Announcing the death of the 64-year-old sixth Duke of Westminster, Grosvenor Estate revealed he was suddenly taken ill at his country retreat in Lancashire and taken to the Royal Preston Hospital where he sadly passed away.
Advertisement
Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor was one of the world’s richest men – a landowner and philanthropist who was known for his charity work. He had inherited the title in 1979 but the family’s roots in real estate date back almost 1,000 years, to 1086, when William the Conqueror gave lands around Chester to Hugh Lupus, le Gros Veneur or master hunter. Until now he has lived a life of relative obscurity. In total it manages £13.1-billion ($22.1-billion) worth of property, and the duke’s inherited family wealth has been pegged at around £8.3-billion, making him the third-richest man in Britain. Trustees, including the Duke, must instead pay tax on the income they receive.
His estate includes land in Belgravia, an area adjacent to Buckingham Palace and one of London’s most expensive boroughs, as well as thousands of acres in Spain.
The former Duke spoke in 1992 of how he was seeking to teach his son “self-discipline and a sense of duty”.
The 25-year-old’s father, Gerald Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, died suddenly in Lancashire on Tuesday after suddenly becoming ill on his Abbeystead Estate.
The former Duke was the richest property developer in the United Kingdom through his company the Grosvenor Estates, which owns land in Oxford, Cheshire and Scotland as well as vast swathes of property in central London.
He was educated at a state primary, before going to a private day school close to his home in Cheshire. The school, which is three hours north of London and charges fees of about $10,000 per term, is renowned for its sporting prowess.
From there he went on to study at Newcastle University, where he earned himself an honours degree in Agriculture, before landing a job at eco-coffee firm Bio-bean, which is based in London.
But it was inevitable that Earl Grosvenor would come to public attention and he did so in some style.
The Duke, who served as Britain’s most senior Territorial Army officer with the rank of major-general, donated his Grade II-listed Stanford Hall estate in Leicestershire, to become a treatment centre for wounded soldiers and civilians and also made a £50 million donation from his personal fortune to the £300m renovation costs. He hosted about 800 guests, including Prince Harry, at the “black tie and neon” bash, where comedian Michael McIntyre and hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks topped the bill. Cars carrying invited guests were sealed shut with tape to prevent gatecrashers.
The following year, Hugh became godfather to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first child Prince George.
The DUP leader said she was “deeply saddened” by his death and added that the people of Fermanagh would remember him with “great affection”.
The rule of primogeniture that dates back to the time of William the Conqueror sees legitimate male heirs take precedence over their older sisters when it comes to inheriting an estate.
In 2013 he was named one of Prince George’s seven godparents.
The Duke of Westminster with the Queen.
Advertisement
You have left for this month.
