Charlotte, Lady Campbell-Bannerman

Sarah Charlotte, Lady Campbell-Bannerman (née Bruce; 1832 – 30 August 1906) was the wife of British Prime Minister Henry Campbell-Bannerman.

She was the daughter of Major-General Sir Charles Bruce, KCB, sometime Governor of Portsmouth, and his wife Charlotte, daughter of James Forbes, of Hutton Hall, Essex, and Kingairloch, Argyll. She married the future Prime Minister on 13 September 1860, at All Souls Church, Langham Place, London.

In early married life, her parties in Grosvenor Square, London were regarded as events of importance, and during the winter at Belmont Castle, Meigle, Perthshire she and her husband received their friends and neighbours for many years. She guided and influenced her husband throughout their marriage to a considerable degree. Intelligent and cultured, she speedily mastered many subjects and was an instinctively shrewd judge of character. Sir Henry discussed with her all the crises which arose in his political life, and she became closely associated with all her husband's plans, jealously guarding his interests and resenting the least supposed slight to his reputation. Her aspirations for his success compensated for his lack of ambition. Years later he told John Morley that Charlotte's contentment was more important to him than his life. However, she was content to remain comparatively unknown, appearing on few public platforms and taking no open part in her husband's electioneering campaigns.

In 1884, Sir Henry accepted the Chief Secretaryship for Ireland only at her urging, despite Rosebery writing to tell him it was "the most disagreeable post in the public service".

Lady Campbell-Bannerman, described as a rather plain, stout woman, was well-versed in art, and the couple frequently spent their holidays in visiting their old châteaux of France. Belmont, their much-loved Scottish home, was full of ancient French furniture and curios obtained during their frequent visits to the Continent. She spoke French fluently and, like her husband, was well-versed in French literature. She was very fond of Belmont, and in her later years was wheeled about the beautiful grounds in her bath chair. Fruit, flowers, and vegetables were regularly sent south during her residence in London, and a choice bloom of her favourite flower, a white gardenia, was posted to her daily. At Belmont, she and the prime minister walked together in the grounds when state duties permitted him some breathing space, and the evenings were spent quietly in her boudoir.

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