David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley

The Most Honourable The Marquess of Cholmondeley KCVO DL
Cholmondeley at the Palace of Westminster in 1992
Lord Great Chamberlain of England
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 March 1990
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	British
Spouse(s)	Sarah Rose Hanbury (m. 2009)
Children	3
Residence	Houghton Hall Cholmondeley Castle
Profession	Filmmaker

David George Philip Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, KCVO DL (/ˈtʃʌmli/ CHUM-lee); 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 2016 serves as Lord Great Chamberlain of the United Kingdom, as a ½ part holder of that office.^[1]

Personal

Lord Cholmondeley is a 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 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. Her paternal grandmother is Lady Rose Lambert, daughter of the 10th Earl of Cavan: she was one of the bridesmaids at the 1947 wedding of Princess Elizabeth.

The announcement that Lady Cholmondeley 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]

In March 2016 the Marquess and Marchioness had their third child, a daughter, Lady Iris Marina Aline Cholmondeley.^[9]

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.^[10] 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.^[11]

In 1995, he directed the film adaptation of Truman Capote's novel Other Voices, Other Rooms.^[10]

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.^[10]

Political career

Cholmondeley became Marquess of Cholmondeley on 13 March 1990, upon the death of his father.^[11] Cholmondeley does not sit in the House of Lords for debates as he is currently on "leave of absence",^[12] although he does attend the House of Lords in his role of Lord Great Chamberlain of England.^[13]

Lands and estates

Houghton Hall, Norfolk

The family seats are Houghton Hall in Norfolk, and Cholmondeley Castle, which is surrounded by a 7,500 acres (30 km²) estate near Malpas, Cheshire.^[14]

According to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2008, Cholmondeley has an estimated net worth of approximately £60m, attributed primarily to his inherited landholdings.^[15] 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, Cholmondeley (then known as the Earl of Rocksavage) was a Page of Honour to the Queen at the age of 14.^[1][16] He relinquished this role upon reaching the age limit of retirement in 1976.^[17]

One moiety of the ancient office of Lord Great Chamberlain is a Cholmondeley inheritance.^[18] 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.^[19] 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][20] 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 of service as Lord Great Chamberlain.^[21][22]

Titles, styles and arms

Titles and styles

• 27 June 1960 – 6 September 1968: Viscount Malpas
• 6 September 1968 – 13 March 1990: Earl of Rocksavage
• 13 March 1990 – present: The Most Honourable The Marquess of Cholmondeley

Arms

Lord Cholmondeley's coat of arms

Ancestry

Ancestors of David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley

16. Charles Cholmondeley, Viscount Malpas               8. George Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley                       17. Susan Dashwood               4. George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley                             18. Robert Kingscote               9. Winifred Kingscote                       19. Lady Emily Curzon-Howe               2. Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley                                   20. Sir Albert Sassoon, 1st Baronet               10. Sir Edward Sassoon, 2nd Baronet                       21. Hannah Moise               5. Sybil Sassoon                             22. Gustave de Rothschild               11. Aline de Rothschild                       23. Cécile Anspach               1. David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholomondeley                                         24. Henry David Leslie               12. Charles Leslie                       25. Mary Perry               6. John Leslie                             26. John Foster               13. Maud Foster                       3. Lavinia Leslie                                   28. John Gilliat               14. Howard Gilliat                       29. Mary Saunders               7. Nanette Gilliat                             30. Lionel Skipwith               15. Helen Skipwith                       31. Nanette Walker

Notes

1. Lundy, Darryl. "7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, ID #85435". The Peerage.
2. "Christenings". The Times. The Times Digital Archive: 14. 3 October 1960.
3. "David George Philip Cholmondeley, 7th marquess of Cholmondeley". GeneAll.net. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
4. Ronald __. "Ancestors Cholmondeley – Hanbury" Peerage News, Google Groups, 25 June 2009.
5. "Thunderbirds are NOT go (as ITV reject relaunch plan)". Daily Mail. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
6. Google Groups — Peerage News
7. Google Groups — Peerage News
8. "Toff hats off to the Marquess of Cholmondeley... Daily Mail, 15 October 2009.
9. "Daughter for the Marquess & Marchioness of Cholmondeley". Peerage News.
10. IMDb: David Rocksavage.
11. Lundy, Darryl. "6th Marquess of Cholmondeley, ID #85434". The Peerage.
12. Parliamentary Biography http://www.parliament.uk
13. Tomlinson, Richard (20 December 1992). "They also serve, who only ush". Independent.
14. Caroline, Donald. "The new garden at Houghton Hall, King’s Lynn, Norfolk," The Times (UK). 11 May 2008.
15. "Sunday Times Rich List," The Times (London). 2008.
16. The London Gazette: no. 46366. p. 8535. 8 October 1974. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
17. The London Gazette: no. 47111. p. 17343. 31 December 1976. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
18. Notes and Queries (1883 Jan–Jun), p. 42.
19. Portcullis: Deed of Covenant and Agreement between Lord Willoughby de Eresby, The Dowager Marchioness of Cholmondeley and the Marquis of Cholmondeley re the exercise of the Office of Hereditary Great Chamberlain (16 May 1829).
20. The London Gazette: no. 52335. p. 17651. 14 November 1990. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
21. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 58358. p. 3. 16 June 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
22. "Full list of the Queen's Birthday Honours," The Times (London). 16 June 2007.

References

• Debrett, John, Charles Kidd, David Williamson. (1990). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. New York: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-333-38847-1

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Marquess of Cholmondeley
• David Rocksavage at the Internet Movie Database
• Houghton Hall
• Cholmondeley Castle
• Photos of Houghton Hall and Cholmondley Castle: As a special Millennium project, Garlinda Birkbeck was commissioned by the Marquis of Cholmondeley to photograph every house, building and person on his estates in Norfolk and Cheshire, capturing the world of his estates at the turn of the year 1999/2000.
• Allen Warren Photographer: Marquis of Cholmondeley in uniform of Lord Great Chamberlain for State Opening of Parliament, standing in front of throne
• Mitchell Owens's interview with Lord Cholmondeley in The New York Times, 14 December 1997
• David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley
• Pedigree at Genealogics