[92544] in Cypherpunks
Getty Renounces US Citizenship
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Duncan Frissell)
Tue Dec 30 09:04:12 1997
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 09:41:29 -0500
To: Jim Choate <ravage@ssz.com>, cypherpunks@ssz.com
From: Duncan Frissell <frissell@panix.com>
In-Reply-To: <199712290541.XAA00560@einstein.ssz.com>
Reply-To: Duncan Frissell <frissell@panix.com>
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
At 11:41 PM 12/28/97 -0600, Jim Choate wrote:
=20
> JOHN PAUL GETTY II NOW A BRITISH CITIZEN
> =20
> The London Sunday Telegraph says the philanthropist has become a
> British citizen and revoked his U.S. citizenship. Sources in the
> British government confirm the move.
That would be "renounced" his US citizenship. =20
Since he is a UK *resident* as well as a UK *citizen* his move won't save=20
much in the way of taxes unless the bulk of his assets are in offshore=
trusts=20
which have been treated more leniently in the UK than in the US.
UK News Electronic Telegraph Sunday 28 December 1997
Issue 947
Paul Getty realises his dream: a British passport=20
By James Hardy, Home Affairs Editor
J PAUL Getty II, the billionaire philanthropist, has sealed his love affair=
=20
with Britain by taking out UK citizenship after 25 years' residence in this=
=20
country.
The heir to what was once the world's largest private oil fortune received=
=20
his British passport in the week before Christmas and immediately revoked=
his=20
US nationality, The Telegraph has learned. Mr Getty, 65, who rarely gives=20
interviews, is understood to be delighted at the alacrity with which his=20
application was processed by the Home Office. The American Government is, by=
=20
contrast, thought to be very disappointed with the development. Typically,=
Mr=20
Getty has chosen not to publicise his change of status.
The adoption of British nationality will automatically attract the close=20
attention of the Inland Revenue but friends claimed last night the prospect=
=20
of a major increase in his tax bill did not deter him from seeking=20
citizenship. They said his well known affection for the British way of life=
=20
was the overriding factor in his decision. "Paul has given so much to this=
=20
country over the years. It is wonderful that the country has given something=
=20
back to him. I have no idea why he waited until now to apply," said one=20
friend.
The son of John Paul Getty , formerly the world's richest man, J Paul Getty=
=20
II has become one of the greatest benefactors the country has ever known.=
His=20
fortune has been estimated at more than =A31 billion and he is believed to=
have=20
given away more than =A3120 million to deserving causes in Britain. He gave=
=A350=20
million to the National Gallery, =A320 million to the British Film Institute=
=20
and a substantial donation to the building of the Mound Stand at Lord's=20
cricket ground.
Thousands of smaller donations, often anonymous, have helped charity appeals=
=20
or raised money for causes ranging from the Special Air Service to religious=
=20
institutions. Friends say that Mr Getty has found a happiness in Britain=
that=20
eluded him for much of his early life. His generosity to British=
institutions=20
was recognised with the award of an honorary knighthood in 1986.
Mr Getty retains a flat adjoining the Ritz Hotel in London but spends most=
of=20
his time at his 2,500 acre country estate at Wormsley, Bucks. He moved to=20
Britain permanently the year after the death of his second wife, Tabitha=
Pol,=20
from an accidental drugs overdose in Rome in 1971. In 1994, he married=20
Victoria Holdsworth, a long-time British friend. She is widely credited with=
=20
his gradual re-emergence into public life after years when he was rarely=20
seen.
UK News Electronic Telegraph Monday 29 December 1997
Issue 948
Citizenship may give Getty his knight's title By Sandra Barwick
J PAUL Getty II, the American billionaire who has given millions to=
charities=20
in this country, is likely to be able to use the title "Sir" after being=
made=20
a British citizen.
Mr Getty's generosity to British charities was recognised in 1986 when he=
was=20
awarded a KBE, or honorary knighthood, a title he was unable to use because=
=20
he was not a British citizen.
But with the Christmas gift of citizenship, which Home Office sources=20
confirmed was granted a week before the holiday, Mr Getty may in future be=
=20
formally accepted as Sir Paul and his wife as Lady Getty.
A 10 Downing Street spokesman said she understood that a recommendation=
could=20
be made to the Queen that the title be formally granted and announced in=
such=20
cases. But Buckingham Palace was unable to comment yesterday.
Other non-British holders of the KBE include Bob Geldof, who is an Irish=20
citizen. Mr Getty's accession to citizenship since the honour was awarded is=
=20
unusual, but not unprecedented.
The present Lord Menuhin was made an honorary KBE in 1965 in the same way,=
=20
but became Sir Yehudi Menuhin after he took British nationality in 1985. He=
=20
was later made a life peer.
Heir to what was once the world's largest private oil fortune, Mr Getty, 65,=
=20
has a flat in central London and a 2,500-acre estate at Wormsley, Bucks. He=
=20
is reported to have revoked his US nationality. His affection for Britain is=
=20
well known and friends say he found a happiness here that eluded him for=
much=20
of his earlier life. Son of John Paul Getty, the richest man in the world in=
=20
his day, J Paul Getty II is one of Britain's greatest benefactors.
With an estimated fortune of =A31 billion, he has given donations thought to=
=20
total more than =A3120 million to causes including the National Gallery (=A3=
50=20
million) and the British Film Institute (=A320 million). Mr Getty, a cricket=
=20
enthusiast, also made a substantial donation towards the building of the=20
Mount Stand at Lord's, along with thousands of smaller gifts, often=20
anonymously, to causes ranging from the SAS to religious institutions.
Three years ago he married Victoria Holdsworth, a British friend widely=20
credited with his gradual re-emergence into public life after years when he=
=20
was rarely seen. He moved to Britain permanently in 1972, a year after the=
=20
death of Talitha Pol, his second wife, from an accidental drugs overdose in=
=20
Rome.
************
DCF
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP for Personal Privacy 5.0
Charset: noconv
iQCVAwUBNKe2k4VO4r4sgSPhAQGwrwQArmWp9Tm6fg/6h1LRdQ/6qJIG/dI3HX+R
ewfHRpCEzTGJ/mJEmDRvmxiAb7kVCR+tFNANbumGJCpdAAF+xsMFYbQkAen+ilbb
n+CT+t8RYoY0G4S3t8RwEKSgY/wg55hw1Sr7cp7aH32bu3Qa3aVFyQ5xm7yAHZql
be8T8e8Q9fA=3D
=3DvRKL
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
