Lady Lola Bute, 22, says she never expected her father’s death from cancer because he was ‘so strong’ and ‘never even had a cold’ and says she ‘wouldn’t wish grief on her worst enemy’
- Lady Lola Bute, 22, revealed she ‘didn’t expect’ her father’s death from cancer
- Former racing driver John Crichton-Stuart, who also known as John Bute and Johnny Dumfries, died in March 2021, at the age of 62, after leukaemia relapse
- Her mother Serena added she’s been ‘half a person’ since her husband’s death
Society beauty Lady Lola Bute has opened up about the death of her father the Marquess of Bute saying that she didn’t ‘expected it’ because he ‘was strong’ and ‘never even had a cold’.
Former racing driver John Crichton-Stuart, who also known as John Bute and Johnny Dumfries, died in March 2021, at the age of 62, from cancer.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Lola, 22, whose mother is the fashion designer Serena Bute, explained she had a ‘niggling feeling of worry’ when she said goodbye to him at Christmas 2020, after the family spent the break together at their ancestral seat on the Isle of Bute.
‘At the ferry, I kept running back to give him another hug. There was something weird in me that was like “Imagine if this was the last time I ever hugged him”. And I then didn’t see him until the day [before] he died, because it was lockdown.’
Society beauty Lady Lola Bute has opened up about the death of her father the Marquess of Bute saying that she didn’t ‘expected it’ because he ‘was strong’ and ‘never even had a cold’, they are pictured together in 2020
Lola, 22, whose mother is the fashion designer Serena Bute, explained she had a ‘niggling feeling of worry’ when she said goodbye to him at Christmas 2020, after the family spent the break together at their ancestral seat on the Isle of Bute
Former racing driver John Crichton-Stuart, who also known as John Bute and Johnny Dumfries, died in March 2021, at the age of 62, from cancer. Lady Lola and her mother Serena are pictured at his funeral in April 2021
Sadly, the family thought John had beaten his leukaemia, when he relapsed.
‘I literally didn’t think it was going to happen until it happened,’ Lola added, ‘he was so strong. He was like our rock. He’d never even had a cold.’
Her mother Serena added that she feels like ‘half a person’ since losing her husband of 21 years and that she didn’t want to worry their children unnecessarily when the cancer returned.
‘I think he had hoped that even though he’d relapsed he’d just beat it. So we had this month here on our own, cuddled up together, which was in retrospect a really amazing time.’
She added it’s ‘easy to take someone for granted’ because you just ‘expect them to be there’ and that he ‘wanted the world for Lola’ and had ‘great faith in her’.
John also has daughters Caroline and Cathleen as well as son John (the new Marquis) from his first marriage to Carolyn Waddell. He also had step-children Jonathan and Jazzy De Lisser from Serena’s relationship with Robert De Lisser.
Lola Bute (centre) seen during the funeral procession of her father with her mother and siblings. From left: John Bryson Crichton-Stuart, 8th Marquess of Bute, Lady Caroline Crichton-Stuart, Serena Bute, Lady Lola, Lady Cathleen Crichton-Stuart, Jazzy Delisser and Jonathan Delisser
Happier times: Lady Lola is pictured with model Adwoa Aboah (second left), her father and photographer Felix Cooper in 2018
Serena Bute, Lola Bute (front) Jazzy de Lisser (back) and Johnny Bute are pictured in 2009 in London
Today, on what would have been his 64th birthday, the family are holding a memorial service in Bute, where a ‘beautiful’ gravestone has just been put up.
Lola was eight months sober when her father passed away – having sought help for ‘unhealthy coping mechanisms’ following the suicide of her boyfriend Kai Schachter and the accidental overdose of her best friend Ila Scheckter.
She had ‘put all her energy’ into a ball to raise awareness and money for mental health charities to avoid ‘anyone else feeling this pain’ which she ‘wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy’.
However, the balls were cancelled at the start of lockdown and she is now throwing the ball – in honour of Kai, Ila and her father – who was ‘very proud of it’.
Much missed: Society beauty Lady Lola Bute shared a heartfelt tribute to her father the Marquess of Bute on the year anniversary of his death last month
Lola said she was ‘so proud to be his daughter’ and called him her ‘hero’ she share this picture of her parents
Lola shared this sweet photograph of her parents with her as a newborn as part of her tribute
After Kai’s death, she founded charity Eternity to bring attention to suicide, addiction and mental health which she said helped her to ‘heal and cope with grief in a healthy way’.
In September, she is planning to move to New York to study jewellery design.
‘I feel like that’s something Dad would really want me to do, to keep learning and be young, be 22 and go back to school and live my life’.
Last month, Lady Lola paid a sweet tribute to her father on Instagram.
She wrote: ‘A year ago today my world changed forever. I could never have imagined a life without you, but you taught me what it is to be strong , what it is to survive.
‘I miss you with every fibre in my being. I love you with every inch of my heart and soul. Nothing will ever fill the hole left in my heart, but I have learnt that with time, it will slowly heal.
‘Thank you for giving me the courage to walk through this life without you. Thank you for teaching me everything I know, I believe the best parts of me are you shining through.
The Marquess of Bute, pictured in a photo shared by Lola, was remembered as ‘the most selfless, honourable, kind and gentle human being I have ever known’
Mr Bute, pictured with his treasured wife Serena, Marchioness of Bute, died aged 62 in March 2021
John raced in Formula One under the name Johnny Dumfries in 1986 for the Lotus team alongside Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna
‘Thank you for being the most selfless, honourable, kind and gentle human being I have ever known. Thank you for being my Role model. Thank you for being the rock that held two broken families as one.
‘Thank you for the love you showed everyone in your path. Thank you for your laugh and your beautiful smile. Thank you for those twinkly blue eyes and amazing dancing.
‘Thank you for all of the memories we will cherish forever. Thank you for that huge heart that you shared with us all. Most of all, thank you for being my dada.
‘I am so proud to be your daughter. You dada, are my hero. The brightest star in the sky, shining down on us all. I love you forever and always.’
Glamorous Lady Lola Bute has said she ‘didn’t think it was going to happen until it happened’ referring to her father’s death
Lady Lola shared this photo taken on a boat and said she ‘felt iconic’ after a year of sobriety
The post was accompanied by a slideshow of images of Lola and John taken over the years.
John Crichton-Stuart spent much of his time on his namesake Scottish island at his ancestral home, Mount Stuart, and had chaired the Board of Mount Stuart Trust since 2005.
The 7th Marquess, once ranked 616th in the Rich List, was also a Formula 1 driver in 1986 as he partnered Ayrton Senna and raced under the name Johnny Dumfries.
During his racing career he also won the 24-hour race, Le Mans, in 1988.
In 2007 the Marquess of Bute sold his other family home, Dumfries House, to Prince Charles for £45million.
Lola was eight months sober when her father passed away – having sought help for ‘unhealthy coping mechanisms’ following the suicide of her boyfriend Kai Schachter (pictured together) and the accidental overdose of her best friend Ila Scheckter.
British socialite Lady Lola Crichton-Stuart posted multiple tributes to Kai following his death in 2019 and described him as the ‘love of her life’
Kai, who is pictured with British socialite Lady Lola Crichton-Stuart, was understood to be living between London and New York at the time of his death
The aristocrat also previously owned Dumfries House in Cumnock, Ayrshire, but sold it to Scotland after a consortium headed by Prince Charles in 2007 for £45million.
At the time of his death his family issued a statement describing him as a ‘devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, son and grandfather and loved by all’.
It said: ‘The indomitable spirit and energy which Johnny brought to his life will be greatly missed, and the immense warmth and love with which he embraced his family.
‘His heart was firmly rooted on the Island of Bute where he spent much of his time.
Lola said she had ‘put all her energy’ into a ball to raise awareness and money for mental health charities to avoid ‘anyone else feeling this pain’ which she ‘wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy’. However, the balls were cancelled at the start of lockdown and she is now throwing the ball – in honour of Kai, Ila (pictured) and her father – who was ‘very proud of it’.
‘Johnny chaired the Board of Mount Stuart Trust from its active inauguration in 2005 when Mount Stuart and its gardens opened to the public, and its rural estate was vested into the charitable trust.
‘He was a moderniser and an inspirational thinker, transitioning a family home to a progressive, working visitor facility and estate.
‘His island projects include the internationally respected Bute Fabrics and, most recently, the Kerrylamont Centre for Rural Excellence and Bute Yard. He was a philanthropist through his foundation, particularly focusing on Scotland and the West Coast. His family request privacy at this time.’
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