2013-04-16 10:05:26 +02:00

259 lines
6.9 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
Raw Blame History

This file contains invisible Unicode characters

This file contains invisible Unicode characters that are indistinguishable to humans but may be processed differently by a computer. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

news
uknews
4231515
-----
# Sir Dai Llewellyn dies of cancer
## Sir Dai Llewellyn, the colourful Welsh baronet and lothario, has died of
cancer in hospital.
By Murray Wardrop and Chris Irvine 6:45AM GMT 14 Jan 2009
The 62-year-old was receiving treatment for bone cancer at Edenbridge and
District War Memorial Hospital, where a staff nurse confirmed his death.
![Sir Dai Llewellyn dies of cancer ][1]
Sir Dai was being treated for cancer, diabetes and cirrhosis, and had
undergone radiotherapy for a tumour in his back
In an interview in November, the bon-viveur said he was "riddled" with cancer
and blamed alcohol for his health problems.
The socialite said: "It's all down to the alcohol, it's all my fault. Oh what
a joy, what a pleasure alcohol can bring you.
"It can be one of life's great pleasures, but it can also cause great
downfalls."
Born in Aberdare, South Wales, in 1946, Sir Dai was nicknamed the "seducer of
the valleys" for his appetite for wine, women and song.
## Related Articles
* [Sir Dai Llewellyn][2]
14 Jan 2009
He was also brother to Roddy Llewellyn, who famously had a six-year affair
with Princess Margaret.
Sir Dai was being treated for cancer, diabetes and cirrhosis, and had
undergone radiotherapy for a tumour in his back.
His daughters Olivia and Arabella and his former wife Vanessa were at his
bedside when he passed away at about 9pm on Tuesday night.
Friend Dragomir Devedlaka said Sir Dai was transferred to the hospital for
radiation treatment for bone cancer six weeks ago, having previously been at a
Kent hospice.
Paying tribute to his friend of 30 years, he said: "He was one of the best
raconteurs in the world, if not the number one.
"He was the perfect gentleman, and was the most amazing person to be with."
Businessman Mr Devedlaka, who visited Sir Dai for the final time on the day he
died, added: "I knew intuitively that it would be goodbye, because of the way
he looked."
"His daughters were there, and his ex-wife Vanessa was there. It was almost
like a little party."
Sir Dai was the son of 1952 Summer Olympics gold medallist showjumper Sir
Harry Llewellyn.
He grew up at Gobion Manor near Abergavenny and was educated at Hawtreys
Preparatory School and Eton College before attending Aix-en-Provence
University in Southern France.
In 2007, Sir Dai stood in the National Assembly for Wales election as a UKIP
candidate in Cardiff North where he came last and polled 3.7 per cent of the
vote.
Sir Dai married Vanessa Hubbard in 1980, with whom he had two daughters,
Olivia, an actress, and Arabella, a City stockbroker. The couple divorced
after seven years in 1987.
Other women in his life included the 1960s pin-up Annegret Tree, Tessa Dahl,
daughter of Roald, Judith (now Lady) Wilcox and the Swedish-born interior
designer Christel Jurgenson, to whom he was briefly engaged in 2006.
In 1999 he inherited the Llewellyn Baronetcy upon the death of his father,
along with a home in Aberbeeg, near Abertillery.
The Old Etonian was open about his love of living the high life, which
included consuming large amounts of alcohol, claiming to have drunk eight
bottles of wine, a bottle of rum, a bottle of port and a bottle of vodka in
one night.
Although cirrhosis of the liver and cancer confined the boulevardier to a
hospice Sir Dai still relished a glass of wine a day to the very end of his
life.
Mr Devedlaka said: "When he was in the hospice, I used to take him to the pub.
We used to have a little lunch, and a smoke and a glass of wine.
"He was still young. He lived more in six months than the vast majority live
in their lifetime.
"He had no regrets whatsoever. The wonderful thing about Dai is that people
associated him with the best restaurants and nightclubs, and the Learjets. But
we used to go to greasy spoon cafes together, where you could get drunk for
£5.
"He's the only person I've ever met who lived every second of every minute of
every day. He regarded sleeping as a waste of time.
"In 30 years, I have never seen him once miserable. He was very happy, and
made a lot of other people very happy."
Funeral arrangements are expected to be confirmed later this week.
[X][3] Share & bookmark
Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
[What are these?][4]
* Share: [Share][3] [ ][5] [ ][6]
[Tweet][7]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4231515/Sir-Dai-Llewellyn-dies-of-
cancer.html
Telegraph
## [UK News][8]
* ### [News »][9]
[In UK News »][8]
[![US President Barack Obama's state visit to Britain: day two in
pictures][10] ][11]
### [Obamas visit Britain: day two][11]
[![US President Barack Obama's state visit to Britain: security and
protests][12] ][13]
### [Obama: security and protests][13]
[![Queen Elizabeth II and US President Barack Obama during a State Banquet in
Buckingham Palace,][14] ][15]
### [Obamas visit Britain: day one][15]
[X][3] Share & bookmark
Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
[What are these?][4]
Share:
* [ ][3]
* [ ][5]
* [ ][6]
* [Tweet][7]
* Advertisement
![][16]
Advertisement
[Follow The Telegraph on Social Media »][17]
Like Telegraph.co.uk on Facebook
Advertisement
sponsored features
Loading
News Most Viewed
* TODAY
* PAST WEEK
* PAST MONTH
1. [3.5 minutes of terror: Air France crash dropped at 10,000 feet a
minute][18]
2. [Royal wedding: a peek into royal couple's honeymoon paradise][19]
3. [Councils spend 100m on taxpayer-funded credit cards][20]
4. [Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge wreck reveals secrets of the real
Pirate of the Caribbean][21]
5. [President Obama’s top ten insults against Britain – 2011
edition][22]
1. [O'Bama? Oh puh-lease!][23]
2. [Rapture: the end was not nigh, after all][24]
3. [Cannes 2011: Peter Fonda encourages his grandchildren to take up arms
against President Barack Obama][25]
4. [Apocalypse not right now: 'Rapture' end of world fails to
materialise][26]
5. [Michelle Obama fights to control summer dress in windy London][27]
1. [Joe Biden opens his mouth about US Navy SEALs][28]
2. [Royal wedding live][29]
3. [Italians evacuate Rome over 'big one' fears][30]
4. [Osama bin Laden dead: Blackout during raid on bin Laden compound][31]
5. [Kate Middleton's family take action over nude pictures 'betrayal'][32]
[EDITOR'S CHOICE »][33]
### [Gil Scott-Heron: 'A voice for Shakespeare'][34]
[![Gil Scott-Heron][35]][34]
Composer, musician, poet and author whose writing provided a vivid commentary
on the black American experience.
### [Beekeeping diary: the new colonies arrive][36]
### [Spectacular light show dazzles Sydney][37]
### [WS Gilbert: a knight for our times][38]
### [The Telegraph's Matt is Hay Festival star][39]
Advertisement
Classified Advertising
* [UK Breaks][40]
* [Property][41]
* [Culture][42]
Loading
var puffs_8120657 = new Array();