How the Duke of Westminster’s great-uncle was a ‘bully’ who conspired to have his married brother-in-law thrown out of Britain because he was secretly gay – a scandal that inspired Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited

The richest man in Britain – and the wickedest man ever.

Not Hugh, the seventh Duke of Westminster – who is because of marry in grand model at Chester Cathedral subsequent month – however his great-grandfather Bendor, who was the second duke.

In response to one biographer, he was 'a womanisingly jealous scoundrel' – a person who thought solely of constructing himself richer and having enjoyable on the expense of others.

He had such a powerful sense of possessiveness that he was able to divorce his spouse in a second – ​​simply because she learn a ebook.

And he plotted to have his brother-in-law, the Liberal politician Earl Beauchamp, expelled from Britain as a result of he was secretly homosexual.

The distressed Earl, who was one among King George V's closest confidants, got here to the verge of suicide.

Beauchamp's escape from Britain impressed Evelyn Waugh to write down his iconic novel Brideshead Revisited.

Bendor's nephew Hugh, the godson of King Charles and finest good friend of Prince William, is one million miles away from his ancestor in each attainable method.

Her charitable actions embrace offering assist to susceptible youngsters and younger folks, working with organisations that present assist to households, faculties and native communities, and main campaigns to boost funds for the Defence and Nationwide Rehabilitation Centre.

And as CEO of Household Motion, he works with youngsters in households affected by poverty, habit, meals insecurity, psychological and bodily sick well being, poor housing and home violence.

Bendor, whose actual identify was additionally Hugh, acquired his nickname from the household's Derby-winning race horse Bend Or.

He sailed boats and slept with girls and had every little thing he may want for.

However in keeping with one member of the family he was an 'indignant, disgruntled man – nothing greater than a foolish, spoiled, outdated playboy'.

And this was a person who was accused of brutally murdering his five-year-old solely son and inheritor.

The Duke liked to hate folks. Most of all he hated his sister's husband.

Bendor was deeply jealous of Beauchamp's proximity to the throne in his roles as Knight of the Garter and Lord Steward of the Family.

He had all of the wealth, however he had no Garter. So he plotted to have Beauchamp arrested and expelled from Britain – who was main a vibrant homosexual life, regardless of a contented marriage and 7 youngsters.

Upon succeeding in his treacherous mission he wrote, 'Expensive bastard, you bought what you deserved!'

The character of Lord Marchmain is predicated on the refugee Earl, and Brideshead Fortress is, partially, an outline of Madresfield, the house of the Beauchamp household.

So what makes the Duke so merciless?

Born into immense wealth – the household owned huge estates in London's Belgravia and Mayfair – by the age of 20 he was considered one of many richest males on the planet.

He had a ten-year love affair with vogue queen Coco Chanel, adopted by a complete of 4 marriages.

Bendor may have something and every little thing he needed.

This included not one, however two non-public yachts and a fleet of 17 Rolls Royces that accompanied him wherever he went around the globe.

He had a non-public practice constructed to take him from the household property, Eaton Corridor in Cheshire, to London, the place his important dwelling was Grosvenor Home in Grosvenor Sq. – later the location of the US Embassy.

'He was a person who loved hiding diamonds below his mistresses' pillows, and he had many,' one biographer recalled.

However Bendor's love got here at a excessive value. His third spouse, Loelia Ponsonby, didn’t hesitate to write down about him after their divorce.

'He would drink each night time,' she recalled. 'There can be violent scenes that may go on lengthy into the night time – issues would fly within the air.'

Convincing himself that Loelia is dishonest on him (who can blame him?), the Duke shatters her priceless diamond Cartier watch right into a thousand items, then picks the diamonds up from the wreckage and pockets them so she will be able to't preserve them.

'Regardless of all his marriages, he had just one male inheritor – Edward, Earl Grosvenor,' writes biographer Jane Mulvagh.

'When Edward was simply 5 years outdated, his father insisted he go looking, regardless that the kid complained of extreme abdomen pains. Edward died of peritonitis on the looking area that day.'

Bendor's spouse promptly left him and he then took his anger out on the oblivious Beauchamp, who had married her sister some years earlier.

Whereas getting down to seize him, Bendor knowledgeable King George V that his beloved courtier had violated each legislation.

“I believed such folks shoot themselves,” Raja reportedly stated upon listening to the information.

It was a ridiculous response. However Beauchamp had ignored the principles of discretion that utilized to the higher lessons, and when a warrant for his arrest was about to be issued – homosexuality was nonetheless unlawful – he issued a press release saying that because of 'poor well being' he must search spa therapy in Germany.

He fled the nation. That's when Westminster despatched a scathing, triumphant letter to his brother-in-law.

Beauchamp had a lot to lose, his place and repute in society was ruined. However his seven youngsters – who all liked him very a lot – prevented him from committing suicide.

Whereas he was in exile for greater than 5 years, he longed for his lovely dwelling every single day.

However when the scandal lastly unraveled and he was allowed to return to Britain, he had simply two years to dwell.

After the Duke's demise in 1953, a good friend wrote, 'The difficulty with Bendor was that he had an excessive amount of cash however not sufficient self-control.'