Duke of Kent Darcy and bride Joyce were often arm-in-arm in politics and high society

Rod McQueen recalls Joyce McKeough, who was presented at Buckingham Palace in 1957 and later married Darcy McKeough, a longtime Ontario politician; the couple were frequently seen together and often left events arm-in-arm.

Joyce McKeough moved comfortably between political circles and high society. Her father, David Walker, served as a cabinet minister in John Diefenbaker's government and later as a senator for sixteen years. She was presented at court to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in July 1957 as a Commonwealth debutante. She later married Darcy McKeough, who served fifteen years in the Ontario Legislature and was Treasurer in the Bill Davis government. Key details: - Joyce was educated at Branksome Hall and graduated from Trinity College at the University of Toronto. - She was presented at Buckingham Palace in July 1957; she recalled practicing the curtsy and seeing public figures such as Princess Margaret and Winston Churchill. - Joyce worked at the Ronalds-Reynolds advertising agency and met Darcy McKeough in 1964; they married in 1965 and had two sons, Jamie and Stewart. - Darcy served in the Ontario Legislature for fifteen years and was Treasurer under Bill Davis; his memoir, "The Duke of Kent," was nominated for a 2016 book award presented by the speaker of the Ontario Legislature. - Joyce was an avid gardener at their Bally McKeough property near Chatham, Ont., where she built terraces down to Lake Erie; she died in 2021. Summary: Their shared public presence linked political life and social circles, and they were often observed attending events together and departing arm-in-arm. Undetermined at this time.