How the Duke of Marlborough lost his throne
The Duke of Marlborough, pictured with his wife, Edla, suffered an unusual theft from his Blenheim Palace home in the early hours yesterday, as thieves made off with a £4.8 million solid gold lavatory that had been installed as part of an art exhibition
WHEN a solid gold lavatory worth £4.8million was installed at Blenheim Palace, the founder of its art foundation proudly boasted: “It’s not going to be the easiest thing to nick.”
But early yesterday morning, just two days after it went on display, a gang of burglars did just that. Breaking into the palace, they ripped it from the wall and drove off, leaving “significant damage and flooding”.
The 18-carat lavatory artwork, called America, was the centrepiece of a new exhibition by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan at the Duke of Marlborough’s country home, where Winston Churchill was born.
It had been plumbed into the water system so that visitors could fully engage with the artwork, as long as they obeyed a three-minute time slot.
However, just hours after the launch party for the exhibition finished, police say thieves used at least two vehicles to smash their way into the property, and made off with the artwork.
A 66-year-old man was arrested in connection with the theft, but the golden lavatory is still missing amid fears it may be melted down. Last night, the man was being questioned by detectives. Blenheim Palace chief executive Dominic Hare said the lavatory is valued at about £4.8million. The artwork had previously drawn crowds at New York’s Guggenheim Museum when it first went on display in 2016, and was later offered to Donald Trump in a satirical jibe at the US president.
Its new home was a stall adjacent to Churchill’s birthing room, near to the main entrance, where smashed glass was spotted. Edward SpencerChurchill, half-brother of the current Duke of Marlborough and founder of the Blenheim Art Foundation, told The Sunday Times last month: “Despite being born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I have never had a s--- on a golden lavatory, so I look forward to it.”
Asked if he was worried about security, he said: “It’s not going to be the easiest thing to nick. Firstly, it’s plumbed in, and secondly, a potential thief will have no idea who last used the lavatory or what they ate. So no, I don’t plan to be guarding it.”
Blenheim Palace, built for John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, was closed yesterday, as police officers scoured the scene. In a statement, palace officials said: “We are saddened by this extraordinary event, but also relieved no one was hurt. If anyone knows or saw anything suspicious that may help us secure its return, please contact Thames Valley Police.”
The police said they received a report of a burglary at the palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, at 4.57am yesterday, adding that the offenders had left the scene minutes earlier.
The palace is set to open as usual today, with the rest of Cattelan’s artwork on display until Oct 27.
‘Despite being born with a silver spoon in my mouth I have never had a s--- on a golden lavatory’
Last month, when asked about security surrounding a golden lavatory at Blenheim Palace, Edward Spencer-Churchill, founder of the Blenheim Art Foundation, said he wouldn’t be guarding it. “It’s plumbed in and, secondly, a potential thief will have no idea who last used the toilet or what they ate.” He spoke too soon. The loo has been stolen.
Is it art? It’s supposed to be. Titled “America” and designed by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, it’s presumably a statement about capitalism or something, but has found itself being redistributed by a thief. Will this trigger a trend in stealing conceptual furnishings? It’s a terrifying thought.
One can put an alarm around a precious vase but not a lavatory – because it would go off every time a guest uses it. No, if the Cattelan is recovered, the most efficient method of protecting it for future generations to enjoy would be to paint all the other loos in Blenheim gold, too. That way, burglars won’t know which one to steal.