D'Arcy Osborne, 12th Duke of Leeds

Francis D'Arcy Godolphin Osborne, 12th Duke of Leeds, KCMG ( born September 16, 1884 in London, † March 20, 1964 in Rome) was a British aristocrat (peer ) and diplomat.

Life

Francis Osborne was the eldest son of Sidney Francis Godolphin Osborne (1835-1903) and Margaret Dulcibella Hammersley. Osborne had two younger brothers, Hugh Sidney (1887-1958) and Maurice ( 1889-1915 ). His grandfather Sydney Godolphin Osborne (1808-1889) was a younger brother of George Osborne, 8th Duke of Leeds, Francis Godolphin his great-grandfather Osborne, 1st Baron Godolphin ( 1777-1850 ), a younger brother of Francis Osborne, 5th Duke of Leeds. Osborne was Knight Commander ( KCMG ) in the Order of St Michael and St George. Osborne was in the diplomatic rank of Envoy " Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary " from 1931 to 1935 in the United States and 1936-1947 to the Holy See. In the period from entry into the war in Italy in 1940 until the occupation of Italy by the Allies in 1944 Osborne remained in Rome and lived in the Vatican City. During this time he helped the Roman Catholic priest Hugh O'Flaherty, 4000 Jews and Allied soldiers hiding in monasteries, religious buildings and private homes to enable and thereby save their lives. This event was filmed in 1983 under the title The turning circle of the cross with Gregory Peck in the role of Monsignor O'Flaherty.

After the death of his nephew 3rd degree John Osborne, 11th Duke of Leeds, in 1963 Osborne inherited the title of "Duke of Leeds ". But in 1964 he died at the age of 79 years. Since Osborne even before and was childless and lived no more male relatives, went out the title of "Duke of Leeds ".