# Raymond R. Guest

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For his son, Raymond R. Guest Jr., see [Andy Guest](/source/Andy_Guest).

**Raymond Richard Guest** [OBE](/source/Order_of_the_British_Empire) (November 25, 1907 – December 31, 1991) was an American businessman, [thoroughbred](/source/Thoroughbred) [race horse](/source/Race_horse) owner and [polo](/source/Polo) player. From 1965 to 1968, he was [United States Ambassador to Ireland](/source/United_States_Ambassador_to_Ireland).[1]

## Early life

Guest was born on November 25, 1907, in [Manhattan](/source/Manhattan) to [Frederick Edward Guest](/source/Frederick_Edward_Guest) (1875–1937), a British [Cabinet minister](/source/Cabinet_minister) and his American wife, Amy Phipps (1873–1959). Guest's siblings were [Winston Frederick Churchill Guest](/source/Winston_Frederick_Churchill_Guest) (1906–1982), also a polo-player whose second wife was [C. Z. Guest](/source/C._Z._Guest) (1920–2003), the actress and socialite, and [Diana Guest Manning](/source/Diana_Guest_Manning) (1909–1994). He attended [Phillips Andover](/source/Phillips_Andover) and graduated from [Yale](/source/Yale_University) in 1931.[1]

His maternal grandfather was [Henry Phipps Jr.](/source/Henry_Phipps_Jr.) (1839–1930), [Andrew Carnegie](/source/Andrew_Carnegie)'s business partner in [Carnegie Steel Company](/source/Carnegie_Steel_Company).[1] His paternal grandfather was [Ivor Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne](/source/Ivor_Guest,_1st_Baron_Wimborne)[2] (1835–1914) and his great-grandfather was [John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough](/source/John_Winston_Spencer-Churchill,_7th_Duke_of_Marlborough), making Guest a first cousin once removed of Prime Minister [Winston Churchill](/source/Winston_Churchill).

## Career

### Military career

During World War II he served with the United States Navy. He served on [mine sweepers](/source/Minesweeper_(ship)) and was made head of the Navy section of the [Office of Strategic Services](/source/Office_of_Strategic_Services) in London, England. By the time he left the military in 1946, he had risen to the rank of [Commander](/source/Commander). He was awarded the [Bronze Star](/source/Bronze_Star) and a [Legion of Merit](/source/Legion_of_Merit), both with combat devices; the [Croix de Guerre](/source/Croix_de_Guerre) with star; the [Order of the British Empire](/source/Order_of_the_British_Empire); the [Norwegian Cross](/source/Norwegian_Cross)[clarification needed], and the [Danish Defense Medal](/source/Danish_Defense_Medal)[clarification needed].

### Political career

Guest was a member of the [Senate of Virginia](/source/Senate_of_Virginia) from 1947 to 1953, and served as the [United States Ambassador to Ireland](/source/United_States_Ambassador_to_Ireland) from 1965 to 1968.

### Thoroughbred racing

In the United States, members of his mother's family have been major figures in the sport of thoroughbred racing for many decades. In England, Raymond Guest's sister, [Diana Guest Manning](/source/Diana_Guest_Manning), owned and raced a horse she named [Be My Guest](/source/Be_My_Guest_(horse)) who was a [conditions race](/source/Conditions_races) winner in England and Ireland as well as the [Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland](/source/Leading_sire_in_Great_Britain_and_Ireland) in 1982. Raymond Guest also owned thoroughbreds which he raced in England, Ireland, France and the United States. In Ireland his flat racehorses were trained by [Vincent O'Brien](/source/Vincent_O'Brien) and his [National Hunt](/source/National_Hunt_racing) horses by [Dan Moore](/source/Dan_Moore_(horse_racing)). His racing colours were chocolate, pale blue hoops and cap. Guest is one of only four owners to win both [The Derby](/source/Epsom_Derby) and the [Grand National](/source/Grand_National), the others being [King Edward VII](/source/Edward_VII_of_the_United_Kingdom), when [Prince of Wales](/source/Prince_of_Wales), [Dorothy Paget](/source/Dorothy_Paget) and Jim Joel.

The [British flat racing Champion Owner](/source/British_flat_racing_Champion_Owner) in 1968, among Guest's successful horses in [flat racing](/source/Flat_racing) were [Larkspur](/source/Larkspur_(horse)), winner of the 1962 [Epsom Derby](/source/Epsom_Derby); [Sir Ivor](/source/Sir_Ivor), winner of the 1968 [2,000 Guineas](/source/2,000_Guineas_Stakes), [Epsom Derby](/source/Epsom_Derby) and the [Washington, D.C. International](/source/Washington,_D.C._International_Stakes).

Raymond Guest also owned [steeplechase](/source/Steeplechase_(horse_racing)) racers. His most outstanding was [L'Escargot](/source/L'Escargot_(horse)), a [National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame](/source/National_Museum_of_Racing_and_Hall_of_Fame) inductee who was voted the 1969 U.S. Steeplechase Horse of the Year and who then raced in England where he won the [Cheltenham Gold Cup](/source/Cheltenham_Gold_Cup) in 1970 and 1971 and the [Grand National](/source/Grand_National) in 1975.

In the United States, Raymond Guest was a member of [The Jockey Club](/source/The_Jockey_Club) and voted President of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association in 1958. The best horse to carry his Powhatan Stable colours in American flat racing was [Tom Rolfe](/source/Tom_Rolfe), winner of the 1965 [Preakness Stakes](/source/Preakness_Stakes) who earned [American Champion 3-Year-Old Male Horse](/source/American_Champion_3-Year-Old_Male_Horse) honors.

Both he and his brother [Winston Frederick Churchill Guest](/source/Winston_Frederick_Churchill_Guest) were polo players. Raymond Guest twice won the [U.S. Open](/source/U.S._Open_(polo)) as part of the [Templeton](/source/Templeton_polo_team) team, and was posthumously inducted into the [Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame](/source/Museum_of_Polo_and_Hall_of_Fame) in 2006.

## Personal life

In 1935, he married first to Elizabeth ("Lily") Polk of [Dark Harbor, Maine](/source/Islesboro,_Maine), the daughter of [Frank Polk](/source/Frank_Polk) and a relative of U.S. president, [James K. Polk](/source/James_K._Polk),[2] with whom he had three children:

- Elizabeth Guest, who married Edward Beach Condon in 1958,[3] and after their divorce, to [George Stevens Jr.](/source/George_Stevens_Jr.) in 1965.[4]
- [Raymond Richard "Andy" Guest Jr.](/source/Andy_Guest) (1939–2001), who married Mary Scott Derrick.[5]
- Virginia Guest (Valentine)

In 1953, he married Ellen Tuck French Astor (1915–1974),[6] who had previously been married to [John Jacob Astor VI](/source/John_Jacob_Astor_VI) from 1934 to 1943.[7] She was the elder daughter of Francis Ormond "Frank" French II (1888–1962) and Eleanor Livingston Burrill (1891–1974),[8] and was a first cousin of Rhode Island Governor [William Henry Vanderbilt III](/source/William_Henry_Vanderbilt_III) (1901–1981).[9] Ellen and Raymond later divorced and she died in 1974.[10]

In 1960, married for the third and final time to Princess Caroline "Caro" Cécile Alexandrine Jeanne Murat (1923–2012),[11] daughter of Prince Alexandre Murat (1889–1926) and granddaughter of [Joachim Napoléon Murat, 5th Prince Murat](/source/Joachim,_5th_Prince_Murat) (1856–1932),[12] She was previously married to American Capt. August Van Hartz in 1945.[13] Together, they had two children:[1]

- Achille Murat Guest,[14] who married Capucine Motte and Judith Wall[15]
- Laetitia Amelia Guest (Oppenheim)[14]

He died of pneumonia on December 31, 1991, in [Mary Washington Hospital](/source/Mary_Washington_Hospital) in [Fredericksburg, Virginia](/source/Fredericksburg,_Virginia).[1]

## References

1. ["Raymond Guest, 84, Ambassador, Polo Player and Breeder of Horses"](https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/01/nyregion/raymond-guest-84-ambassador-polo-player-and-breeder-of-horses.html). *[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)*. January 1, 1992. Retrieved 2011-04-13.

1. ["Elizabeth S. Polk and Raymond Guest, Poloist, Wed in Heavenly Rest Church"](http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1935/06/26/101514389.html?pageNumber=16). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. June 26, 1935. Retrieved 5 August 2016.

1. ["ELIZABETH GUEST IS WED IN CAPITAL; Escorted by Her Father at Marriage to Edward Beach Condon, T.W.A. Official"](https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1958/03/08/83400228.html?action=click&contentCollection=Archives&module=ArticleEndCTA&region=ArchiveBody&pgtype=article&pageNumber=20). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. March 8, 1958. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

1. ["Mrs. Elizabeth Guest Condon Married to George Stevens Jr."](https://www.nytimes.com/1965/07/06/archives/mrs-elizabeth-guest-condon-married-to-george-sevens-jr.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 6 July 1965. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

1. ["Paid Notice: Deaths GUEST, RAYMOND R. (ANDY)"](https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/19/classified/paid-notice-deaths-guest-raymond-r-andy.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 19 April 2001. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

1. ["R. R. GUEST MARRIES MRS. ELLEN T. ASTOR"](http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1953/05/02/84399335.html?pageNumber=18). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. May 2, 1953. Retrieved 5 August 2016.

1. ["DIVORCES JOHN J. ASTOR; Former Miss Ellen Tuck French Gets Decree in Reno"](https://www.nytimes.com/1943/05/21/archives/divorces-john-j-astor-former-miss-ellen-tuck-french-gets-decree-in.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 21 May 1943. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

1. ["Francis Ormond FRENCH/Eleanor Livingston BURRILL"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055251/http://www.pennock.ws/surnames/fam/fam40565.html). pennock. Archived from [the original](http://www.pennock.ws/surnames/fam/fam40565.html) on 2013-09-21. Retrieved 2017-04-15.

1. Porter, Russell B. (16 August 2004). ["JOHN JACOB ASTOR WEDS ELLEN FRENCH"](http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/john-jacob-astor-weds-ellen-french.html). *New York Times*. – via Encyclopedia Titanica.

1. ["Ellen Tuck French Guest Dead; Wife of J. J. Astor 3d for 9 Years"](https://www.nytimes.com/1974/09/07/archives/ellen-tuck-french-guest-dead-wife-of-j-j-astor-3d-for-9-years.html?_r=0). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 7 September 1974. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

1. Paulick Report Staff (14 June 2012). ["Princess Murat, widow of Thoroughbred owner Raymond Guest, dies at 88"](http://www.paulickreport.com/news/people/princess-murat-widow-of-thoroughbred-owner-raymond-guest-dies-at-88/). *Horse Racing News Paulick Report*. Retrieved 5 August 2016.

1. ["PRINCESS MURAT MARRIED IN PARIS; Notables Attend Her Wedding to Lieut. Charles Russell Codman Jr. of Boston"](https://www.nytimes.com/1946/07/17/archives/princess-murat-married-in-paris-notables-attend-her-wedding-to.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 17 July 1946. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

1. ["CAPT. VON HARTZ WEDS; U.S. Officer Marries Princess Caroline Murat in Paris"](https://www.nytimes.com/1945/07/26/archives/capt-von-hartz-weds-us-officer-marries-princess-caroline-murat-in.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 26 July 1945. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

1. The King George Journal staff (June 20, 2012). ["Caroline Murat"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160919000739/http://smalltownnews.com/article.php?pid=141&aid=154183). *The King George Journal*. Archived from [the original](http://smalltownnews.com/article.php?pid=141&aid=154183) on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.

1. Hofheinz, Darrell (October 3, 2013). ["Beyond the Hedges: Australian Ave. townhome sells for $2 million"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160819162004/http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/national/beyond-the-hedges-australian-ave-townhome-sells-fo/nbCNS/). *Palm Beach Daily News*. Archived from [the original](http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/national/beyond-the-hedges-australian-ave-townhome-sells-fo/nbCNS/) on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Raymond R. Guest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_R._Guest) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_R._Guest?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.