 His father had died in 1964, and his brothers Christopher and Richard in 1971 and 1977 respectively; he himself was increasingly a victim to fatigue, and also to intense regret at what he felt was his failure at Eton.He once again resorted to heavy drinking, trying unsuccessfully to conceal it from his wife.On numerous occasions he had to miss appointments due to drunkenness, and he also used corporal punishment on the wrong boy at least once.