She was the eldest of six children born to John Yarde-Buller, 3rd Baron Churston, the aide-de-camp to the Viceroy of India, and Denise Orme, a former music hall singer.

[3] On 4 July 1927, Joan married Loel Guinness, at St Margaret's, Westminster, in London.

Joan and Khan did not defend the charges and the judge, Mr Justice Bucknill, granted Guinness a decree nisi and full custody of their son and ordered Khan to pay court costs.

[11] A few days after the divorce from Guinness was effective, on 18 May 1936, in Paris, Joan Yarde-Buller married Prince Aly Khan.

[17][18] In March 1986, Joan married lastly Seymour Berry, 2nd Viscount Camrose, a newspaper magnate.