Every society has an aristocracy, even those that deny or disparage the very idea, such as our own. The term derives from a Greek phrase roughly meaning “rule of the best,” though its interpretation varies widely across cultures.
In England, this aristocracy historically comprised families that accumulated vast lands, served the monarchy, and at times challenged rulers while also defending national interests and evolving into regional dynasties and feudal lords. In America, early aristocrats functioned similarly as landed gentry and local governors; today, they are often redefined by 19th-century commercial magnates like the Morgans, Mellons, Rockefellers, and Schiffs or 20th-century political dynasties such as the Tafts, Roosevelts, Bushes, and Kennedys.
Eleanor Doughty, a British journalist who has specialized in chronicling her nation’s “moneyed and titled classes,” offers a detailed account of the modern British aristocracy—hundreds of families who, since the Norman Conquest, maintained colossal wealth, built grand estates, and wielded decisive influence in Britain.
The book’s relevance in America is unsurprising. When royal family members visit U.S. events like black-tie dinners at the White House, Americans are reminded of their revolutionary history that discarded monarchies. Yet cultural touchstones like Nancy Mitford’s novels or adaptations of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited (1981 and 2008) reveal enduring fascination with aristocratic life. Millions also followed the fictional Crawley family in Downton Abbey, a series that authentically depicted both the manners of England’s upper class and the slow decline of aristocracy as political power.
While Heirs & Graces is rich with anecdotes, character studies, and examples of triumph and tragedy, it reveals that the modern British aristocracy’s story extends beyond decline—it encompasses survival, adaptation, reinvention, and even prosperity.
Today’s aristocracy is diverse: some trace titles to Norman-era families with estates built in medieval times, expanded during the mid-1700s, and equipped with indoor plumbing by Queen Victoria; others are younger sons or daughters of noble families descended from figures like Winston Churchill’s ancestor, the Duke of Marlborough. Titles range from the 24th earl to the 2nd viscount, with some peers serving in socialist cabinets. The group includes scholars, clergymen, artists, and even those labeled scoundrels or communists. Many live abroad, with fortunes varying widely—some are exceptionally wealthy, others struggle financially, and a few face penury. Despite these challenges, many have thrived in banking, business, high-tech ventures, education, and the arts.
A critical issue is the impact of inheritance taxes, which have forced some families to sell historic residences. Postwar Labour governments actively targeted aristocratic wealth through taxation and eminent domain, leading to widespread demolitions of estates that could not find buyers or National Trust patrons. It took years for Britain to recognize these lands as vital components of national heritage.
Two unifying themes emerge from Doughty’s work: First, modern aristocrats retain local influence despite losing political power—serving as lord lieutenants, honorary high sheriffs, or civic leaders. Second, reforms under Labour governments aim to reduce the House of Lords’ role, with hereditary peers potentially being barred entirely after decades of limited representation.
In a constitutional monarchy that values tradition, this resilience highlights an ironic truth: the modern British aristocracy may be more representative of contemporary Britain than the often-predictable machinery of the House of Commons.
Heirs & Graces: A History of the Modern British Aristocracy by Eleanor Doughty (Hutchinson Heinemann, 576 pages, $56.99)
Philip Terzian is a former literary editor and senior writer at the Weekly Standard; his book Architects of Power explores Roosevelt and Eisenhower.