Duke of Westminster dies after sudden illness

Billionaire landowner the Duke of Westminster has died at the age of 64.

Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor died on Tuesday afternoon at the Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire.

A spokeswoman for his estate said he had become ill suddenly on his Abbeystead Estate.

The spokeswoman said: "It is with the greatest sadness that we can confirm that the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor (64) died this afternoon at Royal Preston Hospital. He was taken there from the Abbeystead Estate in Lancashire where he had suddenly been taken ill.

"His family are all aware and they ask for privacy and understanding at this very difficult time.

"No further comment will be made for the time being but further information will follow in due course."

The Duke was said to be worth around 10.8 billion dollars (£8.3 billion), according to Forbes, making him the 68th richest billionaire in the world, and third in the UK.

He owned 190 acres in Belgravia, an area adjacent to Buckingham Palace and one of London's most expensive boroughs

One of his four children, Hugh Grosvenor, is Prince George's youngest godfather.