It is with great sadness that we learned this week of the death of His Grace the Duke of Westminster at the age of 64.
Simon Hart MP, Chairman of the Countryside Alliance, paid tribute to the late Duke, saying: "He was a consummate countryman and had been involved in rural campaigning for many years, helping to set up the Countryside Movement, the precursor to the Countryside Alliance. Vice President since our inception the Duke was passionate about standing up for the countryside, especially fieldsports as they came under increasing political scrutiny. He was also a noted conservationist and took his role as custodian of his estates extremely seriously. Our campaigning work carries on and we will remember him with huge gratitude and affection. Our thoughts are very much with his family and friends."