Victor Cavendish-Bentinck, 9th Duke of Portland
Encyclopedia
Victor Frederick William Cavendish-Bentinck, 9th Duke of Portland (1897–1990), the younger brother of Ferdinand William Cavendish-Bentinck, 8th Duke of Portland, was a British
diplomat
and held the post of Ambassador
to Poland
. Victor succeeded to the title in 1980 on the death of his brother, the 8th Duke.
He was educated at Wellington College
but did not pursue a university education, instead entering the diplomatic service in 1919. His diplomatic career was distinguished. In 1922, he took charge of administrative arrangements for the Lausanne Conference
. He served in the British Embassy in Paris
and also in the League of Nations
Department in the Foreign Office. Other postings included Athens
in 1932 and Santiago
in 1933.
The high point of the 9th Duke's diplomatic career came in 1939 when he was appointed chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee. He managed to develop the body as a highly effective instrument of government and, as a result, became counsellor to the Services Liaison Department of the Foreign Office in 1942.
In 1945, the duke was given his final diplomatic posting on his appointment as Ambassador to Poland. He held the position for two years before the Foreign Office applied to appoint him Ambassador to Brazil. Unfortunately, he never took up the latter post, being obliged to resign from the Foreign Office as a result of the publicity surrounding his divorce.
After his withdrawal from the diplomatic service, Victor embarked on a business career, becoming Vice-Chairman of the Committee of Industrial Interests in Germany
. From this position, he was able to advance the interests of British companies such as Unilever
.
He was married in 1924 to, and divorced in 1948 from, Clothilde (d. 1984), with whom he had two children:
He married again in 1948 to Kathleen Elsie (d. 2004).
On his death, the dukedom became extinct because his son had predeceased him, leaving no living direct male heirs. However, the earldom of Portland was inherited by a cousin, Henry Noel Bentinck
, as 11th Earl of Portland
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and held the post of Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. Victor succeeded to the title in 1980 on the death of his brother, the 8th Duke.
He was educated at Wellington College
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
but did not pursue a university education, instead entering the diplomatic service in 1919. His diplomatic career was distinguished. In 1922, he took charge of administrative arrangements for the Lausanne Conference
Lausanne Conference
Conferences held in Lausanne, Switzerland include the:*Lausanne Conference was the First International Congress on World Evangelization*Lausanne Conference, 1949 related to Palestinian-Jewish negotiations and the 1949 Armistice Agreements...
. He served in the British Embassy in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and also in the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
Department in the Foreign Office. Other postings included Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in 1932 and Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
in 1933.
The high point of the 9th Duke's diplomatic career came in 1939 when he was appointed chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee. He managed to develop the body as a highly effective instrument of government and, as a result, became counsellor to the Services Liaison Department of the Foreign Office in 1942.
In 1945, the duke was given his final diplomatic posting on his appointment as Ambassador to Poland. He held the position for two years before the Foreign Office applied to appoint him Ambassador to Brazil. Unfortunately, he never took up the latter post, being obliged to resign from the Foreign Office as a result of the publicity surrounding his divorce.
After his withdrawal from the diplomatic service, Victor embarked on a business career, becoming Vice-Chairman of the Committee of Industrial Interests in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. From this position, he was able to advance the interests of British companies such as Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
.
He was married in 1924 to, and divorced in 1948 from, Clothilde (d. 1984), with whom he had two children:
- William James (1925-1966)
- Mary Jane (b. 1929)
He married again in 1948 to Kathleen Elsie (d. 2004).
On his death, the dukedom became extinct because his son had predeceased him, leaving no living direct male heirs. However, the earldom of Portland was inherited by a cousin, Henry Noel Bentinck
Henry Bentinck, 11th Earl of Portland
Henry Noel Bentinck, 11th Earl of Portland, 7th Count Bentinck und Waldeck Limpurg was a non-conformist intellectual, concerned about the environment....
, as 11th Earl of Portland
Earl of Portland
Earl of Portland is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England, first in 1633 and again in 1689.-First creation :The title of Earl of Portland was first created for the politician Richard Weston, 1st Baron Weston, in 1633...
.