Denis Alexander, 6th Earl of Caledon

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Denis James Alexander, 6th Earl of Caledon (November 10, 1920 - May 20, 1980) was a soldier and landowner and the son of Lt.-Col. Hon. Herbrand Charles Alexander and Millicent Valla Meredyth and grandson of James Alexander, 4th Earl of Caledon.

He was educated at Eton College and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He gained the rank of Major in the service of the Irish Guards.

He married, firstly, Ghislaine Dresselhuys (who died on April 25, 2000), daughter of Cornelius Willem Dresselhuys and Edith Merandon du Plessis, on April 6, 1943, and had issue:

Lady Tana Marie Alexander (b. March 2, 1945), who is a successful fund manager and on December 13, 1973 married His Honour Judge Paul Everard Justus Focke QC and has issue: (i) Diana Natasha Focke (b. 1974) and (ii) Victoria Justine Focke (b. 1976), who was married on February 25, 2006 at the Brompton Oratory, London, to James C. Legge, son of Mr and Mrs Christopher Legge.

He was divorced in 1948 and married, secondly, Baroness Anne Louise de Graevenitz, daughter of Baron Nicholas Werner Alexander de Graevenitz, on December 31, 1952, and had issue:

Nicholas Alexander, 7th Earl of Caledon (b. May 6, 1955)
Lady Elizabeth Jane Alexander (b. March 28, 1962), who married, firstly, the late journalist Rory Peck, son of Julian Peck, in 1981 and had issue: (i) James Julian Peck (b. 1982) and (ii) Alexander Nicolas de Graevenitz Peck (b. 1984). She and Peck were divorced in 1987 and she married, secondly, (Richard Francis) Andrew Dobbs, son of Sir Richard Dobbs KCVO, of Castle Dobbs, Carrickfergus, County Antrim, in 1990 and has issue: (i) Louisa Valla Joan Dobbs (b. 1992), (ii) Elizabeth Calixta Leslie Dobbs (b. September 27, 1994) and (iii) Victoria Natasha Jane Dobbs (b. March 12, 1996).

Following the death of his second wife on July 20 1963, he married, thirdly, Marie Elizabeth Burton Allen, daughter of Major Richard Burton Allen, on August 4, 1964.

Denis Alexander succeeded to the title of Earl of Caledon July 10, 1968 on the death of his "endearingly eccentric bachelor" uncle. He died on May 20, 1980 at age 59.