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Thousands of UK retail workers are being furloughed as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. Here's who has been impacted.

The <keyword id="19956320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="United-Kingdom" source="keywords">United Kingdom</keyword> hosts a diverse group of individuals and families who have accumulated substantial wealth through various sectors, including industry, finance, retail, and technology. Below is a look at the 25 <keyword id="23033805" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="richest-people-in-Britain" source="keywords">richest people in Britain</keyword>, each with their own unique journey to wealth, according to The Sunday Times Rich List 2024.<br /><strong><h2><br /></h2><h2>25. Tom Morris and family</h2></strong>Net Worth: £6.673bn<br /><br />Tom Morris, the founder of Home Bargains, has quietly built a discount retail empire in the UK. Home Bargains has grown to over 500 stores, and Morris’s approach to low-cost, high-volume retailing has earned him and his family a spot among Britain’s wealthiest.<br /><strong><h2>24. Anders Holch Povlsen</h2></strong>Net Worth: £6.73bn<br />Anders Holch Povlsen, a Danish fashion retailer, owns Bestseller, a company with brands such as Vero Moda and Jack &amp; Jones. Povlsen has also become Scotland’s largest landowner.<br /><br /><strong><h2>23. <keyword id="6354819" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anil-Agarwal" source="Orion">Anil Agarwal</keyword></h2></strong><div type="image" title="Anil Agarwal" agency="BCCL" msid="113051472" hostid="261" sizebytes="1024664"></div>Net Worth: £7bn<br />Anil Agarwal is the founder and chairman of Vedanta Resources, a mining and metals company with operations in India, Africa, and Australia. Agarwal’s rise from a scrap metal trader to a mining tycoon is marked by his aggressive business strategies and expansion into global markets.<br /><br /><strong><h2>22. John Reece</h2></strong><div type="image" title="John Reece" msid="113051663" hostid="261" sizebytes="456630"></div>Net Worth: £7.224bn<br />John Reece is a significant figure in Ineos and is the chief financial officer of the company. Reece's expertise is in finance and management, owing to his Chartered Accountancy background.<br /><br /><strong><h2>21. Andy Currie</h2></strong><div type="image" title="Andy Currie" msid="113051609" hostid="261" sizebytes="455580"></div>Net Worth: £7.257bn<br /><br />Andy Currie is a director of Ineos, the chemicals company founded by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Currie’s wealth is closely tied to the success of Ineos, where he has played a key role in its strategic direction and expansion into new markets.<br /><br /><strong><h2>20. Denise, John, and Peter Coates</h2></strong>Net Worth: £7.467bn<br /><br />The Coates family founded Bet365, one of the largest online gambling companies in the world. Denise Coates, the driving force behind the company, has built Bet365 into a dominant player in the industry, with significant revenues generated from its online platform.<br /><strong><h2>19. Lord Bamford and family</h2></strong><div type="image" title="Lord Bamford" msid="113051678" hostid="261" sizebytes="1568515"></div>Net Worth: £7.65bn<br /><br />The Bamford family owns <keyword id="107342" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JCB" source="Orion">JCB</keyword>, a leading manufacturer of construction equipment known for its distinctive yellow machines. Under Lord Bamford’s leadership, JCB has grown into a global brand, exporting to over 150 countries and maintaining a strong market presence in the UK.<br /><br /><strong><h2>18. <keyword id="469673" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nicky-oppenheimer" source="Orion">Nicky Oppenheimer</keyword> and family</h2></strong>Net Worth: £7.937bn<br /><br />Nicky Oppenheimer, ex-chairman and once the controlling shareholder of De Beers, sold his family’s stake in the diamond company to Anglo American for $5.1 billion. Since then, Oppenheimer has diversified his investments, focusing on conservation, private equity, and venture capital. <br /><br /><strong><h2>17. Carrie and François Perrodo and family</h2></strong>Net Worth: £9.168bn<br />The Perrodo family’s wealth comes from their privately-held energy company, Perenco, which operates oil and gas fields around the world. François Perrodo, who took over the company after his father’s death, has continued to expand its global footprint, solidifying their position among Britain’s richest.<br /><br /><strong><h2>16. Marit, Lisbet, Sigrid, and Hans Rausing</h2></strong>Net Worth: £9.188bn<br />The Rausing siblings, part of the Tetra Pak dynasty, have expanded their wealth through diverse investments and philanthropy. While their fortune originates from the packaging industry, they have also made significant contributions to charitable causes, particularly in the arts and education.<br /><br /><strong><h2>15. Barnaby and Merlin Swire and family</h2></strong>Net Worth: £9.986bn<br /><br />The Swire family has deep roots in shipping and aviation, with their conglomerate, Swire Group, operating in industries ranging from property to beverages. Barnaby and Merlin Swire oversee a global empire that includes Cathay Pacific Airways and significant property holdings in Hong Kong.<br /><br /><strong><h2>14. The Duke of Westminster and the Grosvenor family</h2></strong>Net Worth: £10.127bn<br />The Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, inherited a vast real estate empire that includes prime properties in London's Mayfair and Belgravia. The Grosvenor family’s wealth is tied to their vast land holdings and investments, managed through the Grosvenor Group.<br /><br /><strong><h2>13. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Michel de Carvalho</h2></strong>Net Worth: £11.751bn<br /><br />Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken, the controlling shareholder of Heineken, along with her husband Michel de Carvalho, manages one of the world’s largest brewing companies. Their wealth is underpinned by the global reach of Heineken, which operates in over 70 countries.<br /><br /><strong><h2>12. Michael Platt</h2></strong>Net Worth: £12bn<br />Michael Platt is a hedge fund manager and the co-founder of BlueCrest Capital Management. Once one of the world’s largest hedge funds, BlueCrest now operates as a private investment firm, with Platt’s fortune growing from his successful investment strategies and management fees.<br /><br /><strong><h2>11. Alex Gerko</h2></strong>Net Worth:  £12.055bn<br /><br />Alex Gerko, a mathematician turned financier, made his fortune through algorithmic trading. He is the founder of XTX Markets, one of the world’s largest electronic trading firms. Gerko's innovative approach to trading has positioned him as a significant figure in the finance industry, with a rapidly growing net worth.<br /><br /><strong><h2>10. Kirsten and Jorn Rausing</h2></strong>Net Worth: £12.634bn<br /><br />The Rausing family, heirs to the Tetra Pak fortune, continue to benefit from the global success of the packaging company. Kirsten and Jorn Rausing have also ventured into philanthropy and have stakes in various other businesses, maintaining their status among the wealthiest in the UK.<br /><br /><strong><h2>9. John Fredriksen and family</h2></strong>Net Worth: £12.867bn<br />Norwegian-born shipping magnate John Fredriksen has a net worth built on his dominance in oil tanker shipping. He owns the world’s largest oil tanker fleet through his company Frontline and has substantial stakes in offshore drilling, fish farming, and other maritime sectors.<br /><br /><strong><h2>8. Guy, George, Alannah, and Galen Weston Jr and family</h2></strong>Net Worth: £14.493bn<br /><br />The Weston family has long been involved in retail, owning well-known brands such as Selfridges, Primark, and Fortnum &amp; Mason. Their wealth is not only tied to these retail ventures but also to their vast land holdings and investments in the food industry.<br /><br /><strong><h2>7. <keyword id="29201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lakshmi-Mittal" source="Orion">Lakshmi Mittal</keyword> and family</h2> </strong><div type="image" title="Lakshmi Mittal" agency="BCCL" msid="113051708" hostid="261" sizebytes="1017200"></div>Net Worth: £14.921bn<br /><br />Lakshmi Mittal, a steel tycoon, transformed a small family steel business into ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel producer. Despite facing challenges in the steel industry, Mittal remains one of Britain's wealthiest individuals, with his family holding extensive investments in real estate, including properties in London’s prestigious Kensington Palace Gardens.<br /><br /><strong><h2>6. Idan Ofer</h2></strong>Net Worth: £14.96bn<br />Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer made his wealth through holdings in shipping and energy. His company, Quantum Pacific Group, owns significant stakes in the shipping firm ZIM and the energy company Pacific Drilling. Ofer’s influence extends to football, with ownership stakes in the Spanish club Atlético Madrid.<br /><br /><strong><h2>5. Sir James Dyson and family</h2> </strong>Net Worth: £20.8bn<br /><br />Sir James Dyson revolutionized the home appliance market with his innovative vacuum cleaners, hand dryers, and bladeless fans. His company, Dyson Ltd, continues to expand into new areas such as electric vehicles and robotics, reflecting Dyson's relentless pursuit of innovation.<br /><br /><strong><h2>4. Sir Jim Ratcliffe</h2></strong><div type="image" title="Sir Jim Ratcliffe" msid="113051750" hostid="261" sizebytes="459440"></div>Net Worth: £23.519bn<br /><br />Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the founder and chairman of the chemical company Ineos, is one of the most prominent industrialists in Britain. Starting as a chemical engineer, Ratcliffe built Ineos into a global giant with operations in chemicals, oil and gas, and automotive, including the recent acquisition of the British brand, Grenadier.<br /><br /><strong><h2>3. David and Simon Reuben and family</h2></strong>Net Worth: £24.977bn<br /><br />The Reuben brothers, David and Simon, have amassed their wealth through real estate, particularly in London's lucrative property market. Originally making their fortunes in metals and commodities, the Reubens have since transitioned into property, owning prime real estate across London, including iconic locations like Millbank Tower and the Burlington Arcade.<br /><br /><strong><h2>2. Sir Leonard Blavatnik</h2></strong>Net Worth: £29.246bn<br /><br />Sir Leonard Blavatnik, a Ukraine-born American-British billionaire, built his fortune through diversified investments in industries such as oil, gas, and media. A major shareholder in Warner Music Group, Blavatnik's wealth also stems from his private equity firm, Access Industries, which has stakes in a wide array of sectors including chemicals, technology, and real estate.<br /><br /><strong><h2>1. <keyword id="675132" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gopi-Hinduja" source="Orion">Gopi Hinduja</keyword> &amp; family</h2></strong><div type="image" title="PP Hinduja and Ashok P. Hinduja" agency="BCCL" msid="113051799" hostid="261" sizebytes="944901"></div>Net Worth:£37.196bn<br /><br />Leading the wealth rankings, the Hinduja family, under Gopi Hinduja's leadership, has a vast empire spanning banking, energy, automotive, and more. The Hinduja Group’s origins trace back to India, and today, the family's business interests are spread across 38 countries, with significant assets in the UK.<br /><br /><br /><br />

These are the top 25 richest people in Britain

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Prince Charles accepted a $1.2 million charity donation from Osama bin Laden's family,<a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-charles-accepted-1m-from-family-of-osama-bin-laden-7pd55sgn6"> The Sunday Times</a> reported.</li><li>The prince decided not to return the money despite multiple advisers advising him to, the report says.</li></ul><p>Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, accepted $1.2 million from Osama bin Laden's family,<a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-charles-accepted-1m-from-family-of-osama-bin-laden-7pd55sgn6"> The Sunday Times</a> reported.</p><p>The prince, 73, took the payment from two of bin Laden's half-brothers, Bakr, the patriarch of the family, and Shafiq, following a meeting at British royal residence Clarence House in October 2013, the paper said.</p><p>The meeting occurred two years after US forces killed the Al-Qaeda leader in Abbottabad, Pakistan.</p><p>The money was donated to the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund (PWCF), which awards grants to UK-registered non-profit organizations.</p><p>Clarence House told the<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62366487"> BBC</a> that PWCF confirmed that "thorough due diligence" had been conducted and that the decision to accept the money was down to the trustees.</p><p>"Any attempt to suggest otherwise is misleading and inaccurate," Clarence House told the outlet.</p><p>The Sunday Times reports that multiple advisers pleaded with the United Kingdom's future king to return the money, warning that there would be national outrage if news of the donation leaked.</p><p>"The fact that a member of the highest level of the British establishment was choosing to broker deals with a name and a family that not only rang alarm bells but abject horror around the world… why would you do this? What good reason is there to do this?" a source told the newspaper.</p><p>"I just didn't feel any member of the British royal family should be involved in that sort of undertaking."</p><p>However, Charles, Prince of Wales, allegedly decided against returning the money, as he felt it would be "too embarrassing" to give it back as the brothers would suspect the reason, the paper reported.</p><p>The bin Ladens, a wealthy and well-connected family with Yemeni origins based in Saudi Arabia, disowned Osama bin Laden in 1994. No other members of the family have ever been accused of links to terrorism.</p><p>Sir Ian Cheshire, chairman of PWCF, told The Sunday Times that the donation was agreed "wholly" by the five trustees at the time.</p><p>A source close to the charity told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/30/prince-charles-accepted-1m-from-family-of-osama-bin-laden-report-claims">The Guardian</a> that trustees concluded that the actions of one family member should not tarnish the whole family.</p><p>The paper also reported that a royal source disputed several points in The Sunday Times article, including the suggestion that Charles had personally brokered the deal and ignored advisers' objections.</p><p>Last month <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/charles-accepted-1m-cash-in-suitcase-from-sheikh-j2pgnfsgx">The Sunday Times </a>also revealed that Prince Charles had accepted a suitcase containing more than $1 million in cash from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar.</p><p> The Prince of Wales was handed the cash in <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fortnumandmason.com%2F">Fortnum &amp; Mason</a> carrier bags, an upmarket London department store, as well as a suitcase and a holdall, The Sunday Times reported.</p><p>Charles accepted more than $3 million in total from the controversial Qatari politician, the report said.</p>

Prince Charles accepted $1.2 million from Osama bin Laden's family, report claims

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11969343" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="prince-charles" source="Orion">Prince Charles</keyword> reportedly accepted over $3 million in cash from the former prime minister of Qatar.</li><li>While he denies wrongdoing, an inquiry led by a UK charity regulator is reviewing the exchange.</li></ul><p>Prince Charles denies he did anything wrong by reportedly accepting over $3 million in cash from a Qatari politician for charity, but the fallout exposes a gray area in rules about <keyword id="11893529" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="royals" source="Orion">royals</keyword> accepting gifts of money. </p><p>On Sunday, the Times of London reported that between 2011 and 2015, the <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/charles-accepted-1m-cash-in-suitcase-from-sheikh-j2pgnfsgx">Prince of Wales personally accepted three bundles of cash</a>, one of which amounted to just over $1 million, that was stuffed into a suitcase. The donation was reportedly deposited into accounts of the <a href="https://www.pwcf.org.uk/">Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund</a> (PWCF), which awards annual grants to a range of charities.</p><p>According to The Times of London, the entire donation of €3 million, or around $3.1 million, was given in €500 notes by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani. Al Thani is a controversial <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/26/the-man-who-bought-london-qatar-billionaire-behind-prince-charles-scandal">former prime minister of Qatar who has had involvement with several offshore companies</a>, according to The Guardian. </p><p>The Times of London added in its report that on one occasion, Al Thani gave Charles what amounted to around $1.05 million, "which was reportedly stuffed into carrier bags from Fortnum &amp; Mason, the luxury department store that has a royal charter to provide the prince's groceries and tea."</p><p>In a statement to Insider on Monday, Clarence House denied any wrongdoing. "Charitable <keyword id="11922955" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="donations" source="Orion">donations</keyword> received from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim were passed immediately to one of the Prince's charities who carried out the appropriate governance and have assured us that all the correct processes were followed," the statement read. </p><h2>When it comes to cash donations, royal rules are vague</h2><p>Per the <a href="https://www.royal.uk/sites/default/files/media-packs/gifts_policy_2003.pdf">gift guidelines and procedures</a> outlined on the official royal website, members of the <keyword id="11893535" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="royal-family" source="Orion">royal family</keyword> "are allowed to accept a cheque as a patron of, or on behalf of a charity with which they are associated with (often for publicity purposes)."</p><p>It makes no mention of cash donations, including large sums like those reportedly given to Charles by Al Thani. </p><div type="image" title="Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, arrives for the National Service of Thanksgiving to Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen at St Paul's Cathedral." height="3668" width="4890" msid="92500148" hostid="261" sizebytes="449524"></div><p>The website adds that members of the royal family "should never accept gifts of money, or money equivalent, in connection with an official engagement or duty. If not capable of being returned, money should be donated directly to a charity nominated by the Member of The Royal Family."</p><h2>A possible new inquiry into donations to Charles' charitable foundation</h2><p>A spokesperson for the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission/about">Charity Commission</a>, a UK government regulator, told Insider via email that it is "aware of reports about donations received by The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation."</p><p>They also said: "We will review the information to determine whether there is any role for the Commission in this matter."<u></u></p><p>The Charity Commission provides <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/550694/Tool_6.pdf">guidance for trustees</a> to consider when accepting donations, to determine "whether it appears to have any suspicious characteristics." It encourages trustees to question the form in which the donation is received, whether there is any public concern about the donor or their activities, and whether the donations come with any conditions attached.</p><p>If the commission finds it has a further role in the matter, it will be the second time the Prince of Wales has found himself and his charitable endeavors facing questions — and a possible inquiry — about charitable donations.  </p><div type="image" title="prince charles, michael fawcett" height="1500" width="2000" msid="92500149" hostid="261" sizebytes="215334"></div><p>British police announced in February it'd launched an investigation into Charles' charity, The Prince's Foundation, over <a href="https://www.insider.com/prince-charles-aide-reportedly-offered-knighthood-for-2-million-2021-9">accusations a close aide offered a Saudi tycoon knighthood</a> in exchange for $2 million in donations.</p><p><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-charles-aides-fixed-cbe-for-saudi-tycoon-who-gave-1-5m-0b5cb7qf2">The Sunday Times' Gabriel Pogrund and Valentine Low</a> reported in September that one of Prince Charles' closest aides and former valet, Michael Fawcett, had stepped down from his role as the chief executive of The Prince's Foundation after it published a report accusing him of misconduct.</p><p><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-charles-aides-fixed-cbe-for-saudi-tycoon-who-gave-1-5m-0b5cb7qf2">The publication reported</a> that Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz paid tens of thousands of dollars "to fixers with links to the prince" who told him they could award him an honorary CBE, the highest-ranking Order of the British Empire award for those who are not British citizens. </p><p>A spokesperson for Prince Charles told The Mirror last year: "The Prince of Wales <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-news%2Fprince-charles-had-no-knowledge-24922699">had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honors or British citizenship</a> on the basis of donation to his charities."</p>

Prince Charles denies wrongdoing in reportedly accepting over $3 million in bags of cash for his charity. The fallout exposes a gray area in royal rules.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11969343" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="prince-charles" source="Orion">Prince Charles</keyword> reportedly accepted over $3 million in cash from the former prime minister of Qatar.</li><li>While he denies wrongdoing, an inquiry led by a UK charity regulator is reviewing the exchange.</li></ul><p>Prince Charles denies he did anything wrong by reportedly accepting over $3 million in cash from a Qatari politician for charity, but the fallout exposes a gray area in rules about <keyword id="11893529" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="royals" source="Orion">royals</keyword> accepting gifts of money. </p><p>On Sunday, the Times of London reported that between 2011 and 2015, the <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/charles-accepted-1m-cash-in-suitcase-from-sheikh-j2pgnfsgx">Prince of Wales personally accepted three bundles of cash</a>, one of which amounted to just over $1 million, that was stuffed into a suitcase. The donation was reportedly deposited into accounts of the <a href="https://www.pwcf.org.uk/">Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund</a> (PWCF), which awards annual grants to a range of charities.</p><p>According to The Times of London, the entire donation of €3 million, or around $3.1 million, was given in €500 notes by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani. Al Thani is a controversial <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/26/the-man-who-bought-london-qatar-billionaire-behind-prince-charles-scandal">former prime minister of Qatar who has had involvement with several offshore companies</a>, according to The Guardian. </p><p>The Times of London added in its report that on one occasion, Al Thani gave Charles what amounted to around $1.05 million, "which was reportedly stuffed into carrier bags from Fortnum &amp; Mason, the luxury department store that has a royal charter to provide the prince's groceries and tea."</p><p>In a statement to Insider on Monday, Clarence House denied any wrongdoing. "Charitable <keyword id="11922955" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="donations" source="Orion">donations</keyword> received from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim were passed immediately to one of the Prince's charities who carried out the appropriate governance and have assured us that all the correct processes were followed," the statement read. </p><h2>When it comes to cash donations, royal rules are vague</h2><p>Per the <a href="https://www.royal.uk/sites/default/files/media-packs/gifts_policy_2003.pdf">gift guidelines and procedures</a> outlined on the official royal website, members of the <keyword id="11893535" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="royal-family" source="Orion">royal family</keyword> "are allowed to accept a cheque as a patron of, or on behalf of a charity with which they are associated with (often for publicity purposes)."</p><p>It makes no mention of cash donations, including large sums like those reportedly given to Charles by Al Thani. </p><div type="image" title="Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, arrives for the National Service of Thanksgiving to Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen at St Paul's Cathedral." height="3668" width="4890" msid="92501194" hostid="261" sizebytes="449524"></div><p>The website adds that members of the royal family "should never accept gifts of money, or money equivalent, in connection with an official engagement or duty. If not capable of being returned, money should be donated directly to a charity nominated by the Member of The Royal Family."</p><h2>A possible new inquiry into donations to Charles' charitable foundation</h2><p>A spokesperson for the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission/about">Charity Commission</a>, a UK government regulator, told Insider via email that it is "aware of reports about donations received by The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation."</p><p>They also said: "We will review the information to determine whether there is any role for the Commission in this matter."<u></u></p><p>The Charity Commission provides <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/550694/Tool_6.pdf">guidance for trustees</a> to consider when accepting donations, to determine "whether it appears to have any suspicious characteristics." It encourages trustees to question the form in which the donation is received, whether there is any public concern about the donor or their activities, and whether the donations come with any conditions attached.</p><p>If the commission finds it has a further role in the matter, it will be the second time the Prince of Wales has found himself and his charitable endeavors facing questions — and a possible inquiry — about charitable donations.  </p><div type="image" title="prince charles, michael fawcett" height="1500" width="2000" msid="92501196" hostid="261" sizebytes="215334"></div><p>British police announced in February it'd launched an investigation into Charles' charity, The Prince's Foundation, over <a href="https://www.insider.com/prince-charles-aide-reportedly-offered-knighthood-for-2-million-2021-9">accusations a close aide offered a Saudi tycoon knighthood</a> in exchange for $2 million in donations.</p><p><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-charles-aides-fixed-cbe-for-saudi-tycoon-who-gave-1-5m-0b5cb7qf2">The Sunday Times' Gabriel Pogrund and Valentine Low</a> reported in September that one of Prince Charles' closest aides and former valet, Michael Fawcett, had stepped down from his role as the chief executive of The Prince's Foundation after it published a report accusing him of misconduct.</p><p><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-charles-aides-fixed-cbe-for-saudi-tycoon-who-gave-1-5m-0b5cb7qf2">The publication reported</a> that Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz paid tens of thousands of dollars "to fixers with links to the prince" who told him they could award him an honorary CBE, the highest-ranking Order of the British Empire award for those who are not British citizens. </p><p>A spokesperson for Prince Charles told The Mirror last year: "The Prince of Wales <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-news%2Fprince-charles-had-no-knowledge-24922699">had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honors or British citizenship</a> on the basis of donation to his charities."</p>

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11897569" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="london" source="Orion">London</keyword> is filled with noteworthy art, history, and culture that should be on every visitor's radar.</li><li>After you've seen the major sights, follow with these lesser-known hidden gems.</li></ul><p>London is bursting with art, entertainment, music, and shows, and all with a castle smack in the middle — looking at you, <a href="https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/">Tower of London</a>.</p><p>Start by booking a ticket for a musical or heading to the <a href="https://www.vam.ac.uk/">V&amp;A Museum</a> to get lost in the gorgeous artifacts, followed by a quick stroll around <a href="https://www.fortnumandmason.com/homeware">Fortnum &amp; Mason's</a>.</p><p>Next, go off the tourist track with the following hidden gems that showcase a side to the city most tourists don't see.</p><div type="image" title="A cat sitting on a chair at a cafe in London." height="1920" width="2560" msid="88014945" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium</strong></p><p>Afternoon tea is an obligatory activity in London. But rather than having your tea in ordinary surroundings, spend 90 minutes in the presence of happy rescue cats instead. At <a href="https://ladydinahs.com/">Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium</a>, a shabby-chic cafe with eclectic furnishings, fostered cats (there are about 10) roam the space until they're ready for rehoming making this just the activity to lure a reluctant teen away from their devices.</p><p>Kids 12 and up can visit, and you'll need to book several weeks in advance — slots are snatched up quickly. Stroll along <a href="http://www.visitbricklane.org/">Brick Lane</a> afterward to browse vintage shops and munch on <a href="https://bricklanebeigel.co.uk/">beigels</a>.</p><div type="image" title="A cocktail surrounded by neon signs at Tonight Josephine in London." height="1535" width="2047" msid="88014947" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Tonight Josephine</strong></p><p>A cocktail bar with a twist, <a href="https://www.tonightjosephine.co.uk/">Tonight Josephine</a> is our pick for a memorable night out or day drinking that doubles as an activity. From Friday-night Dolly Parton-themed shenanigans to Britney Spears drag brunches and burlesque shows, this venue demands you let loose and sport glitter.</p><div type="image" title="Rows of books and bottles of wine at BookBar in London." height="1535" width="2047" msid="88014951" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>BookBar</strong></p><p>A literary capital of the world, London is a book lover's dream. So is <a href="https://www.bookbaruk.com/">this bar meets bookshop</a>, where you can browse and purchase books while sipping your preferred beverage, and enjoy live events and reignite a passion for reading through BookBar's <a href="https://www.bookbaruk.com/shelf-medicate">Shelf Medicate prescription and consultation service</a> to pick a bundle of books to suit your mood. </p><div type="image" title="Looking over the exhibits at the Horniman Museum in London." height="2048" width="2730" msid="88014953" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Horniman Museum </strong></p><p>The <a href="https://www.horniman.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Horniman Museum</a> may not be the biggest name on <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> lists, but it should be. It's one of the best spots in town, with lush gardens, an aquarium, mini-golf, a butterfly house, and a farm. Whether you're with young kids or just want a bit of experiential fun, there are also many exhibitions and permanent collections covering anthropology, natural history, and global cultures, with an impressive array of artifacts from different times and places. Don't miss the taxidermied walrus, the museum's most famous resident, who's been there for over a century.</p><p>If you're looking for another eccentric museum that isn't at the top of every guidebook,<a href="https://www.soane.org/"> Sir John Soane's Museum</a> in Holborn is free and fabulous. </p><div type="image" title="A green house filled with cacti and plants at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London." height="1920" width="2560" msid="88014955" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew</strong></p><p>Get your nature fix at this internationally renowned garden with an incredible array of plant species. A truly stunning place to escape to for hours, the <a href="https://www.kew.org/">Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew</a>, offers something for kids, adults, nature lovers, and everyone in between. The gardens, which are in a bustling urban center, highlight more than 8 million plant specimens.</p><p><em><a href="https://www.insider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-traveling-to-london-england" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting London.</a></em></p>

5 of the coolest things to do in London including hidden gem exhibits and afternoon tea with cats

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="28540" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Princess-Diana">Princess Diana</keyword>'s chef once served her favorite breakfast to an American family who refused to eat it.</li><li>Darren McGrady, who worked at Kensington Palace, said Diana favored a can of baked beans and a grapefruit on gym days.</li><li>Diana particularly loved baked beans and would even write McGrady notes requesting them.</li><li>Heinz beans are typically part of a cooked breakfast in the UK, but that isn't so common in the US.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/princess-diana-chef-furious-prince-harry-leaving-family-2020-1">Princess Diana's chef</a> described the breakfast the royal would eat before every gym session - and the one part of the meal that didn't go down well with Americans.</p><p>Darren McGrady <a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-refuses-to-eat-burgers-with-bun-royal-chef-2020-9">worked for the Queen at Buckingham Palace</a> for 11 years before moving to Diana's Kensington Palace home from 1993 to 1997.</p><p>He told Insider that the princess would request a "tin of Heinz baked beans, a pink grapefruit, a cup of coffee, and a glass of orange juice" for her breakfast at least three times a week, on the days she went to the gym.</p><p>The princess would even leave her chef notes requesting baked beans, shown in the photo provided by McGrady below.</p><div type="image" title="princess diana note" height="1358" width="2000" msid="80368176" hostid="261"></div><p>"She wanted Heinz beans because someone had told her they are low in carbs, low in fat, and high in protein, which is great for someone working out," McGrady told Insider.</p><p>The former royal chef recently shared a YouTube video with his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-WNLRsLlvE">recipe for a full English breakfast</a>, which included a portion of beans.</p><p>He told Insider that he had once made the mistake of serving beans for breakfast to an American family when he first moved to the US.</p><p>While beans are a common part of a cooked breakfast in the UK, McGrady learned that they aren't typically served with breakfast in the US.</p><p>"I remember cooking for a family when I first came over here, and I made the cardinal sin of serving baked beans for breakfast like it was the norm. They didn't eat them," he said.</p><p>Baked beans are said to have originated from a Native American dish in which beans were cooked with fat and maple syrup, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-446502/The-history-humble--yummy--baked-bean.html">Mail Online</a>. European settlers were believed to have adapted the recipe using pork and molasses.</p><p>Heinz <a href="https://www.heinz.co.uk/our-story">introduced</a> baked beans in the UK in the early 1900s. They were originally sold as a luxury item at the British department store Fortnum and Mason. Queen Elizabeth II <a href="https://www.yours.co.uk/life/home/29-things-you-never-knew-about-baked-beans/">granted the brand a royal warrant in 1954</a>, making Heinz the official supplier of beans at every royal household in the UK.</p><p>The US and UK versions of Heinz beans are said to be quite different. According to <a href="https://culinaryginger.com/british-baked-beans/">Culinary Ginger</a>, the US version is "cooked with pork (bacon) molasses and brown sugar and the sauce is much sweeter and thick," whereas the UK version is made without meat and with a thinner tomato sauce.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.heinz.co.uk/beanz/product/100185200042/baked-beanz">Heinz website</a> describes the British version of the product as "high in fibre, high in protein and low in fat."</p><p>"Heinz made a British bean with less sugar - the Brits don't want sugar in their breakfast," McGrady said. "But that's not to say the Brits don't love sugar; we eat more chocolate than anyone else in the world. So they want to save the sugar for that."</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-refuses-to-eat-burgers-with-bun-royal-chef-2020-9">The Queen refuses to eat burgers with a bun, according to her former chef</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/the-queen-chef-darren-mcgrady-banana-bread-recipe-2020-10">The Queen's former chef shared 2 of the palace's banana-bread recipes. The caramel version is only for the kids.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/princess-diana-chef-furious-prince-harry-leaving-family-2020-1">Princess Diana's chef says she would be 'furious' at Prince Harry for being 'so manipulated' into leaving royal life</a></li></ul>

Princess Diana's former chef says he made the 'cardinal sin' of serving her favorite breakfast - a can of baked beans - to Americans

<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Getty/WPA Pool</span></p><p class="caption">The Queen delivering her Christmas message in 2014.</p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul><li><strong>Every year, the Queen gives each member of her staff a Christmas pudding.</strong></li><li><strong>This year, the puddings are from Tesco at a cost of £8 ($10.73) each.</strong></li><li><strong>They used to come from Harrods and Fortnum &amp; Mason.</strong></li><li><strong>Long-serving members of staff also receive vouchers.</strong></li></ul><p><br />The Royal family are no strangers to Christmas spirit. The Queen and her brood are known to spend the day <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/royal-family-christmas-2017-12?r=US&amp;IR=T">scoffing roast turkey, attending Church service, and giving out jokey presents</a> just like millions of families across the UK.</p><p>But a day packed with cracker jokes and family at Sandringham Hall in Norfolk isn't where the Christmas spirit ends. The Queen likes to spread the festive feeling far and wide - starting with her staff members.</p><p>Every year, the Queen and Prince Philip give each of their 1,500 employees, at Buckingham Palace and beyond, a Christmas gift to show their thanks. And not just any gift, but a Tesco Finest, 12-month matured Christmas pudding no less, <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2017121344771/christmas-gift-queen-staff/">according to a Hello Magazine report, which BI has verified.</a></p><p>That's right - you, too, can savour a slice of <a href="https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/254991220">royally-approved pud for just £8 ($10.73)</a> without having to venture further than your nearest high street.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Tesco</span></p><p class="caption">Royally approved.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The pudding tradition - which is always accompanied by a Christmas card - was started by Her Majesty's grandfather, King George V, <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/queen-christmas-gift-elizabeth-ii-buckingham-palace-employees-staff-tesco-christmas-pudding-a8110836.html">according to the Independent</a>.</p><p>But the Tesco treat is a bit of step down from previous gifts, no doubt reflecting more austere times. The puddings once came from Harrods and Fortnum &amp; Mason, the official royal grocers.</p><p>And the Queen's Christmas gifts to her household staff don't just stop at puddings.</p><p>Senior members of staff, and those that have worked for Her Majesty for a considerable amount of time, also receive a gift card.</p><p>Each voucher is handed out ceremoniously with senior household staff going first, followed by clerks, and then domestic workers, maids, and gardeners,<a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2017121344771/christmas-gift-queen-staff/"> according to Hello</a>.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/warren-buffett-modest-home-bought-31500-looks-2017-6">Warren Buffett lives in a modest house that's worth .001% of his total wealth - here's what it looks like</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

The Queen gives a Tesco Christmas pudding to every member of her staff each year

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Getty" title_caption="Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, tries some confectionery with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at Fortnum &amp; Mason in March 2012." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/550170696da811a2588dbfb4-960/140226351.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Getty</span></p><p class="caption">Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, tries some confectionery with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at Fortnum &amp; Mason in March 2012.</p></div><p></p></div></div><span>In the days before the internet, <span>families would spend <span>hours in their "favourite" supermarket at the weekend, buying in bulk, running up massive bills and keeping the physical tills ringing. </span></span></span></p><p>When I was growing up, it was received wisdom that the more expensive the supermarket, the "better" and the "healthier" it was, and the better the customer service would be. </p><p>You knew that if you were shopping in Sainsbury's, mum and dad were probably doing a bit better than the parents who were raiding the <span>aisles of </span>cut price goods at Asda.</p><p>The market was structured on that basis. Waitrose was at the top for the richest people, followed by Sainsburys, Tesco and Morrisons, depending on your rung on the ladder. The quality of the food increased alongside the price, and the relative poshness of the supermarket brand selling it. The three things -  quality, price and store brand - were inherently connected.</p><p>All that has turned out to be wrong.</p><h3>The Germans know the UK market better than the British do</h3><p>In the last two years, the UK supermarket business <span>has turned into a bloodbath of misconceptions. And the Old Guard - Tesco, Sainsburys and Morrisons - are losing.</span></p><p><span><span>Just look at this </span><a href="http://www.kantarworldpanel.com/en/grocery-market-share/great-britain/snapshot/01.03.15/05.02.12">chart by market researchers at Kantar Worldpanel</a><span>. From 2012 to 2015, the <span>German discount chains Aldi</span> boosted their market share. Aldi went to 5%, from 2.6%; while Lidl's share rose to 3.5% from 2.5%.</span></span></p><p>They have taken nearly 9% of the market in just two years:</p><p><span><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Kantar Worldpanel" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5501800a6bb3f7fa6580d394-960/aldi lidl focus.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Kantar Worldpanel</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Sometime in</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> the 1990s, British people started taking food seriously and realized that price was often no guide to taste or freshness. </span></p><p><span>Online shopping and celebrity </span><a href="http://www.channel4.com/programmes/jamies-money-saving-meals">chefs like Jamie Oliver </a><span>and </span><a href="http://agirlcalledjack.com/">A Girl Called Jack</a><span> showed Britons that you can have quality food for a fraction of the price at supermarkets, if you know what you're doing.</span></p><h3><span>The worst results in eight years</span></h3><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Reuters" title_caption="A torn flag flies in the wind outside a Morrisons supermarket in Liverpool on March 12, 2015. " class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55019cc269beddb51bbe6481-960/rtr4t2gj.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">A torn flag flies in the wind outside a Morrisons supermarket in Liverpool on March 12, 2015. </p></div><p></p></div></div>Supermarkets that don't provide great, cheap food are hurting as a result:</span></p><p>Morrisons reported its <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/morrisons-just-unveiled-the-worst-profit-results-in-eight-years-with-a-52-plunge-2015-3#ixzz3UAuJS45w">worst set of profit results in eight years, today</a>. Its pre-tax profit plunged 52% to £345 million ($517 million), compared to the previous year, while revenues fell 4.9% to £16.8 billion in 2014, from £17.68 billion in 2013.</p><p><span>"This is a rout, not a reversal," says <span>said Phil Dorrell, director of retail consultants at Retail Remedy.</span> "With the most dated stores and weakest business strategy of the old guard grocers, Morrisons has truly been put to the sword by the rise of Aldi and Lidl." </span></p><p><span>The war is making food cheaper, too.</span></p><p>Kantar Worldpanel says food prices in Britain dropped by<span> 1.6% in 2014, compared with the previous year</span><span>. That</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> has helped consumers save £400 million.</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"We keep prices constantly low while keeping product quality consistently high, which is exactly what shoppers want," said Roman Heini, Aldi's UK group managing director in September last year. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"</span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29406085">They had become used to thinking you have to pay more for better products.</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> We've shown them this doesn't have to be the case."</span></p><p>Aldi and Lidl's growth trajectories are insane. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Aldi sales rocketed 19.3% in the 12 weeks ending March 1, 2015, compared with a year ago. That was the</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><em> slowest</em> rate of growth since June 2011. It still managed to rack up 5% market share from 2.6% the year before.</span></p><p><span>Lidl, which is a privately owned company based in Germany and therefore does not have to reported its earnings in the same way as a public company, also posted growth of 13.6%.</span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Ocado" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/546f5fc5dd0895a3608b4612-960/ocado-van-image--large.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Ocado</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>On March 10 this year, Ocado, the food equivalent of Amazon, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ocados-cfo-duncan-tatton-brown-on-trading-update-and-acquisitions-2015-3#ixzz3UBHXmudy">reported a 19% jump in gross group sales for the 12 weeks to February 22 2015</a>, compared to a year ago.</span></p><h3><span><span>"Physical stores [are] a drain on an already weak balance sheet"</span></span></h3><p><span>In other words, the new players are growing. The traditional British chains that once anchored every high street are shrinking.</span></p><p><span>For some of them, even being a supermarket is a liability.</span></p><p><span>"It's hard to see a way out for Morrisons, the minnow of the supermarket group, as more and more people are preferring to do the weekly shop online, making physical stores more of a drain on an already weak balance sheet," said Augustin Eden, a research analyst at Accendo Markets.</span></p><p><span>Now look at Britain's largest supermarket, Tesco. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Despite the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tesco-sales-rise-in-december-and-january-2015-3#ixzz3UBLrdKpB">Tesco recording its best performance in 18 months in the 12 weeks leading to 1 March</a>, sales were only up 1.1%. This period included the </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Christmas and New Year related discounts. </span></p><p>"Supermarkets have to get used to this 'new normal' of low profit margins and must adapt accordingly. The discount retailers like Aldi and Lidl have fundamentally disrupted the market and the Big Four - Tesco, Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury's - must accept their losing market share," said Professor Heiner Evanschitzky, Professor and Chair of Marketing at Aston Business School. </p><p>"The best option for them now is to shrink their businesses gracefully," he says.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/excel-index-match-vlookup-video-how-to-2015-2">This is what separates the Excel masters from the wannabes</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="50YnY4czr4ms1vJ7yz3xzq0excz_pUMs" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Everything that British supermarkets thought was true has turned out to be wrong

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Charles Heidsieck</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>It was 1985, and bottles of Charles Heidsieck champagne were flying off the shelves. Global sales were on a par with the likes of Veuve Cliquot, and the brand marketed itself: its namesake, a 19th-century dandy known as "Champagne Charlie," was something of an icon in his own right, the man credited with bringing champagne to the USA.</p><p>Fast forward 25 years, and Charles Heidsieck was a brand facing extinction. An acquisition by spirits company Remy Cointreau in 1985 had seen the brand pushed gradually into irrelevance, partly because Cointreau also owned two rival champagne houses. Sales entered into a decades-long period of apparently terminal decline, plummeting from around 4 million to 250,000 annually by 2011 when it was taken over by luxury goods company EPI.</p><p>It was a year later when Steven Leroux, a wine executive who had spent his life in the Champagne region of France, received a call on behalf of Charles Heidsieck's new owner, EPI founder Christopher Descours. Descours had seen something "exciting" in the ailing brand and wanted Leroux to turn its fortunes round as the champagne house's new director.</p><p>Business Insider met Leroux in London to find out what happened next.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Charles Heidsieck</span></p><p class="caption">Stephen Leroux, director of Charles Heidsieck</p></div><p></p></div></div>"My reaction when I received the call was: 'Fantastic'," Leroux says. "People from the Champagne region have always had a lot of respect for the brand in Champagne, because it's a great house, it's a great story, and the wine's always been fantastic, but from a business point of view, we were all laughing a little bit. Because it was this fantastic jewel, owned by people who were just letting it go."</p><p>Only when he began working at Charles Heidsieck did he begin to understand the scale of the task ahead. "Once I got in, I said, 'Oh sh*t.' I really got a bit of a shock," he says. "I realised how bad the company had become, and how tough the exercise was going to be."</p><p>The problems were numerous and big: the lack of established distribution networks, the dominance of more established rivals like Bollinger and Pol Roger, and the lack of brand awareness, especially among younger generations.</p><p>Distribution was the first thing to tackle. "The foundation of a business - whatever it is - is distribution," Leroux says. Sales figures may have been small, but the brand was still a strong one, and the issue came down to telling distributors that they had a "once in a lifetime opportunity" to distribute such a grand house exclusively.</p><p>Independent wine distributors recognised the strength of the revitalised brand, and "step-by-step, countries came on board." The firm set up its own distribution network in France, which gave an immediate boost to sales, and it struck gold in the USA when legendary Californian winemaker Michael Mondavi told Leroux he wanted to distribute Charles Heidsieck champagne across the country.</p><p>"Within three years, we had established most of what we wanted in terms of distribution," Leroux says. In the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword>, its client base shot up from zero to 550 today, focusing on aspirational places: department stores like Fortnum &amp; Mason, wine bars, independent shops, and high-end restaurants.</p><p>The next big problem was "vanished" consumer awareness. Leroux recently turned 50, and says that "whether I'm in champagne or not, I would have heard about Charles Heidsieck, because when I was 25 or 30, the brand was as big as one or two famous champagne names."</p><p>People from younger generations, however, are more familiar with brands like Bollinger and Pol Roger who have continued to generate growth. The problem with consumer and demand and awareness was, therefore, significant.</p><p>"It's a question of wine, courage, and making people taste it," Leroux says. "A retailer, in a very friendly way, will serve the brands that sell more or less automatically, because it takes time to talk about it."</p><p>His strategy to make Charles one of those brands was to push by-the-glass sales of the product in luxury wine bars and restaurants. "That way, people experience the quality of their wine," he says.</p><p>"They talk to their friends. And step-by-step if you have two, three, four, restaurants surrounding a wine store which sell Charles Heidsieck, the wine store will say, 'Hey, something's cooking there.' All of a sudden they will list it, and then they will start supporting it and selling it."</p><p>That is not to understate strength of the brand's competitors. "Every day that goes by makes them stronger and stronger," Leroux says.</p><p>"We went backwards at a time when all the other brands were moving on, so we had to come back twice as much. Whatever the quality of the work we do, every single thing has to work. It's tiring, but it's about the energy we get from successes. When a sommelier tells us he loves the champagne, or I receive a phone call from a distributor in Austria who wants to distribute Charles, it makes my day."</p><p>Leroux does point to an advantage of strength and scale of the "flashier" brands, something perhaps unique to the champagne industry. "We love the big players in the category investing a lot in PR and marketing," he says. "They build the category. It helps the industry - and they're very good at it!"</p><p>The brand likes to tell the story of its founder, and make its champagne synonymous with the character of the "elegant, ruthless, adventurous dandy."</p><p>"We build a small, niche, elegant story on the side, while the bigger brands boost the profile of champagne more generally," Leroux says.</p><p>What's next? While sales have increased dramatically, Charles Heidsieck still sells under a million bottles of champagne annually, and Leroux has set the target of doubling their current sales volume in ten years. Besides that, he will focus on expanding profit margins for distributors, which have been squeezed by initial marketing and PR costs, and making sure the quality of the champagne isn't compromised as the order books get thicker.</p><p>We ask Leroux if the company can learn anything from the man who founded the brand - a man whose father rode into Moscow in 1811 ahead of Napoleon's army, ready to try and flog champagne to the winning side; a man whose fleet of ships was attacked and sunk by a naval blockade at the height of the American Civil War; and who was falsely imprisoned for espionage shortly afterwards. "Never surrender!" Leroux smiles.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/24-carat-gold-leaf-bathtubs-hammocks-splinterworks-carbon-fibre-2016-11">A UK company makes 24-carat gold leaf bathtubs which look just like hammocks</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="l3eWF0NzE6Oe_lEQ74gtJ7xDSJuac_Ab" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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