Inside the true family story behind ‘House of Guinness’
Scandal. Betrayal. Guinness. We unpack the real-life siblings that inspired the new Netflix hit series
By 
THE CRAWLEY FAMILY has been ousted from their perch as ‘favourite period drama family’ – a juicier clan has entered your binge scheduling. House of Guinness debuts this week on Netflix with buzz surrounding it as a cross between Downton Abbey and Succession.
It follows the fourth generation of Guinness custodians as they face class uprisings and unprecedented growth. Starring Anthony Boyle, Louis Partridge, Jack Gleeson, James Norton, Emily Fairn and more, it’s a cast of bright, young British and Irish talent that’ll bring the brewing story behind your pub staple to life.
Below, we delve into the real-life family that inspired the show.
Meet the siblings that inspired House of Guinness
Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness
Born in Dublin on November 1, 1798, Sir Benjamin Guinness was the grandson of Arthur Guinness I, who bought the St James’ Gate Brewery in 1759 and started the family business. As the third-generation custodian, Sir Benjamin joined the business in his teens then took sole control from his father, Arthur II, in 1839. During his tenure, the sale of hogsheads (or casks, in industry parlance) tripled, with post-Potato Famine Ireland and Britain being his biggest markets. By 1855, Sir Benjamin was the richest man on the island thanks to his export trade and the brewery’s expansion.
All the while, Sir Benjamin became the first Lord Mayor of Dublin under the reformed corporation in 1855. Ten years later he would be elected to the House of Commons as a Conservative representative for Dublin City until his death in 1868. This is where House of Guinness begins as he leaves joint control of the company to his two sons, Arthur and Edward Guinness.
Aside from his personal laurels and empire, Sir Benjamin’s greatest legacy stands as his restoration of the iconic St Patrick’s Cathedral, which paid for at his own expense.
Sir Arthur Guinness
Sir Arthur Guinness, Baron Ardilaun, was the oldest son of Sir Benjamin, aptly named after the business’ founder. Before heading into the family business, he received an elite Anglican education at Eton in England (its long alumni list includes Princes William and Harry, Eddie Redmayne, Boris Johnson, and other toffs), then heading off to university at Trinity College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts.
Irish actor Anthony Boyle, cast as Arthur in the series, plays with a quasi-British accent and is the more fashionable of the siblings. He was a literary muse to James Joyce, who made references to Arthur as a prime Irish example of Victorian conventional norms in Ulysses.
His father had a sweet-tooth for snapping up estates and acquiring land. Arthur would follow in his footsteps, buying large swaths of Galway, eventually owning most of the county.
Benjamin Guinness
The second and namesake son of Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness didn’t inherit the burden of the temptation of their fortune. Neither did his sister, Anne – Sir Benjamin’s eldest child and only daughter – but she went on to create her own legacy through charity. The only way a wealthy woman could during this period.) Not much is known about the middle brother. His only notable achievement was becoming the captain of the House Guards in England. That said, the series paints him as a black sheep who didn’t stand to inherit, likely a creative liberty.
Edward Guinness
The third son of Sir Benjamin, Edward Guinness, Earl of Iveagh, went on to become the more successful brother. By the time he was 29, Edward had taken sole-ownership of the brewery after buying out his brother Arthur’s shares for £600,000 in 1876 (roughly $123,300,000 AUD today). Over the next decade, Edward brought unprecedented growth to St James’ Gate, increasing the brewery’s value enormously. In 1886, he floated two-thirds of the company on the London Stock Exchange for £6 million before retiring at 40, making him the richest man in Ireland and the second richest in Britain. The outlook is looking pretty good for Louis Partridge’s character in the series.
Where is the Guinness family now?
The family patriarch today is Arthur Edward ‘Ned’ Rory Guinness, 4th Earl of Iveagh. As his aristocratic title suggests, he is the great-grandson of Edward, inheriting the title in 1992 and resides on 22,500-acre Elveden Hall estate in Suffolk.
Another notable family member is Daphne Guinness, who is a direct descendant of the founder (on the Edward line). Daphne is best known in the London fashion scene for her signature black-and-white updo and her penchant for Alexander McQueen armadillo heels.
What is the Guinness family’s net worth today?
Unlike other ancestral fortunes that have dwindled over the centuries, the present-day Guinness’ aren’t too shabby with a net worth of £856 million ($1.7 billion AUD), according to the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List. This places them as the 186th richest family in the United Kingdom.
Who owns Guinness today?
While the Guinness family are still living it up, they haven’t had sole-ownership of the Guinness brand since the mid-1980s.
The family business merged with drinks giant Grand Metropolitan to form Diageo in 1986. Today, Diageo owns Guinness, along with other major brands like Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Smirnoff and Baileys. The family derives most of its wealth from their retained stake in the company.
Related:
Inside ‘Adolescence’ star Owen Cooper’s history-making night at the Emmys: “I love the red carpet”
