Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl Of Shaftesbury
Nicholas Edmund Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl of Shaftesbury, (born 3 June 1979) also known as Nick Ashley-Cooper, succeeded his brother as Earl of Shaftesbury. The 12th Earl of Shaftesbury is the godson of Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster; and Simon Elliot, husband of Annabel Shand, sister of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Shaftesbury's father, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 10th Earl of Shaftesbury, had been murdered in November 2004 by the brother of his third wife, Jamila M'Barek, but his body was not discovered until April 2005. A month later, on 15 May 2005, Shaftesbury's brother, Anthony, the 11th Earl, died of a heart attack and the peerage devolved upon Nicholas. Following his brother's death, Shaftesbury relocated to his family home from New York City and assumed the responsibilities of the earldom. He also holds the subsidiary titles Baron Ashley and Baron Cooper.
On 11 September 2010, Lord Shaftesbury married Dinah Streifeneder. Professionally, the Countess of Shaftesbury is a veterinary surgeon. Together, the 12th Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury are committed to philanthropic pursuits, expressing interests in conservation, animal welfare, and working to assist children with disabilities. Since inheriting the titles and estate, Lord and Lady have embarked on an aggressive restoration project of St Giles House, determined to revitalise the shire and recapture the aristocratic prominence of the ancient Ashley-Cooper dynasty.
With the family's history, a tradition for public service and a strong social conscience, Lord Shaftesbury put his name forward as a candidate to become an elected Crossbench hereditary peer, on the death of the 4th Viscount Colville of Culross in April 2010 and the By-election in June which followed. The eventual victor was the 9th Earl of Clancarty. He has since attempted to be elected as a Crossbench peer in several subsequent By-elections in the House of Lords, as of yet without success.
Read more about Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl Of Shaftesbury: Personal Background, Shaftesbury Estates, Philanthropic Interests
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