George Bingham, the 7th Earl of Lucan, was one of the most notorious members of the British aristocracy in the 20th century following his disappearance while under suspicion of murdering his children’s nanny. The last trace of the fugitive Earl was the discovery south of London of a car he had borrowed that was covered in blood. Since then, a number of theories have been floated concerning his whereabouts including flight to Africa or the United States although the commonly accepted theory is that he committed suicide somewhere along the coast of England. In 1999, he was declared dead for estate and inheritance purposes although the ruling did not apply to his title which remained vested in the Earl despite his presumed death. Now, the High Court has declared Bingham dead for all purposes which allows his son to claim the title and become the 8th Earl of Lucan. With this act, the sordid affairs of the dissipated nobleman’s life can finally be brought to a complete close.
See Sewell Chan, Lord Lucan, Missing Since 1974 Murder, Is Declared Dead (Again), The New York Times, February 3, 2016.
