New Duke Of Westminster 'Owns Half Of London'
Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor is to inherit his father's billion-pound fortune, despite not being his parents' eldest child.
Thursday 11 August 2016 14:12, UK
The new seventh Duke of Westminster has inherited his father's £9bn estate at the age of just 25 and has been described as now owning "half of London".
Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor, previously known by his honorary title Earl Grosvenor, also inherits Eaton Hall in Cheshire - home to the Grosvenor family since the 15th century.
Despite not being the eldest child of the late Duke of Westminster, who died at the age of 64 on Tuesday, and his wife Natalia, the new Duke will inherit the billion-pound fortune instead of his elder sister Tamara due to an archaic tradition.
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.
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![The Duke of Westminster died at Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire]()
Image: The Duke of Westminster was one of the biggest landowners in the UK -
![Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor becomes the seventh Duke of Westminster]()
Image: With the Duke's sudden death, his wealth passes to son Hugh -
![Darling How from Swinside. Example of bad landscape forest design. Whinlatter Forest Park. North England]()
Image: The Forestry Commission owns 1.7 million acres, or roughly 2.8% of all UK land -
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Image: The National Trust, the largest private landowner in the UK, owns 0.62 million acres (1.02%) -
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Image: The Crown Estate has 356,000 acres (0.59%) -
![Prince Charles]()
Image: The Duchy of Cornwall holds some 132,000 acres (0.22%). The Prince of Wales is the custodian of the Duchy of Cornwall -
![Richard Scott, the 10th Duke of Buccleuch, arrives at the High Court of Scotland building in Edinburgh, Scotland to give evidence in a trial of five men accused of plotting to extort millions of pounds from his family March 3, 2010]()
Image: Richard Scott, Duke of Buccleuch, owns 240,000 acres (0.40%) -
![INVERNESS, SCOTLAND - JUNE 29: Two seven and a half week old Golden Eagle chicks are measured and weighed at a remote nest site near Loch Ness on June 29, 2015 in the Highlands, Scotland.]()
Image: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has 204,000 acres (0.34%) -
![ALLOWAY, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 23: Stuart Cochrane from the Burns Birthplace Museum walks past the birthplace of Robert Burns on January 23, 2015 in Alloway, Scotland.]()
Image: The National Trust for Scotland owns 180,000 acres (0.30%) -
![British Army Hold Exercise Tractable On Salisbury Plain]()
Image: The Ministry of Defence has 0.59 million acres (0.98%)
The principle was described in 2015 as "archaic, mad and bonkers" by Lady Kinvara Balfour after her mother Lady Tessa failed to inherit Arundel Castle in West Sussex, which passed to her mother's younger brother Edward, instead.
One of four siblings, the new Duke is a former student of countryside management at Newcastle University who has largely kept out of the spotlight, but is known to have thrown a lavish 21st birthday party for 800 guests at Eaton Hall which was reported to have cost £5m.
Comedian Michael McIntyre and hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks provided the entertainment, and Prince Harry was among the guests for the "black tie and neon" event.
At the time, the new Duke told the Chester Chronicle: "The party was simply amazing - a birthday and a party I will never forget.
"It is the beginning of a new era in my life and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead."
Vanity Fair described him as "baby-faced" and "absurdly rich", while the Tatler List said that after inheriting his father's estate he would "own half of London".
The new Duke of Westminster works as an account manager for bio-bean, a green technology company which recycles coffee grounds into advanced biofuels and biochemicals.
He was educated at a state primary, before going to a private day school close to his home in Cheshire.
Hugh's mother Natalia, the Duchess of Westminster, is one of the Duke of Cambridge's godparents.
His sister, Lady Tamara, is married to Edward van Cutsem, whose brother William van Cutsem is also a godparent to Prince George.
As part of his new role, he is expected to take responsibility for the Westminster Foundation, a charitable body which manages the philanthropic activities of the Grosvenor family.
Formed in the 1970s, it has awarded more than £40m in grants.
Hugh's father, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, worth around £9.35bn, was said to be the 68th richest person in the world.
He owned land in Belgravia, an area adjacent to Buckingham Palace and one of London's most expensive boroughs, as well as thousands of acres in Scotland and Spain.
He had inherited his title and became chairman of Grosvenor Holdings - the commercial arm of the estate - at the age of 27 when his father Robert died in 1979.