The Oldie has appointed its youngest ever editor, 45-year-old Harry Mount, a week after the death of Alexander Chancellor.
The monthly title was left without an editor, or acting editor, following the sudden death of Chancellor aged 77.
Mount will be the third editor of the title which was founded by Richard Ingrams 25 years ago (when he was 54).
Published James Pembroke said in an email to staff: “I am sorry that I have had to make this announcement so soon after Alexander’s death, but we have no one to edit the next issue, and this would have put tremendous strain on Deborah Maby and John Bowling, our devoted sub-editor and art editor.
“Many of you will know Harry through the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail and his ‘Learn Latin’ and ‘Set in Stone’ columns in the Oldie. He has long been a subscriber and contributor to the magazine; he accompanied a reader trip to Rome in November, and will be doing another in Greece, next month.
“Harry has also been a speaker at The Oldie’s literary lunches, whether about Amo, Amas, Amat or How England Made the English.”
Asked whether Mount was a little young to edit a magazine called The Oldie, Pembroke said: “Harry has been a subscriber since he was 20 when it launched. It’s not about retirement, it’s about an attitude and escaping from the rigours of the modern world. You can want to do that aged 20 or when your 80.”
The Oldie has a growing monthly circulation of 47,000.
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