The Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor has died at 64.

The Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor has died at 64.

The close friend of the Royal family, died on Tuesday afternoon, having suddenly become ill.

He had been transferred from his Abbeystead Estate in Lancashire to the Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are “deeply shocked and greatly saddened” by the sudden death, a Clarence House spokeswoman said.

The Duke of Westminster, one of Britain’s wealthiest landowners – had amassed a £9 billion property empire before his death.

Described in the media as a “property billionaire” he owned large swathes of Cheshire as well as a huge property portfolio across London.

He also owns the Liverpool ONE project, with its shops and leisure facilities which has transformed Liverpool city centre.

The Duke’s Eaton Estate management team is also responsible for the Halkyn Estate.

Educated at Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In 2005, he became Chancellor of the University of Chester.

The Duke’s ancestral home Eaton Hall just a few miles from Deeside is part of the Grosvenor Estate and includes the Cheshire villages of Aldford, Eccleston, Saighton as well as parts of the city centre and Handbridge.

The Eaton Estate contains 435 homes, 15 farms and 72 commercial units, four schools and over 10,000 acres of agricultural Cheshire.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will send a message of condolence to the Grosvenor family.
One of the Duke’s four children, his only son Hugh, is Prince George’s youngest godfather, while his wife Natalia is godmother to the Duke of Cambridge.

The Grosvenor family’s spokeswoman said on Tuesday:

“It is with the greatest sadness that we can confirm that the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor (64) died this afternoon at Royal Preston Hospital.

He was taken there from the Abbeystead Estate in Lancashire where he had suddenly been taken ill.

His family are all aware and they ask for privacy and understanding at this very difficult time.

No further comment will be made for the time being but further information will follow in due course.”