Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, Duke Of Westminster, passed away on Tuesday at Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire, a spokeswoman for his estate said.
Advertisement
A coroner has confirmed he died following a heart attack. That title belongs to Norway’s Alexandra and Katharina Andresen, aged 20 and 21 respectively, who share a net worth of $1.2 billion after their father transferred them his fortune in 2007.
The duke, a close friend of Prince Charles, had been staying at his country retreat of Abbeystead near Lancaster when he was suddenly taken ill.
Lancashire Police said the duke had been walking in the Trough of Bowland when he was taken ill and later airlifted to hospital, where he died.
Land owned by the Grosvenor chairman and former army general included more than 70 ha in Belgravia and dozens of hectares of land across the United Kingdom and in Spain, Forbes said.
A spokesman for the Grosvenor Estate said: “It is with the greatest sadness that we can confirm that the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, 64, died this afternoon [Tuesday] at Preston Royal Infirmary”.
Due to the historic custom regarding male primogeniture, his 25-year-old son, Hugh Grosvenor, is set to inherit his title and the family seat in Eaton Hall over his two older sisters, Lady Tamara and Lady Edwina.
With the death of the Duke of Westminster, his son, Hugh Grosvenor, has leapfrogged to the top of the list of Britain’s most eligible bachelors.
The duke is also survived by a third daughter, Lady Viola.
Advertisement
In a statement through their Kensington Palace office following his death, William and Kate had said: “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were very sad to learn of the Duke of Westminster’s passing yesterday”.
