Prince Rupert Loewenstein
Rupert, Prince zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rupert, Prince zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, Count of Löwenstein-Scharffeneck 24 August 1933 Palma, Majorca, Spain |
| Died | 20 May 2014 (aged 80) London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Financial manager, business advisor |
| Years active | 1963–2007 |
| Known for | Financial director for The Rolling Stones |
Rupert, Prince zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, Count of Löwenstein-Scharffeneck (24 August 1933 – 20 May 2014) was a Bavarian nobleman born in Spain who became the longtime financial director for the rock group The Rolling Stones.
Early life and education
Born in Palma, Majorca, Spain, Loewenstein descended from the royal families of Wittelsbach and Löwenstein-Wertheim. His parents were Leopold, Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, and Countess Bianca Henrietta Maria Fischler von Treuberg, who traced her ancestry to Pedro I of Brazil. Both parents had some Jewish heritage. On his father's side, his lineage included Henry de Worms, 1st Baron Pirbright. Following his parents’ separation, he relocated with his mother to England in 1940. He received his education at St Christopher School in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, a Quaker institution, before pursuing medieval history studies at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Banking
Upon completing his education, Loewenstein began his career as a stockbroker with Bache & Co.. In 1963, he partnered with a group of Oxford alumni—including Jonathan Guinness, Richard Cox-Johnson, and Louis Heyman—to acquire the merchant bank Leopold Joseph & Sons, where he became a director. Under his leadership, the formerly family-run Leopold Joseph expanded its offerings to encompass mergers and acquisitions advisory, investment consultancy, and foreign exchange trading. By 1971, the bank had established itself as a prominent London dealer in investment dollars and raised approximately £940,000 to support further expansion. Loewenstein departed in 1981 to establish Rupert Loewenstein Ltd., focusing primarily on clients with newly acquired wealth whom he regarded as more practical than traditional aristocratic investors.
The Rolling Stones
From 1968 until 2007, Loewenstein acted as the financial manager and business advisor for the Rolling Stones.[1] Introduced to Mick Jagger by art dealer Christopher Gibbs, he was brought in to resolve financial issues amid dissatisfaction with then-manager Allen Klein. Loewenstein played a key role in transforming the band into an international brand and one of the wealthiest musical acts worldwide by implementing strategic tax planning measures. These included relocating their operations to the south of France and routing income through Dutch entities. Additionally, he advised rehearsing in Canada rather than the U.S. to reduce tax exposure.[2] Keith Richards acknowledged that Loewenstein’s guidance helped the band avoid UK tax rates that could reach up to 98%, allowing them to retain a larger portion of their earnings.
He successfully negotiated their exit from unprofitable contracts and secured corporate sponsorships such as those from General Electric for tours. Prior to their landmark large-venue tours in 1981 and 1982—which broke box office records—Loewenstein restructured their finances to eliminate exploitative agreements and enhance merchandising revenue.[3] Richards commended Loewenstein’s financial expertise, likening his skill in currency trading to Richards’ own guitar proficiency.[4]
Although instrumental behind the scenes, Loewenstein showed little enthusiasm for rock music itself, favoring classical music and The Beatles; Richards noted that he regarded songwriting as a formal discipline.[5][2] His daughter, Princess Dora Loewenstein, has shared personal reflections on her family’s decades-long involvement with the band.[6]
Personal life and family
Loewenstein entered into matrimony with Josephine Clare Lowry-Corry on 18 July 1957. Together, they had three offspring:
- Rudolf Amadeus Joseph Karl Ludwig Emmanuel (born 17 November 1957), who pursued a vocation as a priest within the Dominican Order.
- Konrad Friedrich Ferdinand Johannes Ottakar Sylvester (born 26 November 1958), likewise a Catholic priest affiliated with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.
- Maria Theodora Dora Marjorie (born 11 July 1966), who has been wed to Count Manfredi della Gherardesca since 1998. Her godfather was Alexis von Rosenberg, Baron de Redé.
The family’s residence was Petersham Lodge, located in Petersham, London—an early eighteenth-century Grade II listed former grace-and-favour estate originally constructed for the Duchess of Queensberry. They acquired this property around 1987 for approximately £2 million.
In 2001, Loewenstein was honored by induction into the International Best-Dressed Hall of Fame.
Catholicism
An advocate for the traditional Latin Mass, Loewenstein authored a letter on this topic published in The Times in 1975. He held prominent roles within Catholic chivalric organizations, including serving as Grand Inquisitor of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and acting as president of the British branch of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Autobiography
Loewenstein released his memoirs in 2013 under the title A Prince Among Stones: That Business with The Rolling Stones and Other Adventures (Bloomsbury, London), where he disclosed insights into the financial dealings of the band. Mick Jagger reportedly disapproved of the publication, remarking: "Call me old-fashioned, but I don't think your ex-bank manager should be discussing your financial dealings and personal information in public."
Death
Loewenstein passed away in London on 20 May 2014 at age 80 due to complications related to Parkinson's disease.
See also
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Template:Fix/category[dead link] Serwer et al., 2002.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedRich - ↑ Page, Benedicte (June 12, 2003). "Dora Loewenstein: The Stones try to remember their past". Retrieved 2024-02-11.