The second son and third child, Denys was his mother's favorite and the darling of everyone he met. He was especially popular at Eton, where he impressed his friends with his sense of humor and wit. He excelled in cricket, football (soccer) and golf; in singing, drawing and mimicry; and in poetry and story-telling. Still, he was not a dedicated scholar. He entered Balliol College, Oxford, and finished with a poor Fourth.
