The Queen’s cousin is facing jail after he admitted carrying out a sex attack on a woman at Glamis Castle, his ancestral home.
Simon Bowes-Lyon, the 19th Earl of Strathmore, drunkenly groped the woman and pushed her onto a bed.
The terrified victim repeatedly ordered the 34-year-old known as “Sam”, to leave the room but he refused, stating: “I’m going to f*** you.”
The laird has now been placed on the sex offender’s register after he pleaded guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court to sexually assaulting the woman on February 13.
Bowes-Lyon, a second cousin of the Queen twice removed, said in a statement that he was “greatly ashamed” of his actions.
The woman had been a guest at the castle for a PR event hosted by a luxury travel magazine between February 11-13.
Bowes-Lyon showed off his Jaguar F-type to the woman with guests being treated to helicopter rides and gin tastings on the grounds.
The court heard how prior to the attack; the woman had gone to bed at around 11.30pm before being awoken in the early hours by a sozzled Bowes-Lyon.
“She did not do or say anything that inferred she had any interest in him sexually or otherwise,” fiscal depute Lynne Mannion said.
“At 1.20am, the complainer was asleep in bed and was awoken by knocking at door.
“She heard the accused say ‘it’s Sam, it’s important, please let me in.’
“The accused pushed his way in and pushed her on the bed. He was very drunk and smelled strongly of cigarettes.
“He grabbed her breasts and nipples very hard. He tried to lift her nightdress up.”
Mrs Mannion added: “She repeatedly asked him to leave but he refused.
“She went to the bathroom to try and close the door but the accused followed her and lit a cigarette.
“She slipped past him and went back into the room but he pushed her against a wall.”
Bowes-Lyon then touched the woman indecently before she escaped his clutches and tried to call her boyfriend.
However, the poor mobile phone signal meant she could only make WhatsApp calls.
Bowes-Lyon repeatedly refused to leave and said: “I’m going to f*** you,” before saying that she needed “shafted.”
After the woman told him to “f*** off”, Bowes-Lyon said she was a “rude, mean, bad and horrible person.”
A fellow guest later found the woman visibly shaken with Bowes-Lyon initially denying the incident.
He then sent an email to the same guest which included an apology he wanted passed on to the woman.
Police were later contacted and Bowes-Lyon, who told officers he was a farmer, gave a “no comment” interview.
Bowes-Lyon, of Glamis Castle, pleaded guilty on indictment to sexually assaulting the woman at the castle by repeatedly pushing her onto a bed, forcibly grabbing her breasts, trying to pull up her nightdress, pushing her against a wall, touching her indecently and trying to kiss her.
He said in a statement to the court: “I am greatly ashamed of my actions which have caused such distress to a guest in my home.
“When I realised what I had done, I apologised quickly to the woman concerned.
“I apologise wholeheartedly again today. I am deeply sorry for my behaviour and the anguish it has caused.
“Clearly, I had drunk to excess on the night of the incident. As someone who is only too well aware of the damage that alcohol can cause, I should have known better.
“I recognise, in any event, that alcohol is no excuse for my behaviour.
“I did not think that I was capable of behaving the way I did but I have had to face up to it and take responsibility.
“Over the last year, this has involved seeking and receiving professional help as well as agreeing to plead guilty as quickly as possible.
“My apologies go, above all, to the woman concerned but I would also like to apologise to family, friends and colleagues for the distressed I have caused them.”
The 19th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Bowes-Lyon succeeded his father, Michael Bowes-Lyon, following his death in 2016 aged 58.
His father was considered the head of the Queen’s Scottish family.
Defence counsel John Scott QC said he would reserve his mitigation until the preparation of social work reports but stated that Bowes-Lyon had engaged in counselling following the incident.
He provided Sheriff Alastair Carmichael with four character references.
Mr Scott said: “He has done everything he could to plead guilty at the earliest opportunity.”
Sheriff Carmichael deferred sentence on Bowes-Lyon until February for reports to be prepared. He was released on bail and placed on the sex offender’s register meantime.
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