Ralph Beauclerk

Raphael Charles Beauclerk, better known as Ralph Beauclerk, , VI marqués de Valero de Urría, was an upper-class British Army officer and secret agent, decorated for his WWII service with the Special Operations Executive .

Background and early life

Of Spanish noble and English aristocratic descent, Beauclerk was via his father in remainder to the dukedom of Saint Albans, later succeeding as marqués de Valero de Urría, when his mother's title was revived in his favour in 1989.
His father William Topham Sidney Beauclerk was a civil engineer in the Argentine who, in 1910, married Dolores de Peñalver y Zamora, V condesa de Peñalver later VII marquesa de Arcos.
His mother, the only surviving child of Enrique de Peñalver y Zamora, VII marqués de Arcos and María Zamora y Pérez de Urría, daughter and heiress of María Pérez de Urría y de la Cuesta, II marquesa de Valero de Urría, succeeded to her family titles.
Beauclerk was educated first at Downside School, Somerset, then at Bayonne in France, becoming a fluent linguist.

into the Intelligence Corps at the outbreak of WWII, Beauclerk served in France during [World War II|France] on attachment to the SOE, being promoted Captain.
During World War II, code named Casimir, Beauclerk worked as an agent for the clandestine British Special Operations Executive, conducting espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in German [military administration in occupied France during World War II|Nazi-occupied Europe]. SOE agents allied themselves with French Resistance maquis and supplied them with weapons and equipment.
After his distinguished military service, Beauclerk joined Hong Kong and Shanghai Merchant Bank working in Asia until 1970 and then with the Banque Privée de Luxembourg.
In 1989, the Spanish marquisate of Valero de Urría devolved upon Beauclerk; among his cousins was the Marchioness of Cárdenas de Montehermoso, with kinsmen including the Duke of St Albans and the Duchess of Alba.

On 24 August 1957 at Saigon, Vietnam, Beauclerk married Noirine Mary Bowen, daughter of James Bowen, of Bowen's Court, County Cork; the Marquis and Marquesa had two children:

Dolores Mary Beauclerk, married Dr Richard Makower and has three children.
William Raphael Beauclerk, was educated at Worth School, commissioned in the Royal Navy serving on HMY Britannia and promoted Lieutenant, elected FRICS; after his father's death he succeeded as the 7th Marquis de Valero de Urría. He married in 1986 Margaret Eleanor Mountjoy, having a daughter and two sons:
* Charlotte Mary Beauclerk
* Alexander Charles Beauclerk
* Cameron William Beauclerk.

Capt Beauclerk's granddaughter, doña Charlotte Beauclerk, is heiress apparent to the marquisate and her younger brothers are in remainder to the dukedom of Saint Albans. His son, the present Marquis and Marquesa de Valero de Urría live at Médan, near Paris.

The 6th Marquis de Valero de Urría's distinguished services were recognised by being appointed :