George Percy, Earl Percy

George Dominic Percy, Earl Percy (born 4 May 1984), is a British businessman and the heir apparent to the Dukedom of Northumberland.

George Percy
Earl Percy
Earl Percy at the wedding of his sister, Lady Melissa, in June 2013
BornGeorge Dominic Percy
(1984-05-04) 4 May 1984 (age 39)
United Kingdom
Noble familyPercy
FatherRalph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland
MotherJane Richard
OccupationBusinessman

Early life edit

Percy was born as the second child and elder son of Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland and his wife, the former Jane Richard. He is a younger brother of Lady Katie Percy and an older brother of Lady Melissa Percy and Lord Max Percy. He became heir apparent to the dukedom in October 1995, when his uncle Henry, 11th Duke of Northumberland, died. Percy's parents, now Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, were eager to protect him from "vices and pitfalls", and they filed a lawsuit to prevent him from inheriting £1 million and a £350,000 annual income upon turning 18. In 1999, they succeeded in delaying the inheritance, which Percy received at the age of 25. Percy is also set to inherit Alnwick Castle.[1]

Education and career edit

At the age of 12, Percy served as a page of honour to Elizabeth II at the 1996 State Opening of Parliament.

Percy was educated at Eton College,[2] then studied geography at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in sustainable development and renewable energy. He graduated in 2007, having shared a house with Pippa Middleton, with whom he was subsequently linked.

Percy studied Arabic language at the University of Damascus, and later worked on development projects in the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi. He is the CEO of Hotspur Geothermal (formerly Cluff Geothermal), a British geothermal energy company, where Paul Younger (d. 2018) was the Technical Director.[3][4]

As old family friends, Percy and his family attended the wedding of Pippa Middleton's sister, Catherine, and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in 2011.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Earl must wait for £1m inheritance". BBC. 16 February 1999. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  2. ^ ‘PERCY, Earl’, Who's Who 2017, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017
  3. ^ "Hotspur Geothermal:About - Directors". Archived from the original on 16 August 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  4. ^ Quinn, James (13 March 2011). "Kate Middleton's friend George Percy and mining tycoon Algy Cluff lead geothermal wells project". Telegraph. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  5. ^ Nikkhah, Roya; Mendick, Robert (8 May 2011). "Royal wedding: William and Kate's inner circle". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by Gentlemen Succeeded by