In the furore over Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev buying the Evening Standard and appointing Geordie Grieg – formerly editor of society journal Tatler – as editor in chief, one detail was lost. Lebedev's purchase of a British newspaper makes him the first Russian to follow a well-beaten path that takes newly rich emigrants to the bosom of English society.
Armed with a newspaper to guarantee political influence (Lebedev has already held meetings with both David Cameron and Boris Johnson) all it should take is an extension of his philanthropic interests, a role as patron of the arts perhaps and hey presto, a newly minted title should be his.
If Conrad Black can do it, it should be a cinch for Lebedev. His idol should be American William Waldorf Astor, sole heir to an enormous fortune. The first Viscount Astor relocated to Britain in the late 19th century and purchased a suitable country estate, Cliveden, from the Duke of Westminster. Armed with their new title, the Astors sought influence among the chatterati of the day; his son bought the Times and established it as a new political voice. (Incidentally, Samantha Cameron's stepfather is the current Viscount Astor.)
Lebedev, who has promised the newspaper a much-needed cash injection, has tapped Grieg as the man to transform the paper in his image. Grieg, a former war correspondent, has repositioned Tatler from its narrow role chronicling the lives of the upper classes to a how-to manual for the new mega-rich. Tatler runs 10 annual "special issues" which no doubt form an indispensable guide for newly arrived Russians. From where to board your children to where to get the best liposuction, Tatler covers it all. There are enough similarities between the new Russians emigres and English nobs to make it work – a strong belief in conformity and a heavy alcohol intake – although you'd have to go back several generations to find a duke who could match the Russians' spending powers.
This new money muscles out the nouveau poor English aristos. The Russians don't just want contemporary modern luxury, like the dotcom billionaires, they want their possessions to have a noble heritage, to ensure the world knows they have arrived. When one of England's grandest stately homes, Easton Neston, was flogged off by Lord Hesketh in 2005, the baroque masterpiece was snapped up by the Russian-born retail magnate Leon Max. Max was blunt: "I like the idea of being a country gentleman." So do many other Russian billionaires. If they can't buy the title, they can at least buy a facsimile of the lifestyle.
However, Londoners may be disillusioned to discover that their new press baron doesn't fit their plastic fantastic image of a Russian oligarch. He doesn't have a yacht and he is the proud part-owner of Novaya Gazeta, the liberal Moscow newspaper that is one of the few surviving independent voices in Russia. Luke Harding recounts the disappointment of those invited to Lebedev's 49th birthday party. It turned out to be a frugal, bring-a-bottle affair.