The billionaire Duke of Westminster has pledged £12.5million to help the NHS in its fight against coronavirus.
Landowner Hugh Grosvenor, 29, is the richest person under the age of 30 in the world with an estimated worth of £10.1billion.
A close friend of the royal family’s, he is Prince George’s godfather and owns 200 acres of Belgravia and 100 acres of Mayfair, as well as the family’s sprawling estate in Cheshire.
The Duke donated £2.5million to the Health Service when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out last month, but says he was so ‘humbled’ by the work of doctors and nurses he wanted to give another £10million.
His new pledge means he is now the biggest donor in Britain, towering over the money given by a host of celebrities including James McAvoy, the Clooneys and Piers Morgan.
The Duke of Westminster (pictured this year) is the richest person under the age of 30 in the world with an estimated wealth of £10.1billion
The Duke is pictured with his close friend Prince William at an Army event in Leeds in June 2018
The billionaire landowner is pictured at the wedding of Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks in August 2018
The Duke is donating most of his money to NHS Charities Together, to provide respite, rehabilitation and mental health assistance to NHS staff and their families.
He said in a statement: ‘On behalf of my family and everyone at the Grosvenor Estate, I want to say a huge thank you to all our amazing NHS staff and everyone providing critical frontline services.’
‘We are all humbled and incredibly grateful that you are working tirelessly to keep us safe and keep the country functioning.
‘NHS staff and key workers don’t work in isolation.
‘They have children and families whose health and wellbeing will also be highly impacted by this crisis.
‘As they keep us safe, I want to help provide as much support to them and their families as we can.’
A sum of £5million will help create a Family Fund within NHS Charities Together, while £3million will go to national medical research and development linked to the COVID-19 and £2million to charities providing frontline support to those suffering the greatest long-term economic and social impact.
The Duke said at the time of his first donation: ‘While the impact of this crisis is being felt immediately, the virus will sadly also affect people’s lives long into the future.
‘That’s why I’m keen to support the longer-term scientific and socio-economic response to the epidemic.’
Ellie Orton, chief executive of NHS Charities Together, said: ‘We know many NHS staff have chosen to keep their families safe by staying apart and focusing their time and energy to care for their patients and save lives.
‘Their dedication is not only remarkable but no doubt comes with its own price and, if I may speak on their behalf, we say a heartfelt thank you to the Westminster Foundation.’
The 29-year-old inherited his title and estate from his father, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, the sixth Duke of Westminster, upon his death in 2016.
When he became the seventh Duke of Westminster he inherited a £9billion fortune and the sprawling family estate Eaton Hall in Cheshire.
Described as ‘absurdly rich’ and ‘baby-faced’ by Vanity Fair, he owns 200 acres of land in Belgravia and 100 acres in Mayfair, two of the country’s richest postcodes.
He has three sisters, Tamara, Edwina and Viola, who all attended a state primary school in The Wirral before moving onto private school.
The Duke read countryside management at Newcastle University and later studied at Oxford.
After graduating, he worked in estate management for the Grosvenor Group before becoming an accounts manager at coffee recycling firm bio-bean, which collects waste coffee grounds and converts them into biofuels and biomass pellets.
His 21st birthday at the family estate in Cheshire was attended by a host of celebrities including Prince Harry, comedian Michael MacIntyre and the band Rizzle Kicks.
The bash is believed to have cost £5million and took place in a large marquee in the grounds of Eaton Hall.
Hugh Grosvenor, 29, (pictured in June 2018) has become the UK’s largest NHS donor after pledging £12.5million in the fight against coronavirus
The Duke is pictured with her mother, Natalia Grosvenor, the Duchess of Westminster at the Queen’s Own Yeomanry in Yorkshire in September 2018
Mr Grosvenor’s contribution comes after 99-year-old Second World War hero Captain Tom Moore raised £5million for doing 100 lengths of his garden with the help of a zimmer frame.
The war veteran plans to have completed 100 laps of his garden in Bedfordshire by his 100th birthday on April 30.
Today his fundraising page reached a staggering £5million in donations, with 90,000 people logging on at once to support his efforts to help the NHS.
Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan branded him a ‘hero’ on the show and donated £10,000 of his own money.
Captain Moore’s family wrote on his behalf on Twitter: ‘5 MILLION! Huge thank you to @JustGiving who had over 90,000 people on Tom’s page at one time, and had to try ensure that the site didn’t crash.
Captain Tom Moore is doing 100 lengths of his garden in Bedfordshire before he turns 100-years-old on April 30. So far his sponsored walk has raised more than £5million
‘WOW – just speechless. #walkwithtom #tomorrowwillbeagoodday.’
Actor James McAvoy has pledged £275,000 to help fund personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline NHS workers.
Popstar Rihanna announced she would be giving £1.67million ($2.1million) to the Los Angeles Mayor’s Fund to help victims of domestic violence during lockdown.
Actor George Clooney and his human rights lawyer wife pledged £800,000 ($1million) to help efforts against the coronavirus outbreak in the USA, with a small chunk set aside for the NHS in the UK.