David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley

The Most Honourable
David, Marquess of Cholmondeley
KCVO
Photograph of Lord Cholmondeley at the Palace of Westminster in 1992
Lord Great Chamberlain of England
Incumbent
Assumed office
13 March 1990
Serving with 13 others
Monarch Elizabeth II
Preceded by Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess
Personal details
Born David George Philip Cholmondeley
27 June 1960
Cholmondeley Castle
Malpas, Cheshire
England
Nationality England English
Spouse(s) Sarah Rose Hanbury
Children 2
Residence Houghton Hall
Cholmondeley Castle
Profession Filmmaker
Lord Cholmondeley's coat of arms

David George Philip Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, KCVO (/ˈtʃʌmli/; born 27 June 1960), was styled from birth Viscount Malpas until 1968, and subsequently Earl of Rocksavage until 1990. He is a Peer of the United Kingdom, and as of 2013 serves as Lord Great Chamberlain of the United Kingdom, as a 14-partite holder of that office.[1]

Personal

Lord Cholmondeley is a direct descendant of Sir Robert Walpole (1676–1745), the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. He is the son of Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley and his wife, the former Lavinia Margaret Leslie.[2] He is also a direct descendent of both the Rothschild family and the Sassoon family through his paternal grandmother, Sybil Sassoon.[3] He has three elder sisters, the Ladies Rose, Margot (married Tony Huston), and Caroline (married Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger).

Like numerous members of his family, Cholmondeley was educated at Eton College. He later took classes at the Sorbonne.[1]

Lord Cholmondeley married (Sarah) Rose Hanbury, a 25-year-old fashion model turned researcher,[4] on 24 June 2009, their engagement having been announced the previous day. She is a daughter of Tim Hanbury, a website designer, and his fashion designer wife, Emma.

The announcement that she was expecting twins was revealed by Richard Kay of The Daily Mail[5] and Mandrake of the Daily Telegraph. On 12 October 2009, the Marchioness gave birth to twin sons, Alexander Hugh George and Oliver Timothy George,[6][7] who were originally expected in January. The birth took place shortly after Lady Cholmondeley was rushed to Queen Charlotte's Hospital in London, where she was monitored for two weeks. The elder son, Alexander, as heir-apparent to the Marquessate, bears the courtesy title of Earl of Rocksavage; his brother is known as Lord Oliver Cholmondeley.[8]

Career

Film industry

Lord Cholmondeley is a filmmaker. As David Rocksavage, he also appeared in a small part in Eric Rohmer's 1987 film, 4 aventures de Reinette et Mirabelle.[9] His professional name is derived from his title of Earl of Rocksavage. His chosen career was put on hold when he succeeded to the marquessate in 1990.[10]

In 1995, he directed the film adaptation of Truman Capote's novel Other Voices, Other Rooms.[9]

In 2007, he directed The Wreck (working title), starring Jean Simmons and James Wilby. The film was shot in Norfolk. It was later renamed Shadows in the Sun and was released in 2009.[9]

Political career

Cholmondeley became Marquess of Cholmondeley in 1990 upon the death of his father.[10] Cholmondeley does not sit in the House of Lords for debates as he is currently on "leave of absence",[11] although he does attend the House of Lords in his role of Lord Great Chamberlain of England.[12]

Lands and estates

Houghton Hall, Norfolk

The family seats are Houghton Hall, Norfolk, and Cholmondeley Castle, which is surrounded by a 7,500 acres (30 km2) estate near Malpas, Cheshire.[13]

According to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2008, Cholmondeley has an estimated net worth of approximately £60m, attributed primarily to his inherited landholdings.[14] Houghton Hall, ancestral home of the Marquesses of Cholmondeley since the establishment of the title in 1815, has now opened some of its rooms to the public.

Position at court

In 1974, young Cholmondeley (then known as the Earl of Rocksavage) was a Page of Honour to Her Majesty The Queen at the age of 14.[1]

One moiety part of the ancient office of Lord Great Chamberlain is a Cholmondeley inheritance.[15] This hereditary honour came into the Cholmondeley family through the marriage of the first Marquess of Cholmondeley to Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, daughter of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven.[16] The second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh holders of the marquessate have all held this office.

Cholmondeley began acting as the hereditary Lord Great Chamberlain to Her Majesty in 1990.[1] In the Queen's Birthday Honours List for 2007, Lord Cholmondeley was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) for his 17 years' service as Lord Great Chamberlain.[17]

Ancestry

Notes

References

External links

Court offices
Preceded by
David Bland		 Page of Honour
1974–1976 		Succeeded by
Charles Loyd
Preceded by
The Marquess of Cholmondeley		 Lord Great Chamberlain
1990–present 		Incumbent
Order of precedence in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Preceded by
Foreign ministers, envoys, etc.		 Gentlemen
Lord Great Chamberlain 		Succeeded by
The Marquess of Winchester
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
George Cholmondeley		 Marquess of Cholmondeley
1990–present 		Incumbent