Manservant inherits £30 million from boss

Lord Glenconner with Kent Adonai, whom he left £30million when he died in 2010

He became the world’s richest  manservant when left a £30 million fortune by his playboy boss who  cut his heir out of his will.

But now Kent Adonai – who was Lord Glenconner’s valet and carer for 30 years – has struck a secret deal to share the windfall with the peer’s grandson.

The 51-year-old had been facing a legal battle with 20-year-old Cody Tennant, who became the fourth Baron Glenconner when the former owner of Princess Margaret’s favourite island retreat died in 2010.

He had expected to inherit the family estate – only to discover his grandfather rewrote his will seven months before his death aged 83.

The Scottish university student was backed in his battle by his family, including Glenconner’s widow, Lady Anne, who was also shocked to learn she had not been left a penny.

Mr Adonai, who cannot read or write, hired a top legal team on  St Lucia, Glenconner’s home after leaving Mustique, where he once hosted Royalty.

The inheritance included the peer’s Indian-style mansion, jewellery, art and antiques, and 192 acres of shorefront development land.

However, appearing before a judge last week at the East Caribbean Supreme Court, Mr Adonai’s representatives agreed he will share the property with the new baron.

A court insider told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The lawyers who represent Kent and Cody respectively each handed a sealed brown envelope to the judge. The deal was in them. 

'My understanding is that Cody is getting a share in the land that potentially will make him a multi-millionaire.’ 

Cody’s lawyer Peter Foster – also speaker of the St Lucia Parliament – said: ‘Yes, there was a dispute over the will and now it has been settled amicably.’

He declined to put a value on the property relinquished by Mr Adonai, but added: ‘The way it has been settled is to the mutual satisfaction of all parties.’

Although the grounds of the challenge have not been revealed, one legal expert said it may have involved a clause in which Glenconner directed the servant to ‘apportion’ the fortune ‘to himself and heirs in whatsoever manner he wishes as I have discussed with him’.

‘One might argue that Glenconner expected Kent to look after his heirs, including Cody and Lady Anne,’ the expert added. ‘It also might have been argued he was elderly and not in his right mind.’

Lady Anne has also pointed out that her husband was battling cancer when he died.

Mr Adonai has always maintained that, along with inheriting land worth millions, he was also saddled with Glenconner’s debts which, he claims, left him impoverished. He says this was the reason he sold the peer’s belongings two years ago.

However, at the time of his death, Glenconner was sitting on one of the Caribbean’s most desirable pieces of land and had plans for a resort development that was to include seven villas priced up to £7 million each.

‘Developers are vying for land in the area,’ a Caribbean property specialist said. ‘Cody and Kent each stand to earn millions.’

Mr Adonai’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment