A 79-year-old aristocrat has sparked controversy by launching a public search for a bride, offering a £50,000 annual package to the woman who can bear him male heirs and help manage his extensive Somerset estate.
The Unconventional Proposal
Sir Benjamin Slade, who is approaching his eighties, has created a detailed list of requirements for his future wife despite his advanced age. The baronet, who inherited his title in 1962, insists he won't settle for anything less than his exact specifications.
The first major requirement is age-related - potential applicants must be at least twenty years younger than Sir Benjamin, effectively ruling out women in their sixties. The aristocrat specifically mentioned he's seeking a "good breeder" to provide him with at least two male heirs, though he noted that previous childbearing experience isn't essential.
"I can have two sons, three would be better, but if I get two sons that saves the situation," Sir Benjamin explained, highlighting his urgent need for male descendants.
Specific Requirements and Expectations
The nobleman's demands extend far beyond age and childbearing capabilities. He has outlined numerous specific qualifications his future wife must possess:
- Must be taller than 5 feet 6 inches
- Cannot be a Scorpio
- Must not read the Guardian newspaper
- Required to possess a shotgun licence and driving licence
- Helicopter licence would be "beneficial"
- Must enjoy ballroom dancing, bridge, and backgammon
- Needs administrative skills to manage two castles
- Estate, legal, and accountancy training "would be useful"
Sir Benjamin also expressed strong preferences about nationality, stating he doesn't want applicants from countries beginning with 'I' that have green in their flags. "I don't mind Canadians, Americans, Germans and Northern Europeans - what I like to call similar people," he commented. "I don't think marrying an Eskimo is for me."
Financial and Practical Considerations
The successful candidate would receive £50,000 plus bonuses annually, which Sir Benjamin specifies includes "a car, house, expenses, food and holidays." However, he also suggests that "a little private capital and income would be helpful" while noting that "a large fortune would be more helpful."
The aristocrat revealed that tax planning plays a significant role in his marital requirements. Inheritance tax considerations have influenced his decision to seek a much younger wife. "Death tax is 40 percent and the only way I can pass the estate and art collection etc on is to leave it to the wife tax free," he explained.
Sir Benjamin emphasised the insurance implications of his choice: "I cannot insure an older wife so the younger the better. Obviously the widow would receive a financial percentage for passing it on. This is the only way left to get around inheritance tax."
Despite having a daughter, Violet, with 34-year-old entrepreneur Sahara Sunday Spain, Sir Benjamin continues his search for male heirs to continue his lineage and preserve his 1,300-acre Somerset estate, Maunsel House in Bridgwater.
The aristocrat, educated at Millfield School and descended from Charles II, maintains that his requirements are practical rather than purely romantic. "You always have a lady of the house, women run houses," he said, referencing Jane Austen to support his position. "People think that it is sexist. Jane Austen said if you got a big house, you need a wife."
