The demise of the British aristocracy in multiple volumes

Started reading volume 3 of Edward St. Aubyn's Patrick Melrose novels, or cycle - Some Hope. Is the title ironic? Is it ironic that a novel about a character who allegedly despises irony is itself ironic? Is it ironic to despise irony? In any event, this 3rd volume takes place 8 years later (25 years after the first), the narrator is now 30 and the time is the year 2000 - unlike the 2nd volume, this one reverts to the style and format of volume one, with a multitude of characters and points of view. The structure is a # of characters en route to a party at the home of Bridget and Sunny; Bridget appeared in volume one as the stoner, pretty young wealthy, spoiled American girlfriend attached to Nicholas (?), one of the debauched British aristocrats with a  series of failed marriages in his wake. Bridget, now married wealthily, is as unpleasant and nasty as any of the characters she held in contempt in volume one - particularly mean to her daughter and to her mother. But she'll get hers - Sunny (it's his birthday party she's throwing, at ridiculous expense) is about to leave her to hook up with a young woman whom he's impregnated (at least she tells him this) because he "needs" to have a male heir. Patrick so far plays a relatively minor role in this volume; he's now recovered, it seems, from his drug addiction, the main theme of volume 2, but he's become if possible even more bitter and cynical. The redeeming characters in this volume are the ones most set-upon: Patrick's friend Jonny whom we see at an NA meeting at least trying to come to terms with his addiction and his cynicism; Bridget's mother, insulted at every turn and shunned by her heartless daughter. St. Aubyn has been rightly praised for depicting the demise of the British upper classes, but is that really such a difficult target to hit? Didn't the demise occur well before the year 2000? Who cares anyway? I hope he will get into more depth of personality. And yet: his writing is every bit as sharp and funny as in the first volume. I wonder if this has been optioned? It could be quite funny on screen, too, and maybe less relentlessly dark.