On
4th October 2008, William, the 9th Earl of Radnor was elected to be the new Governor of the French Hospital.
The
elder son of Jacob, 8th Earl of Radnor, born in 1955, educated at Harrow and the Royal Agricultural
College, Cirencester, William Pleydell-Bouverie, then Viscount Folkestone, developed his knowledge
of the great art collection and the other treasures at Longford, as a furniture specialist at Christie's,
later becoming the firm's representative in Wiltshire.
He
married Melissa Stanford in 1996 and they are now the parents of four sons and two daughters, ranging from 11
to a year in age. The family have long and major property interests in Kent, notably in Folkestone, and
Lord Radnor is deeply involved in the developments there, and is a Trustee of the Metropolitan Art Centre Trust,
organisers of the major Triennial Exhibition.
His
time will now be even more taken up with the great estate of Longford Castle. As family man, businessman and a
landed proprietor, he is to be especially welcomed as Governor of the French Hospital, since
he agreed to be proposed for election out of a sense of duty to the institution which his family have served for
so long, with perhaps a measure of filial piety. As he has written "I look forward to seeing more of you in the future,
and although I am aware that my father will be a hard act to follow I will do my best". It is most pleasing
to all of us that he will be with us for so many years to come.
Randolph Vigne
Director