Prince George, the third in line to the British throne, has a billionaire godfather who pledged $12.5 million for individuals or groups affected by the coronavirus. He is none other than Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, which is, incidentally, the most recent dukedom that doesn't have any relation to the royal family.
According to CNN, Grosvenor's contribution is on top of the $3.1 million he gave to charities in March to feed families who may be having a hard time sourcing food because of the stay-at-home orders. A huge chunck of his massive donation will go to the NHS Charities Together for the medical frontliners. He thanked the nurses and doctors who are sacrificing their lives to help coronavirus patients.
The rest of Grosvenor's pledge will also go to other organizations and charities that are helping people impacted by the pandemic. A substantial amount of the money will be given to the country's coronavirus medical research and development.
"I'm keen to support the longer-term scientific and socio-economic response to the epidemic," Grosvenor said in a statement. It's unclear, however, if one of these foundations will be tied to Prince William and Kate Middleton's coronavirus relief efforts as well since the Cambridges also have their own charities to support.
Grosvenor is one of Prince George's seven godparents. He is Prince William's best friend and is also one of the world's richest man at just under 30 years old.
The young billionaire inherited the dukedom and wealth of his father, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, upon the elder's sudden death in 2016. Gerald was the sixth Duke of Westminster, making Hugh the seventh duke in the family. Gerald was also a long-time friend of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.
When Gerald died, Hugh inherited over $10 billion, as well as the family estate in Cheshire. He has three sisters and is known as one of Britain's most eligible bachelor.
The young Grosvenor duke has been friends with Prince William and Prince Harry since their childhood. However, Hugh was brought up to study in public school unlike other members of aristocratic families in Britain. Despite his wealth, he still has a job as an account's manager of a recycling firm and bio-bean company. He is also a hardworking man who oversees the landownership of his family.
Hugh is the namesake of the second Duke of Westminster, his great-great-great grandfather. This Grosvenor was a lot more controversial for his affair with the fashion icon Coco Chanel.
