ONE of the Queen’s friends and former Master of the Horse Lord Vestery has died aged 79.
Lord Vestey was affectionately known as ‘Lord Spam’ by friends and was one of Britain’s richest men.
His a £750million fortune is from Vestey Holdings, his family food business, which owned the Dewhurst the Butchers chain.
He was a close friend of the Prince of Wales.
His wife Lady Celia Vestey, the Duke of Sussex’s godmother, had recently died in late November.
The ex-Cheltenham racecourse chairman was part of the monarch’s inner circle.
He was appointed a Lord-in-Waiting to the Queen in 2019.
As Master of the Horse from 1999 until 2018, he was responsible for the Royal Mews and the Queen’s carriages and horses.
Lord Vestey was often pictured at equestrian events with the monarch, including watching the 2011 Derby with her, and in the royal carriage procession at Ascot in 2015.
He attended both Prince Harry and Prince William’s weddings.
Lord Vestey – whose cause of death has not yet been revealed – also presided over the 6,000-acre Stowell Park Estate in Gloucestershire.
He had a long and famous association with the horse racing world.
His blue silks were well known and he enjoyed success as an owner both over jumps and on the Flat.
He owned and bred 1997 Stayers’ Hurdle hero Karshi.
