British Aristocrat, 79, Seeks Bride with Long List of Requirements

Britain's most eccentric aristocrat has sparked outrage once again — this time by launching a public appeal for a wife he says he'll pay £50,000 a year... as long as she's younger, fertile, and checks an astonishing list of bizarre boxes.

Sir Benjamin Slade, 79, says he is searching for a woman to not only give him two male heirs but also help manage his sprawling 1,300-acre Somerset estate — all while carrying a shotgun, holding a driving license, avoiding green-flagged countries, and absolutely never reading The Guardian.

Aristocrat Seeks 'Good Breeder' for Sons and Inheritance

The controversial baronet, who resides in a 14th-century castle, announced his conditions with unapologetic flair: the future Lady Slade must be at least 20 years his junior, taller than 5ft 6in, physically fit, and prepared to engage in fast walking, ballroom dancing, and bridge — all while ideally possessing a background in law, estate management, and accountancy.

"Jane Austen said if you got a big house, you need a wife."

He specified that she must not be a Scorpio, not be Scottish, and not come from countries beginning with 'I' that have green in their flag, dismissing potential wives from Ireland, Italy, India, Iran, and the Ivory Coast. As for winter wear, anyone from a nation that doesn't wear overcoats in cold weather is also barred.

Sir Benjamin says he's searching for a "good breeder" — and isn't fazed by a woman who already has children. "I can have two sons, three would be better, but if I get two sons that saves the situation," he said.

Daughter Isn't Enough — He Demands Male Heirs

The flamboyant baronet already has a daughter, Violet, with 34-year-old entrepreneur and former child author Sahara Sunday Spain, but remains fixated on securing a male heir genetically similar to his paternal line.

But the fantasy future wife has her work cut out for her.

She must carry a shotgun license (non-negotiable), be able to run two castles, have a passion for backgammon, and — in an eyebrow-raising twist — a helicopter license would be "beneficial." A flair for socializing is also required. "I'm very social," he explained, adding the woman must be someone "who can fit in."

It's Not Sexist — Jane Austen Said So

Slade insists his search is not sexist — and he even quoted Jane Austen to back himself up. "You always have a lady of the house, women run houses," he said. "Jane Austen said if you got a big house, you need a wife. The ladies run the house. They run the staff, they have an eye for it."

On top of the £50,000 annual salary, the "job" comes with a house, car, expenses, food, holidays, and a bonus — though he didn't specify how much.

Alcoholics and drug users need not apply.

A No-Green-Flag Policy and a Preference for Yachts

Slade added that people from Canada, Germany, America, and Northern Europe are more his type, calling them "similar people." But one line raised eyebrows more than any other. "I don't think marrying an Eskimo is for me," the nobleman remarked.

This latest wife-hunt is far from his first public matchmaking effort.

Still, he says this is about more than companionship — it's about tax. The young wife, he explains, would inherit the estate and pass it on tax-free to distant relatives, thus skirting inheritance tax laws. "Death tax is 40 percent," he said. "Obviously the widow would receive a financial percentage for passing it on. This is the only way left to get around inheritance tax."

He added another practical detail: insurance. "I cannot insure an older wife so the younger the better," he noted.

Not His First Controversial Hunt

Born to Sir Michael Nial Slade and Angela Clare Rosalind Chichester, Slade inherited his baronetcy in 1962 after the death of his elder brother, Robert. Educated at Millfield School, he lives at Maunsel House, an opulent estate in Bridgwater, Somerset.

This latest wife-hunt is far from his first public matchmaking effort. In 2005, he offered to bequeath his estate to a stranger most genetically similar to his family's DNA. In a series of infamous interviews, he declared that he wouldn't accept Guardian readers, homosexuals, communists, or anyone from a trailer park.

"I want somebody with yachts," he famously declared in 2008 — a sentiment he stands by today. "A little private capital and income would be helpful. A large fortune would be more helpful!" he said.

Previous Partners Ditched for Age and... Cats?

His dating history is just as colorful. He was married to Pauline Myburgh from the late 1970s until their 1991 divorce, which he blamed on her 17 cats. He later dated Fiona Aitken and separated from Bridget Convey in 2017 when, at age 50, she became too old to give him an heir.

Though he acknowledges that there are "lots of lovely girls that would love to marry at 70," he's made it clear: this isn't about love — it's about legacy.