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| Duchess of Cambridge not posh? Her ancestor was lord mayor of Leeds | Duchess of Cambridge not posh? Her ancestor was lord mayor of Leeds |
| (10 days later) | |
| I'm excited. I'm off to the National Portrait Gallery to see that terrifyingly regal portrait of King George V; you know the one – the great-great-grandfather of Prince William. I bet the late royal portraitist Sir Oswald Birley would be proud to know his picture of the king was still on display for thousands to see every day. | I'm excited. I'm off to the National Portrait Gallery to see that terrifyingly regal portrait of King George V; you know the one – the great-great-grandfather of Prince William. I bet the late royal portraitist Sir Oswald Birley would be proud to know his picture of the king was still on display for thousands to see every day. |
| Birley painted another portrait around the same time that has had a much less distinguished fate: that of the Yorkshire businessman and former lord mayor of Leeds, Sir Charles Lupton. But Lupton's fame has faded so much that the portrait has been gathering dust in the vaults of Leeds art gallery for 60 years. | Birley painted another portrait around the same time that has had a much less distinguished fate: that of the Yorkshire businessman and former lord mayor of Leeds, Sir Charles Lupton. But Lupton's fame has faded so much that the portrait has been gathering dust in the vaults of Leeds art gallery for 60 years. |
| However, some dogged research by my senior students at the Australian college where I teach history has helped unearth a very modern – and very royal – family connection that may see the portrait given a second shot at getting the audience it deserves: Sir Charles Lupton is the great-great-great-uncle of Prince William's wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, the royal consort formerly known as Kate Middleton. | However, some dogged research by my senior students at the Australian college where I teach history has helped unearth a very modern – and very royal – family connection that may see the portrait given a second shot at getting the audience it deserves: Sir Charles Lupton is the great-great-great-uncle of Prince William's wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, the royal consort formerly known as Kate Middleton. |
| When my wife and I were watching Kate's elegant wedding to Prince William, we were rather put off by the constant and snooty assertions of British "royal correspondent" James Whitaker (sadly now no longer with us) that Kate "simply did not have the necessary gentry connections" required to cope with marrying into the royal family. Cobblers. Even a cursory look at her family tree will make you realise that the media-fuelled idea of Kate Middleton as the daughter of social-climbing parents is absolute rubbish. Kate's relatives are very much connected to the good and great of Leeds – to the "gentry" if you will. | When my wife and I were watching Kate's elegant wedding to Prince William, we were rather put off by the constant and snooty assertions of British "royal correspondent" James Whitaker (sadly now no longer with us) that Kate "simply did not have the necessary gentry connections" required to cope with marrying into the royal family. Cobblers. Even a cursory look at her family tree will make you realise that the media-fuelled idea of Kate Middleton as the daughter of social-climbing parents is absolute rubbish. Kate's relatives are very much connected to the good and great of Leeds – to the "gentry" if you will. |
| My research revealed that Kate's second cousin, thrice removed, is Leeds-born Lady Bullock (Barbara May Lupton), a Cambridge graduate. And, what's more that man lying forgotten in Leeds art gallery, Sir Charles Lupton OBE, founded the law firm Dibb Lupton, which later evolved into what is now the world's largest law firm, DLA Piper (the L in DLA stands for Lupton). | My research revealed that Kate's second cousin, thrice removed, is Leeds-born Lady Bullock (Barbara May Lupton), a Cambridge graduate. And, what's more that man lying forgotten in Leeds art gallery, Sir Charles Lupton OBE, founded the law firm Dibb Lupton, which later evolved into what is now the world's largest law firm, DLA Piper (the L in DLA stands for Lupton). |
| Our reward for all this sleuthing came in the form of kind letters from St James Palace: "HRH the Duchess of Cambridge would have me thank you very much for highlighting these aspects of her ancestry …". The Royal College of Arms and of course Cambridge itself has been wonderfully welcoming; both Trinity and Newnham Colleges graciously accepted framed photos (made by my students) of Kate's ancestors and sharing with me Kate-related archival material – a real treat for this Aussie history teacher and his students. | Our reward for all this sleuthing came in the form of kind letters from St James Palace: "HRH the Duchess of Cambridge would have me thank you very much for highlighting these aspects of her ancestry …". The Royal College of Arms and of course Cambridge itself has been wonderfully welcoming; both Trinity and Newnham Colleges graciously accepted framed photos (made by my students) of Kate's ancestors and sharing with me Kate-related archival material – a real treat for this Aussie history teacher and his students. |
| Why is it that fame, if it does occur to us at all, only happens for such a finite period? Sir Charles Lupton, was lord mayor of Leeds, and the brother of Kate's great-great-grandfather Francis. His wife's brother was Thomas Ashton, 1st Baron Ashton of Hyde (also a northerner). But Lupton is pretty much forgotten today. Such an enormous difference in 'fame-longevity' compared to King George V, despite both men being deemed important enough to have had their portraits painted around the same time. | Why is it that fame, if it does occur to us at all, only happens for such a finite period? Sir Charles Lupton, was lord mayor of Leeds, and the brother of Kate's great-great-grandfather Francis. His wife's brother was Thomas Ashton, 1st Baron Ashton of Hyde (also a northerner). But Lupton is pretty much forgotten today. Such an enormous difference in 'fame-longevity' compared to King George V, despite both men being deemed important enough to have had their portraits painted around the same time. |
| But it is good to know that Charles Lupton may be the toast of Leeds again before too long. He'll cope with that – just as his great-great-grandniece copes with her every move being dissected by the world's media. Oh yes, don't you worry, I don't think Charles will be staying in that basement for much longer. Northerners don't wither and die in palaces, nor in storage. | But it is good to know that Charles Lupton may be the toast of Leeds again before too long. He'll cope with that – just as his great-great-grandniece copes with her every move being dissected by the world's media. Oh yes, don't you worry, I don't think Charles will be staying in that basement for much longer. Northerners don't wither and die in palaces, nor in storage. |
| I like to think Kate will read this blog, make a good, fair offer to Leeds art gallery and, as patron of the National Portrait Gallery, quite simply demand that her beloved great-great-great-uncle's portrait sits alongside that of King George V, both looking fondly down on her and her hubby above their living room fireplace. | I like to think Kate will read this blog, make a good, fair offer to Leeds art gallery and, as patron of the National Portrait Gallery, quite simply demand that her beloved great-great-great-uncle's portrait sits alongside that of King George V, both looking fondly down on her and her hubby above their living room fireplace. |
| • Michael Reed has taught humanities for many years in Australia, and was once offered a job as an education curator at an art gallery | • Michael Reed has taught humanities for many years in Australia, and was once offered a job as an education curator at an art gallery |
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