Speeding Fine And Points For Marques Of Ailesbury

The Ninth Marquess of Ailesbury was fined and received three penalty points on his driving licence today after he was caught on camera breaking a 20mph speed limit.

Eton-educated David Michael James Brudenell-Bruce, 72, did not appear at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court, where the offence was proved in his absence.

He was convicted of exceeding the 20mph speed limit on the A4 Cromwell Road, Kensington, near the junction with Queensberry Place on December 6, last year while driving his 1.2 litre black electric Vauxhall Mokka SUV.

Prosecutor Geraldine Dickinson told the short hearing it was 2.21pm when the peer, of Savernake Lodge, Ashlade Firs Road, Savernake, Wiltshire was caught.

A statement from Nicola McGill was read, which stated: “A vehicle activated the safety camera and the speed recorded was 26mph in a 20mph road.

“A letter was sent to David Brudenell-Bruce and was returned that confirmed he was the driver at the time of the offence.”

The Marquess, who studied at private Hawtreys prep-school before attending Scottish private boarding school Rannoch and the Royal Agricultural College, initially pleaded guilty by letter.

He also requested a personal hearting, but did not attend.

The court heard he has three points on his licence for an offence of speeding, committed on May 13, last year.

Bench Chairman David Williams announced the case was proved and fined the Marquess £220, with £130 costs, plus an £88 victim surcharge and imposed three penalty points.

However, this may not be the end of the peers motoring troubles as the court heard the DVLA still have the option of informing the court if his is liable for disqualification under the points totting rules.

“There could have been relevant points that have now dropped off,” explained the prosecutor.

The Marquess has been Secretary of Marlborough Conservatives since 1985 and an Executive member of the Devizes Constituency Conservative Association since 1988.

The family are the descendants of the Seymour family and related to King Henry The Eighth’s third wife Jane Seymour, the mother of his only son King Edward VI.

The Marquess is the 31st Hereditary Warden of the private Savernake Forest, part of the one thousand year-old Savernake Estate.

His formal title was Earl of Cardigan until the death of his father on May 12, last year, with that title passing to his son Thomas James Brudenell-Bruce, 43, a result of his first marriage to the late Rosamond Winkley.

He also has two daughters, Lady Catherine Anna Brudenell-Bruce, 40, and 12 year-old Lady Sophie Brudenell-Bruce - whose mother is the Marquess’ second wife, American Catherine Powell, now the Marchioness of Ailesbury.

A decade ago he was reportedly forced to claim Jobseekers Allowance and train as a HGV driver during a bitter High Court dispute with the estate trustees, who wanted to sell the family silver and art collection.

Eventually, the trustees were removed and the Marquess restored the family income.

The family seat is Grade I Tottenham House in Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, which was leased to a US golf consortium in 2006 and then sold for £11.25m in 2014.

During this time the Marquess reportedly resided in an unheated lodge in the grounds of his ancestral home.