William Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke

William Alexander Sidney Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke, 15th Earl of Montgomery (born 18 May 1978) inherited the title in 2003 following the death of Henry Herbert, 17th Earl of Pembroke.

Estate

He ranked 440th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2005, with an estimated wealth of £125m (as estimated July 2005), which includes the value of the art collection at Wilton House, recently estimated at £25m, and the house and estate. The total is estimated after death duties.

Family

Lord Pembroke is the only son of the late 17th Earl by his first wife, the former Claire Rose Pelly (now wife of Wyndham Murray-Threipland). He has three older sisters and three younger half-sisters (by his father's second marriage). Since his father has no brothers, and his grandfather's brothers died unmarried, and other lines of descent from earlier earls have mostly petered out, the heir presumptive to the earldoms of Pembroke (created 1551) and Montgomery (created for the brother of the 3rd Earl, who succeeded him as 4th Earl) is the 8th Earl of Carnarvon (born 10 November 1958). There are some further heirs in the Carnarvon branch, descended from the 2nd Earl.

Education and career

Lord Pembroke was educated at Bryanston, then at Leeds for two years where he did a foundation course in 3D design. He then pursued a course in industrial design at Sheffield Hallam University, being the first Herbert to graduate with a first (according to the "Observer" interview). He then worked with Sebastian Conran as an industrial designer, being forced to quit that job in October 2004 to assume the responsibilities of the house and estate at Wilton, a year after his father's premature death of cancer.

Heir presumptive

In a July 2005 interview with "The Observer", Lord Pembroke spoke frankly of the responsibilities and difficulties in managing a historic home and estate today. He would like to increase the number of celebrity events, such as Madonna's birthday party, at Wilton House to increase revenues; opening the property to more tourists is not paying in the long run as it increases wear-and-tear on the house. He also spoke frankly on the need for him to marry and father a son to secure the succession (for the sake of his immediate family as well as the estate and house and all those who depend on it for a livelihood), and in fact, he was not aware who his current heir presumptive is. [. In interviews, he believes that his name is "some Fitzherbert. However, his heir presumptive is the present Earl of Carnarvon, who is married and has a son.] As of 2005, however, he has been dating a young woman (whom he is extremely fond of) and they are now living together in Wilton House, his family's stately manor. [Richard Kay (2007) [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/columnists.html?in_article_id=461579&in_page_id=1772&in_author_id=230"Sounds like it's a hard choice, Tori"] column, "Daily Mail", 30 January 2008, names the lady as Scottish socialite Scottish socialite Victoria Bullough, aged 21 in 2007, who is the daughter of daughter of [http://www.businessperthshiremagazine.com/business_perthshire_magazine/bpm_win05/mcewens_01.htm retail tycoon Michael Bullough] and his wife Sandra, a former model, and whose older brother Johnny Bullough is [http://www.denis.co.uk/acatalog/Lady_Georgina_Murray_wedding.html married to] [http://www.william1.co.uk/w79.htm Lady (Georgina Dorothea) Mary Murray] ] , daughter of the 8th Earl of Mansfield. Bullough grew up in the 15th century Huntingtower Castle in Perth. She is apparently a graduate of [http://www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk/depts_art.htm Glenalmond College, Perthshire] and is [http://www.chelsea.arts.ac.uk/chelsea-cuttings.htm currently (2006) studying] Spatial Design and Architecture at the Chelsea School of Art. She appeared in "Country Life" in the 13/04/2006 issue.]

If the present Earl dies without an heir male (a son or a grandson), the title of Baron Herbert of Lea (created 15 January 1861 for his ancestor Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea, who died months later) will become extinct. The Earldom of Pembroke (created 1551 by Edward VI) and the Earldom of Montgomery will descend to the 8th Earl of Carnarvon, holding the earldom created 1793 for the first son of the second surviving son of the 8th Earl. Lord Carnarvon is a ninth cousin of Lord Pembroke.

References

ources

* [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,1537938,00.html Profile of the 18th Earl] by Lynn Barber, "The Observer"
* [http://www.thepeerage.com The Peerage.com]
* [http://www.adriangottlieb.com/gallery Gallery of paintings by Adrian Gottlieb including Official Portrait of William Herbert, 18th Earl Pembroke]
** [http://www.thepeerage.com/p4352.htm#i43519 18th Earl of Pembroke]
** [http://www.thepeerage.com/p1616.htm#i16155 8th Earl of Pembroke]
* [http://www.william1.co.uk/w38.html#w38l4 Further heirs in Carnarvon E branch]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/19/magazine/19wwln_domains.html Lord of the Manor] by Edward Lewine, "New York Times"