Mark Birley

Marcus Lecky Oswald Hornby Birley is an British entrepreneur.

Career

In 1962 Birley founded Annabel's at Berkley Square in the exclusive Mayfair district of London. The club was named for his wife and it was the first of its kind: a member-only nightclub that catered to an exclusive clientele, including Prince Charles, Prince of Wales.

In 1972 Birley opened Harry's Bar and continued to expand his portfolio in the restaurant, nightclub and hotel business. Today, he is the owner of the Annabel's Group, which includes Mark Birley Holdings Limited.

Private life

Mark Birley is the son of Sir Oswald Birley. On 10 March 1954 he married Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart, daughter of the 8th Marquess of Londonderry. They had three children Rupert, Robin and India Jane. He, nevertheless, gained a reputation as a womanizer.

In 1975, he and his wife divorced. At the time their marriage ended, his wife already had two children Jemima and Zac by Birley's former friend Sir James Goldsmith.

Birley is no stranger to tragedy. In 1986 his son Rupert disappeared in Togo and was never found. His other son Robin was mauled as a child by a tiger at the private zoo of family friend John Aspinall.

In recent years, Birley has been confined to a wheelchair. For a time, he turned over the reins of his businesses to his two children. In 2006, however, Birley dismissed his son Robin on grounds of misconduct and returned to the helm of his empire which he now runs with his daughter India Jane.

References

• Mark Birley
• Annabel's: A tale of love, snobbery, revenge... and some jolly good cocktails by Liz Hoggard, The Independent, 15 October 2006
• The Peerage.com Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart