Francis Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton

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 bySeymour Egerton
Baron Ebury
Assumed office
5 May 1957
Preceded byRobert Grosvenor
Personal details
Born
Francis Egerton Grosvenor

(1934-02-08) 8 February 1934 (age 90)
Spouses
Gilian Soames
(m. 1957; div. 1962)
Kyra Aslin
(m. 1963; div. 1973)
Suzanne Suckling
(m. 1974; died 2018)
Children
  • Julian, Viscount Grey de Wilton
  • Lady Georgina Mitev
Parents
Alma materMelbourne University

Early life

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Wilton and his mother in Tatler, 1935.

Lord 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

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Educated 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

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Lord 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:

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

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References

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  1. ^ "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
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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]...
  4. ^ University of Melbourne: Publications (Dr Francis Ebury)
  5. ^ www.victorianopera.com.au
  6. ^ www.endeavor.bg
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Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Earl of Wilton
1999–present
Incumbent
Heir apparent:
Julian Grosvenor,
Viscount Grey de Wilton
Preceded by Baron Ebury
1957–present