Henry Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland


The Duke of Northumberland
Portrait by Allan Warren
Tenure11 October 1988 (1988-10-11)– 31 October 1995 (1995-10-31)
PredecessorThe 10th Duke of Northumberland
SuccessorThe 12th Duke of Northumberland
BornHenry Alan Walter Richard Percy, Earl Percy
(1953-07-01)1 July 1953
Hounslow, London[1]
Died31 October 1995(1995-10-31) (aged 42)
London, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
ParentsHugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland
Lady Elizabeth Montagu Douglas Scott

Henry Alan Walter Richard Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland (1 July 1953 – 31 October 1995), styled Earl Percy until 1988, was a British peer from the Percy family.

He was born at Syon House,[1] the eldest son and heir of Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland, and his wife, the former Lady Elizabeth Montagu Douglas Scott, daughter of the 8th Duke of Buccleuch. He was a godchild of Queen Elizabeth II. His other godparents included his uncle Lord Richard Percy, his aunt the Countess of Dalkeith, and the Countess of Cromer.[2]

He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. After succeeding to the dukedom on the death of his father, 11 October 1988, he was noted for planting many trees at Syon House, the Ducal residence at Brentford; for an unsuccessful foray into film-making involving the Duke in front of and behind the camera; for romantic relationships with Naomi Campbell's mother, Valerie, and with American actress Barbara Carrera; and for excessive and adventurous drug taking.[3]

Percy was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.[4] He never married and died aged 42 from heart failure after an overdose of amphetamines.[3][5]

He was succeeded to the Dukedom by his younger brother Lord Ralph Percy.

  1. ^ a b "Court Circular". The Times. 2 July 1953. p. 8.
  2. ^ "Christening". The Times. 26 October 1953. p. 10.
  3. ^ a b Barber, Lynne (3 August 2003). "Gardener's question time". The Observer. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  4. ^ Lisman SR; Dougherty K (2007). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 297–302. ISBN 978-0-470-11772-9.
  5. ^ Mason, Christopher (17 July 2008). "The Versailles of the North". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 October 2012.