Emma Portman, Baroness Portman

Emma Portman, c.1842

Emma Portman, Baroness Portman née Lascelles VA; (16 March 1809 – 8 February 1865) was a British aristocrat. She was the daughter of Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood and Henrietta Sebright.

She married Edward Portman, son of Edward Berkeley Portman and Lucy Whitby, on 16 June 1827. He became a viscount in 1873, eight years after she had died.

They had six children, four sons and two daughters. The boys were William Henry Berkeley, who succeeded to the peerage; Edwin Berkeley, barrister-at-law and MP; Maurice Berkeley, a member of the Canadian parliament; Walter Berkeley, rector of Corton Denham, Somerset, near Orchard Portman.

She served as Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria between 1837 and 1851, then an Extra Lady of the Bedchamber between 1851 and 1865.

Coat of arms of Emma Portman, Baroness Portman

Escutcheon Edward Portman, 1st Baron Portman (Quarterly 1st & 4th Or a fleur-de-lis Azure 2nd & 3rd Gules a chevron Ermine between ten crosses patée Argent) impaling Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood (Sable a cross patonce within a bordure Or). Supporters Dexter a savage wreathed about the head and waist with ivy in his dexter hand a club resting on the shoulder Proper sinister a talbot Or.

Cultural depiction

Actress Anna Wilson-Jones portrayed Lady Emma Portman in the first three seasons of ITV period drama Victoria. Recurring in series 1 and main in series 2 and 3, with Robin McCallum as Lord Portman.