Francis Egerton Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton (born 8 February 1934), also known as Lord Francis Ebury,[1] is an Anglo-Australian aristocrat, and academic.
The Earl of Wilton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Earl of Wilton | |
| Assumed office 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Seymour Egerton |
| Baron Ebury | |
| Assumed office 5 May 1957 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Grosvenor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Francis Egerton Grosvenor 8 February 1934 |
| Spouses | Gilian Soames
(m. 1957; div. 1962)Kyra Aslin
(m. 1963; div. 1973)Suzanne Suckling
(m. 1974; died 2018) |
| Children |
|
| Parents | |
| Alma mater | Melbourne University |
Early life
editLord Wilton is the eldest son of Robert Egerton Grosvenor, 5th Baron Ebury, DSO, and his first wife, Anne Acland-Troyte. Lord Wilton succeeded his father as 6th Baron Ebury in 1957 and his fourth cousin, Seymour Egerton, as 8th Earl of Wilton in 1999.
As the great-great-great-grandson of Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster, Lord Wilton is also heir presumptive to the title Marquess of Westminster currently held by Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster, Lord Wilton's fourth cousin-once-removed. Lord Wilton's stepfather from 1941-1947 was Henry Peregrine Hoare (1901-1981), son of Lady Geraldine Mariana Hoare (née Hervey, 1869-1955) and great great-uncle of Olivia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster.[2][3]
Career
editEducated at Eton College, he pursued a career in the financial services industry in London, Melbourne and Hong Kong, before taking a doctorate in Philosophy-Arts at Melbourne University (2001), where he taught as Dr Francis Ebury.[4]
Lord Wilton served on the Board of Directors of Victorian Opera (Melbourne) 2012–17.[5]
Marriages and children
editLord Wilton has married three times. He was married firstly on 10 December 1957 to Gillian Elfrida Astley Soames (marriage dissolved 1962). They had one son:
- Julian Francis Martin Grosvenor, Viscount Grey de Wilton (born 8 June 1959), heir apparent to the earldom and subsidiary titles, married in 1987 to Danielle Rossi (divorced 1989).
Secondly, he married Kyra Aslin on 8 March 1963 (marriage dissolved 1973) without issue.
Thirdly, he married Suzanne Jean Suckling in 1974. They remained married until her death 44 years later and had one daughter:
- Lady Georgina Lucy Grosvenor (29 March 1973 – 16 August 2003), a noted violist, married in 2000 to Dr Peter Mitev.[6]
His third wife was a biographer who wrote under the name "Sue Ebury": The Many Lives of Kenneth Myer; Weary the Life of Sir Edward Dunlop, Weary: King Of The River. An editor and publisher, Lady Wilton was also a member of the Development Council of the National Library of Australia and patron of the Australian Garden History Society.
Styles
edit- The Honourable Francis Grosvenor (1934–1957)
- The Right Honourable The Baron Ebury (1957–1999)
- The Right Honourable The Earl of Wilton (1999–present)
References
edit- ^ "Our Patrons". Melbourne Recital Centre. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
Our Patrons : Dr Victor Wayne & Dr Karen Wayne OAM. $1,000+ ... Lord Francis Ebury & the late Lady Suzanne Ebury
- ^ Ward, Victoria (7 June 2024). "Duke of Westminster's Marquess title safe thanks to bride's distant relative". UK Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
- ^ Morris, Susan (2020). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Debrett's. p. 4797. ISBN 978-1-9997670-5-1. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
Wilton, Earl of - ([current earl is] Francis Edgerton Grosvenor) ...born 1934...8th Earl of Wilton in 1999...h[heir] p[presumptive] to the Marquessate of Westminster...[Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster is a fourth cousin of Francis Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton]...
- ^ University of Melbourne: Publications (Dr Francis Ebury)
- ^ www.victorianopera.com.au
- ^ www.endeavor.bg