for the woman.

Following the incident, police were contacted. Bowes-Lyon, who identified himself as a farmer during police interviews, declined to comment and gave a “no comment” response. He was subsequently charged and pleaded guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court to multiple charges, including repeatedly pushing the woman onto a bed, forcibly grabbing her breasts, attempting to lift her nightdress, pushing her against a wall, touching her indecently, and trying to kiss her.

His plea resulted in him being placed on the sex offender’s register. Sheriff Carmichael deferred sentencing until February to allow for reports to be prepared. Meanwhile, Bowes-Lyon was released on bail and remains on the sex offender’s register as the legal process continues.