- Receive your daily news directly by 7 am – subscribe to our latest Morning Mail newsletter at no cost.
A polarizing member of the elite has alleged that he was targeted by a judge due to his identity as a "white man" and his affluent background following his defeat in a divorce case concerning a £1.2 million trust fund.
Sir Benjamin Slade, aged 80, previously placed an advertisement seeking a "castle-educated" anti-communist woman to bear his successor, became involved in a legal dispute with Lady Pauline Slade, who wished to sell a £585,000 home located on his large Somerset estate.
The pair were married for 12 years prior to their divorce in 1994, according to the 7th Baronet of Maunsell, who claimed he grew tired of her 17 feline companions.
As part of their separation, Lady Slade received a £1.2 million trust fund consisting of an "income fund" currently valued at approximately £650,000, along with Old Farm, assessed at £585,000, situated on his extensive 2,000-acre Somerset property.
Nevertheless, after she left the house in 2023, she wished for the property to be sold through trustees in order to settle her obligations and boost her earnings, leading to a complex legal dispute.
In the meantime, attorneys acting on behalf of Sir Benjamin, who resided in the property, contended that she was not entitled to the profits from the house since her entitlement was solely to reside there without paying rent for her lifetime.
The dispute ultimately reached the High Court, with the fund's trustees requesting a judicial decision on whether Ms. Slade was entitled to benefit from the property's sale.
Judge Master Julia Clark decided against Sir Benjamin, determining that one of the key objectives of the trust was to supply his former wife with income "while he was alive."
After the decision was announced, the baronet, who traces his lineage back to Charles II, promised to continue opposing the judgment, calling it a 'farce'.
But I anticipated it," he remarked. "There's significant class hostility, and being a white man from my background means you're bound to face consequences. It's typical.
I think there might be some reverse sexism involved as well. It was a female judge who had recently supported my former wife.
According to Master Clark's opinion, she stated there was "no foundation for determining that if Lady Slade fails to oversee the acquisition of a new property, the main objective of the trust would cease."
She also discovered that there was insufficient grounds to establish that if the former Lady Slade fails to buy a new residence, her 'claim on the net sales proceeds terminates and returns to Sir Benjamin'.
The baronet's lawyer, Robert Deacon, informed the court that Lady Slade left the residence in 2022 or 2023, and subsequently sent a letter in August 2024 stating she did not plan to return to live there.
Lady Slade added that she did not intend to purchase a "new property," but instead wished for Old Farm to be sold in her favor.
Following the ruling, Sir Benjamin stated he had attempted to find a 'reasonable resolution' with his former wife, yet she 'declined to participate.'
There exists a bias toward individuals who possess wealth. I've experienced this myself," he mentioned regarding his former wife. "She isn't a destitute, helpless woman, however.
She comes from an affluent background, resides in a £3 million apartment, and has received a substantial inheritance. Despite having plenty of wealth, this reflects how the social hierarchy works against me.
What is your occupation?" they were resolved for conflict. She somewhat resembles a feminine counterpart to Donald Trump and the Israelis.
Sir Benjamin stated that he had attempted to facilitate an agreement, yet mentioned that she had vacated the premises requiring significant renovations and had failed to cover the maintenance costs.
He stated, "Our main aim was simply to resolve this matter. However, the situation keeps dragging on without an end. The only ones benefiting are the attorneys."
The expenses for the case from both parties will amount to a significant sum, which will need to be covered from her earnings.
We're frustrated and plan to return to court. The house is entirely in ruins, and she left it behind.
None of the expenses have been settled. She has not taken care of the property in any way.
The marketplace is quite poor, and the property is in a state of neglect. It needs repairs funded by someone else, and you shouldn’t think about selling it as it stands now.
That’s a highly challenging approach.
Describing their legal dispute as similar to a neighborly argument about a backyard fence, he stated that Lady Slade had utilized the house just once annually.
This might drag on for many years," he remarked. "Individuals will debate about a garden fence, and whose property line it actually is.
It constantly happens due to disagreements over boundaries. Legal costs skyrocket, and the losing party often faces severe financial damage.
We need to make an agreement. There is a complete list of tasks that must be completed. If it gets sold, it will have to be improved. You can't simply step back and say 'just sell it'.
Even though it ends up in the trust and ultimately returns to me – I wouldn’t be pleased to see it wasted.
It followed Sir Benjamin making news earlier when he offered £50,000 per year for a "well-bred" and "castle-educated" wife to "produce his successor."
Only candidates who were at least 20 years younger were reportedly taken into account, and they needed to know how to handle a shotgun.
One of his stringent conditions was that his new wife should not be a Scorpio, someone who uses drugs, or an alcoholic.
Although he had no issue with Canadians, Americans, Germans, or people from northern Europe, he remarked, "I don't believe getting married to an Inuit would be suitable for me."
His set of conditions also mentioned that he didn’t wish for a spouse who read the Guardian, was from Scotland, or stood over 5 feet 6 inches tall.
He mentioned that they needed to know how to perform ballroom dancing, play bridge and backgammon, and solve crossword puzzles.
Candidates who were favored were informed they needed to own a shotgun and possess a driver’s license, with a helicopter pilot's certificate considered an advantage.
He further mentioned that she needed to have the capability to manage two castles, and that having experience in estates, law, and accounting "would be beneficial."
As a result, he assured the applicant they would receive £50,000 annually along with a bonus, which covered a vehicle, housing, costs, meals, and vacation time.
Lord Benjamin has a daughter named Violet from Sahara Sunday Spain, although he had earlier mentioned that he was still searching for a male successor who shares genetic traits with one of his more distant paternal relatives.
Lord Benjamin had resided at Old Farm following the decision to put his manor house up for sale with an initial price of £3.5 million last year.
He comes from a line of descendants of one of the Duke of Wellington's officers — General Sir John Slade, the first Baronet, who faced criticism from the Iron Duke due to his poor management of the cavalry and for "charging recklessly."
The ancestral home, currently available for purchase, is an expansive 13-bedroom red brick mansion—Maunsel House located in Somerset—that dates back to the 11th century and is believed to be the place where Geoffrey Chaucer composed parts of his writings.
Within, there is a concealed passageway that was previously connected to the nearby parish church, whereas a fully equipped bar features a showcase containing 81 weapons, among them a large-caliber machine gun.
Lady Slade, aged 79, is the daughter of the late Devon county cricketer and British Army officer Major Claude Myburgh.
Read more
