The Duke Of Westminster

Land and Property
Wealth: £14m
Net National Income: £1.591bn
% of NNI: 0.87%
£9.656 billion

Hugh Lupus Grosvenor became the 3rd Marquess of Grosvenor on the death of his father in 1869. The family fortune- based on the Mayfair property holdings and estates in several counties round Britain- was by then worth around £200,000 a year in annual income.

Grosvenor proved to be a far-sighted landlord and rebuilt his London property. He also built up a fine stud and spent 14,000 guineas buying a horse called Doncaster, which won the 1874 Derby. His art collection was also regarded as one of the finest of its day.

A Liberal in politics, he supported Gladstone, though with reservations about extending the franchise, and he was vehemently opposed to Irish home rule. Loyalty to Gladstone and his huge wealth led to the dukedom of Westminster being conferred on Grosvenor in 1874.

He died after a bronchial attack in 1899, to be succeeded by his grandson. He left around £14m, or around £9.6bn in today's terms.