David and Frederick Barclay

Sir David Barclay
and
Sir Frederick Barclay
Brecqhou – Barclay brothers' castle
BornDavid: David Rowat Barclay
(1934-10-27)27 October 1934
Frederick: Frederick Hugh Barclay
(1934-10-27) 27 October 1934 (age 90)
Hammersmith, London, England
DiedDavid: 10 January 2021(2021-01-10) (aged 86)
OccupationBusinessmen

Sir David Rowat Barclay (27 October 1934 – 10 January 2021) and Sir Frederick Hugh Barclay (born 27 October 1934),[1] commonly referred to as the "Barclay Brothers" or "Barclay Twins", were British billionaire brothers, of whom Frederick Barclay is now the sole survivor. They were identical twins and, until David's death in 2021, had joint business interests primarily in media, retail and property.

The Sunday Times Rich List of 2020 estimated their wealth at £7 billion.[2] They earned a reputation for avoiding publicity and have often been described as reclusive.

David's son, Aidan, manages their UK businesses. Their businesses have been accused of tax avoidance, by placing assets under ownership of companies registered abroad and controlled through trusts. Their Press Holdings company owns Apollo and The Spectator magazines and, through a wholly owned subsidiary (Press Acquisitions Limited), they also own Telegraph Group Limited, parent company of The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph.[3]

In 1993, the brothers bought the lease of the island of Brecqhou, one of the smallest of the Channel Islands, just off the coast of Sark.

  1. ^ Robinson, James (14 December 2008). "The raiders of the lost Sark". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  2. ^ Watts, Robert, ed. (17 May 2020). "The Sunday Times Rich List". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  3. ^ The Telegraph Press office