Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, KG, OBE (born December 22, 1951) married Natalia Ayesha Phillips in 1978. The duchess is a direct descendant of the Russian writer Alexander S. Pushkin as well as Ibrahim Hannibal, a captive from Ethiopia who grew up at the Russian court, became a godson of Peter the Great, and married women of Greek and German origin.
The duke topped the Sunday Times Rich List as Britain's wealthiest individual for many years and was only eclipsed in 2004 by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. The Duke was 3rd in the Sunday Times Rich List 2005. An estimated fortune of £5 billion is derived largely from property in central London, where he owns approximately 300 acres (1.2 km²) of the most exclusive commercial and residential real estate in Mayfair and Belgravia (including the land on which the US Embassy stands, in Grosvenor Square), as well as estates in Lancashire, Cheshire and Scotland. In addition to managing its traditional holdings, the Duke's property company the Grosvenor Group is an active property developer with interests around the world. It is the main developer of The Paradise Project in Liverpool.
The Duke joined the Territorial Army (Army Reserve) in 1970 as an ordinary Trooper(Private). His continued service resulted in eventual promotions as honorary Colonel-in-Chief of several regiments. [The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry & Colonel Commandant Yeomanry] In 2004 he was appointed Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets) with promotion to rank of Major-General. He is the first reservist holding such rank since the 1930s.
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Last updated: 10-15-2005 10:57:08
