Earl grew up in Hendon and was educated at the local school, but also travelled around a great deal in the UK, Europe and the United States, following his father's career.
In 2012, he set up the Robert Earl Scholarship, awarded each year to 14 students across the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, worth up to £2,500 each.
With its success, Earl opened additional themed restaurants, The Cockney Club, Shakespeare's Tavern, and Talk of London, close by in the late 1970s.
[8] Amongst those themed restaurants in central Florida were Caruso's Palace (now Race Rock), King Henry's Feast and the original Shakespeare's Tavern on Church Street.
[9] Earl enlarged the business to include 70 restaurants by the time he merged his company President Entertainment with Pleasurama PLC, a London-based leisure group, in 1987.
[3][5] In 1991, Earl founded Planet Hollywood,[5] negotiating celebrity investments from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis, and partnerships[clarification needed] including Demi Moore, and Sylvester Stallone.
[3] In June 2003, in partnership with Bay Harbour Management LC and Starwood, Earl purchased the Aladdin Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
[2] In October 2006, Earl became a 23% owner and director of English Premier League club Everton, buying the shareholding of Paul and Anita Gregg via his BCR Sports investment vehicle registered in the British Virgin Islands.
[11][12] In March 2016, Earl sold his stake in Everton Football Club to Farhad Moshiri[13] at a reported £ 175 million valuation.
[14] In 2008, he acquired the casual dining company Buca di Beppo and its chain of 88 restaurants, which serve family-style Italian-American food.