Peregrine Francis Adelbert Cust, 6th Baron Brownlow, often known as Perry Brownlow, was a British peer and courtier. He was the son of Adelbert Salusbury Cockayne Cust, 5th Baron Brownlow, and his wife Maud Buckle.
He was Mayor of Grantham from 1934-35. Brownlow also served as Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire from 1936 to 1950. During the 1930s Brownlow was a close friend and equerry to the Prince of Wales, and later Lord-in-waiting when he became King Edward VIII. The Prince spent many weekends at Brownlow's country house, Belton House, but it is not known whether or his future wife, Wallis Simpson, ever spent time at Belton. Upon Edward VIII's accession to the throne, Lord Brownlow became heavily involved in the abdication crisis which followed the new King's intention to marry Simpson. Brownlow personally accompanied Simpson on her flight to France to escape the media attention, and encouraged Simpson to renounce the idea of marriage to the King. Returning to England, Brownlow attempted to enlist the support of the King's mother Queen Mary, but she refused to receive him. Following the abdication, Lord Brownlow attempted to extricate himself from the former King's circle, refusing to attend the Duke of Windsor's marriage ceremony in 1937. For this Edward and his wife, now the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, regarded Brownlow as disloyal. The Duchess in particular never forgave the man who had once championed her.
Lacking the Duchess of Windsor's forgiveness following the abdication of Edward VIII was one thing; following the accession of the new monarch, King George VI, Brownlow read without prior warning in the Court Circular, that he had been replaced as the sovereign's lord-in-waiting. Telephoning Buckingham Palace for an explanation, he was given the curt information that his resignation had been accepted – but he had never tendered it. It was also made clear to him that the new king and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, had ordered that Brownlow's name was never to appear in the Court Circular again.
Personal life
Lord Brownlow married three times. He married firstly Katherine, daughter of Brigadier General Sir David Alexander Kinloch, 11th Baronet, in 1927. They had three children. After his first wife's death in 1952 he married secondly Dorothy, daughter of Thomas Sarsfield Power, in 1954. She died in 1966 and Brownlow married thirdly Leila Joan, Lady Manton, widow of George Miles Watson, 2nd Baron Manton and daughter of Major Philip Guy Reynolds, in 1969. He died in July 1978, aged 79, and was succeeded in his titles by his second but eldest surviving son Edward JohnPeregrine Cust, 7th Baron Brownlow. The National Trust are now the owners of Belton House, his seat.
