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Abbey funeral for landowner duke | Abbey funeral for landowner duke |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Hundreds of mourners have paid their respects to one of Britain's biggest landowners in the dramatic setting of a ruined 12th Century abbey. | |
The Duke of Buccleuch, who died a week ago at the age of 83, was remembered by more than 2,500 people under open skies at Melrose Abbey in the Borders. | |
The former Tory MP was laid to rest alongside his father. | |
A memorial service celebrating his life will be held in St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh at a later date. | |
The Duchess of Buccleuch, preceded the coffin into the abbey, followed by the Royal Company of Archers, of which the duke was a member. | |
They were followed by his eldest son Richard, who will become the 10th Duke of Buccleuch, and he was flanked by two more of the duke's sons. | |
Among the mourners were Lord Steel, the former Liberal Democrat leader, former Labour MP Tam Dalyell, Conservative MP David Mundell and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. | |
The Duchess of Buccleuch preceded the coffin into the abbey | |
Lord Steel had earlier been one of the first to pay tribute to the duke on learning of his death. | |
"His was a long and distinguished public life of which his wife Jane and his four children must be immensely proud," he said. | |
Hundreds of people who had worked on the duke's estates and been involved with his charitable work also attended the funeral. | |
The duke, who used a wheelchair after a riding accident in the early 70s, died at his stately home at Bowhill, near Selkirk, after a short illness. | |
He was one of Britain's biggest landowners, with more than 270,00 acres, mostly in the Borders. | |
The Buccleuch estates are estimated to be worth £71m. | |
The duke was at the centre of media attention in 2003 when his £30m painting, Madonna with the Yarnwinder, by Leonardo Da Vinci, was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle. | |
The 500-year-old artwork had been in the Buccleuch family for almost 200 years. It has never been recovered. | The 500-year-old artwork had been in the Buccleuch family for almost 200 years. It has never been recovered. |
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