Charles Beauclerk, 13th Duke of St Albans

Charles Frederick Aubrey de Vere Beauclerk, 13th Duke of St Albans, OBE (16 August 1915 – 8 October 1988) was a British soldier and peer.

OBE insignia

Charles, 13th Duke of St. Albans
(London, 1981 by Allan Warren).

Early life

St Albans was the son of Aubrey Topham de Vere Beauclerk (1850–1933) and Gwendolen Loftus Hughes (1880–1958). He was a great-grandson of William Beauclerk, 8th Duke of St Albans.

Charles St Albans was educated at Hordle House School, Eton and Magdalene College, Cambridge.[1]

Career

Commissioned in the British Army, he reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel of the Intelligence Corps before the age of 30, and later was deployed to the British Embassy in Vienna. He moved to London after the birth of his fourth son, and joined the Central Office of Information. He became head in turn of the Film, Radio and Book divisions. He inherited the dukedom from his cousin in 1964, after which he left the Central Office of Information. He attempted to rebuild the family fortunes through a series of misguided ventures, which led to massive personal losses for himself, and accusation of mishandling of share dealing in relation to the company Grendon Securities.

As Hereditary Grand Falconer of England, the Duke had an ancient entitlement to an annual side of venison from deer culled in the Royal Parks,[1] which he gave to charity.

In the 1970s St Albans moved to Vence in France, before becoming a resident of Monaco.[1]

Family

He married Nathalie Chatham Walker (1915 - 1985) on 21 March 1938 and they divorced in 1947 they had one child and son:

He married Suzanne Marie Adèle Fesq[2] on 19 March 1947; they had four children:

  • Lord Peter Charles de Vere Beauclerk
  • Lord James Charles Fesq de Vere Beauclerk
  • Lord John William Aubrey de Vere Beauclerk
  • Lady Caroline Anne de Vere Beauclerk
  • stillborn daughter

Sources
  • Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th Edition, edited by Charles Mosley, Wilmington, Delaware, 2003, vol III, pp. 3459-3466, ISBN 0-9711966-2-1

References
  1. "Obituary: The Duke of St Albans.", The Times, London, 11 October 1988
  2. www.telegraph.co.uk
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