April 20, 2024

The travails of the rich

The Marquess and Marchioness of Bath are not short of a quid. Their Longleat estate in Wiltshire in the UK is 9,000 acres and includes a safari park. Yet they have a problem. Their second son was born with the help of a surrogate mother. This means, under English law dating back hundreds of years, that he cannot inherit his father’s title, if he were eligible. He is deemed “illegitimate”. In effect, there is a law for the rich and a law for the poor – and this time, the poor get a better deal. We explore this issue in our lead story.

Michael Cook
Assisted reproduction is not adapted for British aristocrats
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