Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath

Alexander Thynn, the 7th Marquess of Bath, was a man who treated his inherited role as a canvas for his own bizarre imagination. Inheriting the vast Longleat estate in 1992, he defied aristocratic convention by opening its grounds to the public in 1966, creating Britain's first safari park outside Africa. This commercial masterstroke funded his true passion: covering nearly every inch of his private apartments in fantastical, often erotic, murals he called his 'private obsession.' He became a fixture of British popular culture, known for his flamboyant dress, polyamorous 'wifelets,' and a public persona that blurred the lines between nobleman, artist, and performance artist. His life was a deliberate and controversial performance, challenging the staid expectations of his class while ensuring the survival of his family's heritage through sheer spectacle.