Britain’s billionaire Duke of Westminster dies aged 64

The Duke of Westminster, Britain’s third richest man and a close friend of the royal family, has died aged 64.

The Duke of Westminster. Picture: Bloomberg.

The Duke of Westminster, Britain’s third richest man and a close friend of the royal family, has died aged 64 after a sudden illness.

Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, reportedly suffered a heart attack at his country estate Abbeystead in Lancashire. He was rushed to the Royal Preston hospital, where he died, a spokeswoman for his estate said.

“His family are all aware and they ask for privacy and understanding at this very difficult time,” she said.

The sixth Duke, the wealthiest property developer in the UK, owns 190 acres in London’s Belgravia adjacent to Buckingham Palace and in Mayfair as well as vast estates in Oxford, Cheshire and Scotland.

He and his family rank 68th in Forbes’ rich list of global billionaires, with a net worth of over $18 billion.

He wasn’t supposed to inherit the title — he had planned to be a beef farmer — but after his uncle died without heirs his father Robert inherited the title and it was passed onto him after Robert’s death.

He seemed at times to be a reluctant aristocrat; friends described him as introspective and lonely. He always claimed not to be interested in his wealth. In one interview he said: “Not interested in material things. Honestly, it would drive me bonkers if I thought too deeply about it.”

The Duke lost $1 billion in the immediate aftermath of Britain’s vote in June to leave the European Union, which sent the value of the pound plummeting and shook the property market, according to Bloomberg.

His death means his son Hugh, aged 25, will inherit the entire estate. Hugh is godfather to Prince George, the three-year-old son of Prince William and his wife Kate. The duke had been a confidante and close friend of many senior royals including Prince Charles, who asked him to be a private mentor to Prince William.

He was also passionate about helping those less fortunate, working with drug addicts and young offenders.

He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order — a personal gift of the Queen — in 2012. He had already been made a Knight of the Garter and a Companion of the Order of the Bath.

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Philip sent a message of condolence following news of Grosvenor’s death, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said.

With AFP