'Good breeder’, younger the better, but can’t be a Scorpio — 79-year-old Baronet’s bizarre wife-hunt

A British aristocrat is looking for a wife. He is 79 years old and is willing to pay £50,000 a year. But first, you need to meet his long list of demands, which includes being a "good breeder", not being a Scorpio and someone who doesn't read the Guardian. You also need to be under 60 years of age. Sir Benjamin Slade is looking for wife as he nears the age of 80, but has an exhaustive list of criteria for her new mate. She should be at least 20 years younger to him and be able to give him two male heirs. "I can have two sons, three would be better, but if I get two sons that saves the situation," he said, as per Daily Mail. She has to be a "lady of the house", and will have to run the house. " People think that it is sexist. Jane Austen said if you got a big house, you need a wife."

The details get extremely stiff from hereon. The woman should be taller than 5ft 6inches, should not read the Guardian, her sunsign should not be Scorpio and must have a shotgun and driving license. If she has a helicopter license, that would up the ante in her favour. To ensure that they are both "similar people", the woman should not belong to a country whose name starts with the letter "I". So, that rules out India, Italy, Ireland, Iran, Indonesia and the Ivory Coast, among others. "I don't mind Canadians, Americans, Germans and Northern Europeans - what I like to call similar people. I don't think marrying an Eskimo is for me," Sir Benjamin, a baronet descended from Charles II, said.

Woman should be social, and able to run castles

Her social skills should also be top-notch. He is looking for someone who loves ballroom dancing and fits in his lifestyle since he goes out a lot. She should also know how to play bridge and backgammon, have a flair for administration and can run two castles. Estate, legal and accountancy training "would be useful". Slade already has a daughter with 34-year-old former child author Sahara Sunday Spain, but needs male heirs to pass on his estate.

Why he wants a younger woman?

The age criterion is to avoid inheritance tax, for which he needs a younger woman who can be insured and live longer. "Death tax is 40 per cent and the only way I can pass the estate and art collection, etc on is to leave it to the wife tax-free," he said. She will "receive a financial percentage for passing it on." He added, "She would also have to be insured, that's why we need a lady at least 20 years younger than me, as I cannot insure an older wife, so the younger the better."