As heir to one of the most famous stately homes in England, one might not expect to find the young Peregrine Cavendish hiding from the gas man over an unpaid bill.

But the 12th Duke has revealed how he experienced just that, after visiting Lucian Freud to have his portrait painted.

The Duke, who attended Freud's studio in Paddington to sit for his portrait as a young man, has told how he and the artist hid out of sight between windows, as the electricity and water services threatened to cut Freud off.

Speaking at Sotheby's on Monday, where the Duke launched a new series of videos about his home at Chatsworth, he admitted the unusual escapades had been rather invigorating, teaching him a think or two about gambling after observing Freud's lax attitudes to responsibility.