Hugh Bernard Edward van Cutsem (21 July 1941 – 2 September 2013) was an English banker, businessman, landowner and horse-breeder.
Early life
Hugh Bernard Edward van Cutsem was born on 21 July 1941.
[Gordon Cramb]
''Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...
'', 6 September 2013[Hugh van Cutsem](_blank)
''The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'', 3 September 2013 His father
Bernard van Cutsem (1916–1975) was a millionaire horse-trainer and -breeder.
His mother was Mary Compton, a descendant of the
chiefly line of
Clan Farquharson.
The van Cutsems were Roman Catholics of
Belgian origin who had moved to England in the nineteenth century.
He was educated at
Sunningdale School and
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the English public school tradition located in the village of Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, England. It opened in 1802 as a boys' school, it is situated in the grou ...
, a Roman Catholic boarding school in
Ampleforth,
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by national parks, including most of the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. It is one of four co ...
, and graduated from the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
.
[Josh Duboff]
William and Harry Join Prince Charles at Funeral of His Closest Friend
'' Vanity Fair'', 11 September 2013 He then served as an officer in the
Life Guards.
Business career
Van Cutsem worked as an investment banker at
Hambros Bank
Hambros Bank was a British bank based in London. The Hambros bank was a specialist in Anglo-Scandinavian business with expertise in trade finance and investment banking, and was the sole banker to the Scandinavian kingdoms for many years. The Bank ...
.
Later he began his own company and purchased further companies, including a data storage company.
Land ownership
Van Cutsem inherited his father's stud Northmore Farm in
Exning near
Newmarket, Suffolk
Newmarket is a market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. Located (14 miles) west of Bury St Edmunds and (14 miles) northeast of Cambridge. It is considered the birthplace and global centre of thoroughbred ...
, in 1976.
He also owned a 4,000-acre estate in
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the N ...
, best known for its private wild game shoots.
In 2001, the estate had thirty-five pairs of
stone-curlew
The stone-curlews, also known as dikkops or thick-knees, consist of 10 species within the family Burhinidae, and are found throughout the tropical and temperate parts of the world, with two or more species occurring in some areas of Africa, Asia, ...
s, a very rare bird.
In addition he owned a hunting lodge and grouse moor managed for shooting interest on the
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by national parks, including most of the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. It is one of four co ...
-
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. ...
border.
In the 1990s, he sold his father's farm in Exning and purchased the
Hilborough
Hilborough is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is south of Swaffham, west-southwest of Norwich and north-northeast of London.
The population of the parish (including Bodney) at the 2011 Census was ...
estate in Norfolk, whence he transferred his horse-breeding operations.
In 1994, he won a
Country Landowners' Association award for his restoration of an old barn on the Hilborough estate; the Prince of Wales (now
Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...
) presented the award.
He was a founding member of the
Countryside Movement, a non-profit organization which later became the Countryside Alliance, focussed on shooting.
He was also a significant fundraiser for the
Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, a British charity promoting game promoting game and wildlife management whilst working with the shooting and hunting community.
Moreover, he served as Chairman of the Countryside Business Trust.
He was also elected to the Council of the
National Trust
The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...
.
Marriage and issue
On 10 June 1971, he married
Emilie Quarles van Ufford, who was born in the Netherlands and a daughter of
Jonkheer
(female equivalent: ; french: Écuyer; en, Squire) is an honorific in the Low Countries denoting the lowest rank within the nobility. In the Netherlands, this in general concerns a prefix used by the untitled nobility. In Belgium, this is the ...
Pieter Quarles van Ufford, at
Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks.
They had four sons:
* Edward Bernard Charles van Cutsem (born 1973); a
page boy at the
Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
The wedding of the Prince of Wales (future King Charles III) and Lady Diana Spencer took place on Wednesday, 29 July 1981, at St Paul's Cathedral in London, United Kingdom. The groom was the heir apparent to the British throne, and the bride wa ...
. Educated at
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the English public school tradition located in the village of Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, England. It opened in 1802 as a boys' school, it is situated in the grou ...
(1991), graduated from
Durham University
Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charte ...
(1995) with degree in Combined Arts. Managing Director at
BlackRock
BlackRock, Inc. is an American multi-national investment company based in New York City. Founded in 1988, initially as a risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager, BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with tr ...
. Married Lady Tamara Katherine Grosvenor, daughter of
Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster
Major General Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, (22 December 1951 – 9 August 2016), was a British landowner, businessman, philanthropist, Territorial Army general, and peer. He was the son of Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke ...
, and
Natalia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster, in 2004; they have two sons and a daughter:
** Jake van Cutsem (born 2009)
** Louis van Cutsem (born 2012)
** Isla van Cutsem (born 2015)
* Hugh Ralph van Cutsem (born 1974); married Rose Nancy Langhorne Astor, daughter of David Waldorf Astor (a grandson of
Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor
Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor, DL (19 May 1879 – 30 September 1952) was an American-born English politician and newspaper proprietor. He was a member of the Astor family. He was active in minor political roles. He was devoted to charitab ...
) and Clare Pamela St. John in 2005; they have three children:
** Grace Emilie Clare van Cutsem (born 2007); goddaughter of the
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the ruler ...
and a bridesmaid at his
wedding
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
to
Catherine Middleton
Catherine, Princess of Wales, (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne, making Catherine the likely next ...
.
** Rafe Michael Waldorf van Cutsem (born 2009)
** Charles Hugh Valentine van Cutsem (born 2012)
* Nicholas Peter Geoffrey van Cutsem (born 1977); married Alice C. Hadden-Paton, daughter of former Cavalry officer Nigel Hadden-Paton, and sister of actor
Harry Hadden-Paton
Harry Frederick Gerard Hadden-Paton (born 10 April 1981) is a British actor. He is perhaps best known for his television roles as Herbert Pelham, 7th Marquess of Hexham, in the television series ''Downton Abbey'' and Martin Charteris in ''The ...
, on 14 August 2009.
He is godfather to
Prince Louis.
** Florence van Cutsem (born 2014); goddaughter of the
Duke of Sussex
Duke of Sussex is a substantive title, one of several royal dukedoms, that has been created twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It is a hereditary title of a specific rank of nobility in the British royal family. It takes its name fr ...
and a bridesmaid at his
wedding
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
to
Meghan Markle
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (; born Rachel Meghan Markle; August 4, 1981) is an American member of the British royal family and former actress. She is the wife of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son of King Charles III.
Meghan was ...
.
* William Henry van Cutsem (born 1979);
was educated at Ampleforth College
and is married to Rosanna Ruck-Keene on 11 May 2013. He is godfather to
Prince George.
[Gordon Rayner]
Prince George christening: profiles of the godparents
''The Daily Telegraph'', 23 October 2013
For ten years the family rented
Anmer Hall
Anmer Hall is a Georgian country house in the village of Anmer in Norfolk, England. Built in the 19th century, it was acquired by the Sandringham Estate sometime after Queen Victoria purchased the property, and has previously been leased to ...
in
Anmer, Norfolk, on the Queen's
Sandringham estate.
They later moved into a neo-
Palladian
Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...
mansion designed by architect
Francis Johnson in Hilborough, on their estate.
A devout Roman Catholic, he built a chapel near his Hilborough residence for family occasions, and arranged for priests to visit.
However, he also regularly attended Mass at Our Lady of Pity in
Swaffham
Swaffham () is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. It is situated east of King's Lynn and west of Norwich.
The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 6,9 ...
with his family.
In 1993, he was appointed a Knight of the
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...
.
From the Prince's university days Hugh van Cutsem was a friend of Charles III.
The King is godfather to his son Edward, who was a pageboy at the King's
wedding to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.
Funeral
Van Cutsem died on 2 September 2013, aged 72.
His funeral took place in
Brentwood Cathedral in
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, an ...
and was conducted by
Thomas McMahon,
Bishop of Brentwood. Each of his four sons also gave a reading; Cardinal
Cormac Murphy-O'Connor
Cormac Murphy-O'Connor (24 August 1932 – 1 September 2017) was a British cardinal, the Archbishop of Westminster and president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. He was made cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001. He s ...
read the prayer of commendation; the choir sang "
Pie Jesu". It was attended by the then Prince of Wales; his sons, the
Prince William
William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales.
Born in London, William was educat ...
and
Prince Harry
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger son of Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. He is fifth in the line of suc ...
; and his wife,
Camilla, then-Duchess of Cornwall; together with
Andrew Parker Bowles;
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, (Richard Alexander Walter George; born 26 August 1944) is a member of the British royal family. He is the second son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, as well ...
;
Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester
Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, (born Birgitte Eva van Deurs Henriksen; 20 June 1946) is a Danish member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a grandson of George V. They have three children.
...
; the
Prince
A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in s ...
and
Princess
Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince.
Princess as a sub ...
of Liechtenstein;
Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland
Ralph George Algernon Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland, (born 16 November 1956), styled Lord Ralph Percy until 1995, is a British hereditary peer and rural landowner and current head of the House of Percy.
Biography
Ralph Percy was born th ...
;
Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster
Major General Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, (22 December 1951 – 9 August 2016), was a British landowner, businessman, philanthropist, Territorial Army general, and peer. He was the son of Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke ...
;
Natalia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster; and Lady Tamara Grosvenor.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:van Cutsem, Hugh
1941 births
2013 deaths
People educated at Sunningdale School
People educated at Ampleforth College
Alumni of the University of Cambridge
People from Hilborough
English bankers
English landowners
English racehorse owners and breeders
English Roman Catholics
Knights of Malta
English people of Belgian descent
English people of Flemish descent
Hugh
20th-century English businesspeople
People named in the Paradise Papers