Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland
The Duke of Northumberland | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Allan Warren, 1997 | |
| Born | Ralph George Algernon Percy 16 November 1956 |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford Reading University |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Richard (m. 1979) |
| Children | Lady Catherine Valentine Percy George Percy, Earl Percy Lady Melissa van Straubenzee Lord Max Percy |
| Parent(s) | Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland Elizabeth Diana Percy, Duchess of Northumberland |
Ralph George Algernon Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland DL (born 16 November 1956), styled Lord Ralph Percy until 1995, is an English aristocrat, hereditary peer and a major UK land-owner.
Biography
Ralph Percy is the son of Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland, and his wife, Elizabeth, née Lady Elizabeth Montagu Douglas Scott.
He studied History at the University of Oxford, and then land management with Reading University and worked in the Arundel Castle estate office for seven years, before moving back to Northumberland to manage the Alnwick estate for his elder brother Henry, the 11th Duke.[1]
He succeeded in the dukedom in 1995 on the death of the 11th Duke, who had no offspring. As such, he was a member of the House of Lords until the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999 ended the right of hereditary peers to sit in the House. Hansard records no contributions to House of Lords work by Northumberland.[2]
As Duke, he is the beneficial owner (or head of the beneficially owning family) of Northumberland Estates, the main ducal commercial vehicle, and a large number of affiliate companies and trusts, which in turn own a great deal of land and property in Northumberland, Scotland, Surrey and Tyneside.[3] Ralph Percy was ranked at number 248 in the Sunday Times Rich List 2011, with an estimated wealth of £315 million. He is the titular owner of Alnwick Castle, an ancestral ducal seat, as well as Warkworth Castle and Prudhoe Castle in Northumberland; Syon House and Syon Park in London; Hulne Park and Hulne Priory at Alnwick; the Albury Estate in Surrey, and other listed buildings such as Brizlee Tower.[4] Northumberland Estates manages 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) of land, directly managing 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of forestry interests and 20,000 acres (8,100 ha) of farmland, with 100 tenant farmers managing the remainder of the land.[5][6][7]
The 12th Duke has shown a greater degree of entrepreneurial zeal than recent predecessors, and his redevelopment plans meet frequent criticism.[8] His sale on the open market, rather than at a lower price to The National Gallery, of Raphael's Madonna of the Pinks in 2003 was also subject to some criticism.[9] At much the same time, in response to a Foot and Mouth disease crisis, the Duke cut the rents of tenant farmers by 10 percent.[10] The Duke has signalled his opposition to wind farms, but has engaged with renewable energy in the restoration of a hydroelectric power generator.[11][12][13] The Duke is a sponsor of The Northumberland Church of England Academy.
On 8 April 2014, it was announced that the estate was organising an art sale to raise £15 million to cover the costs of the Newburn flood caused by the failure of a culvert it was responsible for on 25 September 2012.[14] The sales were completed by Sotheby's in July 2014.
Marriage and children
Northumberland married Jane Richard on 21 July 1979 at Traquair Parish Church. They have four children:[15]
- Lady Catherine Sarah Valentine Percy (b. 23 June 1982), a gunsmith, married to Patrick Valentine since 26 February 2011.[16] However, the couple separated in late 2013. There are no children of the marriage.
- George Dominic Percy, Earl Percy (b. 4 May 1984), managing director of energy company Cluff Geothermal with Professor Paul Younger.[17]
- Lady Melissa Jane Percy (b. 20 May 1987), a tennis player, married Thomas van Straubenzee, an estate agent and schoolfriend of Princes William and Harry, on 22 June 2013.[18]
- Lord Max Ralph Percy (b. 26 May 1990)
Relations
- His niece, Lucy Cuthbert, is married to Saudi prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud.
Ancestry
Arms
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References
- ^ Barber, Lynne (3 August 2003). "Gardener's question time". The Observer. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ^ "Mr Ralph Percy". Hansard. UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ^ "The Northumberland Estates". Alnwick Castle website. The Northumberland Estates. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ^ "History and Heritage". The Northumberland Estates. The Northumberland Estates. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Farming". The Northumberland Estates. The Northumberland Estates. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Sawmill and Forestry". The Northumberland Estates. The Northumberland Estates. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Duke's Plans Spark Suspicion". Northumberland Gazette. 7 February 2001. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ Burnham, Nigel (19 October 2009). "Will the Duke's grand plans ruin Northumberland?". Mail Online.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ "Duke hits back at £35m art sale critics". Northumberland Gazette. 16 January 2003. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Duke slashes farm rents to ease rural crisis". Northumberland Gazette. 6 November 2002. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Duke joins fight against windfarm". Northumberland Gazette. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "... while Duke lashes turbines as "ugly and noisy"". Northumberland Gazette. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Duke's hydro system taps into the past". Northumberland Estates. 29 October 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Duke of Northumberland plans £15m art sale to cover flood bill" accessed at http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/duke-northumberland-plans-15m-art-6933064?ptnr_rid=108468&icid=Untitled5. The Newcastle Journal, 8 April 2014
- ^ http://thepeerage.com/p6827.htm#i68268
- ^ Noblesse et royautés (fr).
- ^ "Cluff Geothermal: the team".
- ^ "Mr T. van Straubenzee and Lady Melissa Percy". Daily Telegraph. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
External links
Sorted in order of precedence | ||
| Royal dukes |  | |
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Scotland  |
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Great Britain  | ||
Ireland  | ||
United Kingdom  | ||
Italics indicate the duke also holds a previously listed dukedom of greater precedence | ||