Elderly aristocrat begins hunt for gun-toting youthful spouse who he can pay £50k a 12 months
Sir Benjamin Slade, 79, wants a new wife that’s at least 20 years younger than him – but he is quite picky and has an extensive list of requirements to meet in order to bag the £50k
A controversial aristocrat has launched an appeal to find a bride – who must be a good ballroom dancer and can fire a shotgun.
Sir Benjamin Slade, 79, says his new wife would need to be at least 20 years younger – meaning women in their 60s need not apply. In return, the new Lady Slade will be paid £50,000-a-year to help run his sprawling 1,300-acre Somerset estate. Sir Benjamin also stipulates that his new wife must not be a Scorpio, use drugs or be an alcoholic.
He is also after a “good breeder” so he can have a male heir. Sir Benjamin, a baronet descended from Charles II, says she can’t come from countries beginning with ‘I’ who have green in their flag.
He said: “I don’t mind Canadians, Americans, Germans and Northern Europeans – what I like to call similar people. I don’t think marrying an Eskimo is for me. What I just need is a nice is a nice, ordinary country girl who knows and understands things.
“I am very social I go out a lot and I have to have somebody who fits in.”
His list of requirements also states that his wife does not read the Guardian, be Scottish and is taller than 5ft 6ins. They must be able to ballroom dance, play bridge and backgammon and do crosswords.
The candidate must also be able to do a lot of physical exercise such as fast walking and be able to swim.
Slade has a daughter, Violet, with Sahara Sunday Spain, but is still looking for a male heir who has genetic similarity to one of his further paternal ancestors.
The preferred candidates must have a shotgun and driving licence. A helicopter licence “would be beneficial”.
She must be able to run two castles and having estate and legal and accountancy training ‘would be useful’. The candidate would be paid £50,000 plus a bonus per year and this includes a car, house, expenses, food and holidays.
The entrepreneur says he he doesn’t mind if she has had children before. He added: “I can have two sons, three would be better, but if I get two sons that saves the situation.
“You always have a lady of the house, women run houses. People think that it is sexist. Jane Austen said if you got a big house you need a wife. The ladies run the house. They run the staff they have an eye for it.”
He said that he would have to marry a lady at least 20 years younger than him for tax reasons.
“Death tax is 40% and the only way I can pass the estate and art collection etc on is to leave it to the wife tax free who then disposes it to my distant relatives.
“Obviously she has to live for seven years.
“She would also have to be insured, that’s why we need a lady at least 20 years younger than me as I cannot insure an older wife so the younger the better.
“Obviously the widow would receive a financial percentage for passing it on. This the only way left to get around inheritance tax.”
His full requirement read: “Sir Ben is on the search for a Lady of the House.
“You must have a shotgun licence, a driving licence (also a helicopter licence would be beneficial), amorial bearings, be able to run two castles, an estate and a grouse moor.
“Legal and accountancy training would be useful. Must be able to breed two sons (don’t mind if she has bred before and is proven).
“A little private capital and income would be helpful. A large fortune would be more helpful! The candidate would be paid £50,000 plus a bonus per year and this includes a car, house, expenses, food and holidays.
“Guardian readers, Scorpios, drug users, alcoholics, Scots, under 5’6″, people from countries beginning with ‘I’ who have green in their flag and people from countries where they don’t wear overcoats in the winter, need not apply!”
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