Which English aristocrat was Coco Chanel’s prominent lover in the 1920s?

Hugh Grosvenor, the 2nd Duke of Westminster, was a prominent English aristocrat who had a relationship with Coco Chanel during the 1920s. He was one of Britain’s wealthiest men and was widely known by the nickname “Bendor.”

The relationship connected Chanel with British high society and with a lifestyle of country estates, yachting, and international travel. Grosvenor’s wealth and social position were very different from Chanel’s early life, but their association became part of the public story surrounding her rise.

Chanel did not marry Grosvenor. Their relationship ended, and she later remained associated with several influential men, including the polo player Arthur “Boy” Capel and the Russian grand duke Dmitri Pavlovich.

A common mix-up is confusing Grosvenor with Capel. Capel was an earlier companion and business supporter; Grosvenor was the English duke linked to Chanel in the 1920s.