Queen Elizabeth’s cousin faces prison for sexual assault at Castle Home

Ben Stansall – WPA/Getty Pool Queen Elizabeth

A relative of Queen Elizabeth is facing imprisonment for a brutal attack on a guest at his family home, Glamis Castle in Scotland.

Simon Bowes-Lyon, the current Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to sexually assaulting a 26-year-old woman in February 2020, according to the BBC.

During the 20-minute attack, Bowes-Lyon, 34, reportedly forced his way into the woman’s room and tried to remove her nightgown.

According to Daily recordRevenue officer Lynne Mannion said Bowes-Lyon was drunk and smelled of cigarettes when he told the woman he wanted to have an affair. The woman resisted and tried to raise her voice to be heard by another guest, but he repeatedly pushed her onto the bed, groped her and tried to kiss her.

After Bowes-Lyon left the room, he tried to re-enter. However, the woman managed to get help from another guest staying at the castle.

The woman notified police the morning after the attack.

Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Simon Bowes Lyon accompanied Prince William as a 15-year-old to the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002

RELATED: Queen’s employee jailed after stealing items from Buckingham Palace and selling them on eBay

Bowes-Lyon – the Queen Mother’s great-great-nephew and cousin twice removed from the monarch – was released on bail and placed on the sex offenders’ register with a judge ordering him to assess whether Glamis Castle was suitable for him to remain on electronic monitoring. The sentence was postponed, but he faces up to five years in prison Daily record states.

Robert Plattner/Oneworld Picture/Universal Images Group via Getty Glamis Castle

According to the BBC, Bowes-Lyon told the court he was “very embarrassed”.

“I undoubtedly had too much to drink on the night of the incident. I should have known better. In any case, I realize that alcohol is not an excuse for my behavior,” he said. “I didn’t think I was capable of acting the way I did, but I had to face it and take responsibility.”

He added: “I apologize first of all to the woman concerned, but I would also like to apologize to my family, friends and colleagues for the suffering I have caused them.”

Glamis Castle, the seat of the Bowes-Lyon family since 1372, was the childhood home of the Queen Mother.