Neil Balfour

Neil Roxburgh Balfour (born 12 August 1944) is a British merchant banker and financier who had a second career as a politician.

Balfour was educated at Ampleforth College and University College, Oxford, and then read for the Bar. Although being called to the Bar in 1968 (Middle Temple), Balfour did not practice but instead joined Baring Brothers & Co, the commercial bankers.

In 1969, Balfour married HRH Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, the only daughter of Prince Paul of Yugoslavia. She bore him one son,

Their marriage fell apart and they were divorced in 1978. However, Balfour wrote a sympathetic official biography of his father-in-law in 1980, called Paul of Yugoslavia: Britain's Maligned Friend.

Balfour remarried in 1978 to Serena Mary Churchill Russell, granddaughter of John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough. She bore him two children,

Neil had another son,

He also has two stepdaughters, Morgan Alexandra McConnell (born 1973) and Lucinda Mary McConnell (born 1975).

Balfour was the Conservative Party candidate for Chester-le-Street at a by-election in March 1973, a seat that it had little chance of winning. Balfour was candid about his chances but hoped to come a strong second, despite his campaign being based in a caravan in a garden. In the event, the Conservative vote collapsed to the Liberals and he lost his deposit; the Labour campaign accused the Liberals of dirty tricks but regarded Balfour as an honourable opponent.

After fighting the Chester-le-Street seat again in the February 1974 general election, Balfour moved jobs to join the European Banking Co. Ltd as an assistant manager. He served as an Executive Director from 1980 to 1983. In the October 1974 general election he fought Hayes and Harlington, and he was elected to the European Parliament in the 1979 European Parliament elections from the Yorkshire North constituency.

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