| His Grace The Duke of Buccleuch KG, PC |
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|---|---|
| The Duke of Buccleuch in Vanity Fair, 1873 | |
| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 2 February 1842 – 21 January 1846 |
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| Prime Minister | Sir Robert Peel, Bt |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Haddington |
| Lord President of the Council | |
| In office 21 January 1846 – 6 July 1846 |
|
| Prime Minister | Sir Robert Peel, Bt |
| Preceded by | The Lord Wharncliffe |
| Succeeded by | The Marquess of Lansdowne |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 November 1806 Palace of Dalkeith |
| Died | 16 April 1884 (aged 77) Bowhill, Selkirkshire |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Charlotte Thynne |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, 7th Duke of Queensberry KG, PC (25 November 1806 – 16 April 1884), styled Earl of Dalkeith between 1812 and 1819, was a British politician and nobleman.
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Buccleuch was born at Dalkeith House, Midlothian, Scotland, the fifth child of seven, and second son of Charles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch, and the Honourable Harriet Katherine Townshend, daughter of Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney and Elizabeth Powys. When his older brother, George Henry, died at the age of 10 from measles, Walter became heir apparent to the Dukedoms of Buccleuch and Queensberry. He was only thirteen when he succeeded his father to the Dukedoms of Buccleuch and Queensberry in 1819.[1]. Through his grandmother, the 3rd Duchess, he also inherited the ancient northern English lordship of Bowland at this time. However, on his grandmother's death in 1827, the 5th Duke entailed the title upon his uncle, Henry James Montagu-Scott, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton. He was educated at Eton and St John's College, Cambridge (M.A., 1827).[2] In June 1833 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. [3]
A great Scottish land magnate, Buccleuch was a Conservative in politics, and was appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1835 and a Privy Counsellor in 1842. He served as Lord Privy Seal from 1842 to 1846 and as Lord President of the Council from January to July 1846 in Peel's government, when he reluctantly supported Peel's decision to repeal the Corn Laws. After Peel's fall, the Duke's political career largely came to an end. In 1878 he became Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, a post he held until his death in 1884.
Buccleuch married Lady Charlotte Anne Thynne, daughter of Thomas Thynne, 2nd Marquess of Bath, and the Honourable Isabella Elizabeth Byng, in London on Thursday 13 August 1829. The couple had three daughters and four sons, including William Henry Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, later to become the 6th Duke, Henry Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, and Admiral Lord Charles Montagu Douglas Scott. King George spent some days in 1822 as the Duke's guest at Dalkeith Palace, the first visit of a reigning Hanoverian monarch to Scotland. Twenty years later, Queen Victoria also honoured him with a visit. The family continued to hold a high profile in royal circles, being invited to the Coronations of William IV and Victoria, with the Duke acting as Gold Stick.
Buccleuch died at in Bowhill, Selkirkshire, in April 1884, aged 77, and was succeeded by his eldest son, William. He was buried at St Mary's Chapel, Dalkeith.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos |
Lord Privy Seal 1842 – 1846 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Haddington |
| Preceded by The Lord Wharncliffe |
Lord President of the Council 1846 |
Succeeded by The Marquess of Lansdowne |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by The Earl of Morton |
Lord Lieutenant of Midlothian 1828 – 1884 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Rosebery |
| Preceded by The Marquess of Lothian |
Lord Lieutenant of Roxburghshire 1841 – 1884 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Roxburghe |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir William Stirling-Maxwell |
Chancellor of the University of Glasgow 1878 – 1884 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Stair |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by Charles William Henry Montagu Scott |
Duke of Buccleuch 2nd creation 1819 – 1884 |
Succeeded by William Henry Walter Montagu Douglas Scott |
| Duke of Queensberry 1819 – 1884 |
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