Royal links to sale of items belonging to former Caribbean 'king'

MUSTIQUE, A little island in the Caribbean, unexpectedly became a destination for the rich and famous during the 1960s and 1970s.

In 1958, the Scottish aristocrat Colin Tennant (Lord Glenconner) bought a 1,400-acre, mosquito-infested rocky outcrop in the West Indies – one of 600 islands in the Grenadines chain. He built himself a luxury villa and threw parties which attracted the beau monde – including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Mick and Bianca Jagger, and David Frost (who arrived by yacht).

Princess Margaret dropped in while honeymooning with Antony Armstrong-Jones and Tennant offered her a piece of land “as a wedding present” and offered to build her a house. She accepted and Mustique’s reputation was sealed.

Tennant inherited the title Lord Glenconner and was crowned “king” of the island in 1976 by the princess during his 50th birthday party. The “natives” wore codpieces of gold-painted coconut shell in deference to royalty.

But things eventually turned sour; he sold Mustique in the 1990s and retired – with his pet elephant Bupa – to the nearby island of St Lucia and died last year, aged 83.

The contents of his St Lucia home will be auctioned by fine art auctioneers Bonhams in London on September 28th. The end of an era sale features Caribbean and Anglo-Indian furniture, Chinese ceramics, works of art, jewellery and silver as well as gifts, including cufflinks and a snuff box he received from Princess Margaret. The highlight is a gem-set gold pendant from the treasury of the legendary Indian ruler, Tipu Sultan, estimated at between £80,000 and £120,000. The gold pendant is set with a 38-carat emerald surrounded by nine precious stones including topaz, blue sapphire, ruby, diamond and pearl. -MP