Wealthy Englishman Seeks American to be His Heir

Sir Benjamin Slade owns an estate in England worth approximately $13 million and is seeking an heir for estate in the United States.  His estate includes a 13th-century manor house in Somerset.  Before you apply, note the following conditions:

• You cannot be a drug addict.
• You must have enough funds to pay $140,000 per year to upkeep the manor.
• You must be willing to invest $1 million to fix the stables.
• You must fix the driveway for an estimated $70,000.
• You cannot be a Communist.
• You must be heterosexual.

The plan is for Sir Slade to run an Apprentice-style reality television show in which potential heirs spend time in the Manor and endure various challenges.  Sir Slade may then eject the losers with the phrase, “You’re disinherited.”

See Sarah Lyall, Seeking a Willing Heir, an Aristocrat Turns to America, NY Times, March 7, 2006.

Special thanks to Prof. Joel C. Dobris of the University of California — Davis for pointing out this article.