A pall has been cast over one of the great traditions of the British social calendar following the death of the Duke of Westminster.
The Glorious Twelfth, which heralds the start of the country’s grouse shooting season, has been cancelled at the late Duke’s Abbeystead estate, as a mark of respect.
The shoot at the 18,000 acre estate in Lancashire has long been one of the centre pieces of the calendar, with the event frequently attended by members of the Royal family, including Princes William and Harry
But the Duke’s son, Hugh Grosvenor, who has now inherited the title - along with the family’s £8.3 billion fortune - is understood to have taken the decision that it would not be appropriate to go ahead with the shoot.