Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, dies aged 64

Remember this guy?

The third most richest person in the U.K according to Forbe's.

A Duke dead at 64.

Some say he was five years ahead of his time, I cannot support that thought.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

www.bbc.com... another link for ya op didnt know to much about this guy but cant be too many dukes left running around

Unless he leaveing all his wealth to me i dont care.

a reply to: crazyewok

Half London. Can you imagine the responsibility? Think how long it would take just to clean the vomit of the pavements in the morning.

By inheriting the bulk of his father’s estimated £8.3 billion fortune, the new Duke becomes the third richest person in the UK and the 68th wealthiest in the world.

At the heart of the family fortune is a property portfolio which includes 300 acres in two of London’s most expensive neighbourhoods, Mayfair and Belgravia.

That had previously led more than one society commentator to joke that on his father’s death Hugh would “own half of London”.

. . .

It is only as a result of Britain’s ancient laws of primogeniture, first introduced by the Normans following the invasion of 1066, that Hugh has inherited his father’s title.

He is not, after all, his parents’ first born child, being preceded by his older sisters Lady Tamara, 36, who is married to one of Prince William's closest friends, Edward van Cutsem, and Lady Edwina, 34, the wife of television presenter Dan Snow.

By virtue of being a boy, however, Hugh now inherits both the title and the estate, although his sisters – including the youngest, Lady Viola, 23 – will benefit from substantial trust funds.

Things might have been different had a bill seeking to introduce equal rights of succession for all first born children, whether male and female, succeeded in making its way through Parliament.

www.telegraph.co.uk...

Good old-fashioned sexism. Can't have the fillies taking control of The Empire.

originally posted by: Kester
Good old-fashioned sexism. Can't have the fillies taking control of The Empire.

It's a slippery slope. Once you start letting them inherit stuff, next thing you know they'll be demanding the right to vote, or "get jobs", or even - God forbid - "have opinions". It would be pandemonium.