Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun

Marjorie Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun^{[fn 1][1]} (born 18 October 1930) is a Scottish peer. Until her retirement on 12 December 2014 she was the only holder of a lordship of Parliament who had a seat in the House of Lords as an elected hereditary peer. Lady Saltoun is the Chief of the Name and Arms of Clan Fraser since 1 May 1984, by decree of the Court of the Lord Lyon. She is also the head of the Scottish lowland family, the Frasers of Philorth. Through her marriage to a great-grandson of Queen Victoria, she is furthermore regarded as a member of the extended British Royal Family.

Life

Flora Fraser was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, as the daughter of Alexander Fraser and Dorothy Geraldine Welby. Her maternal grandfather was Charles Glynne Earle Welby, 5th Baronet. She had an elder brother, Alexander Simon Fraser. In 1933, her father became the 20th Lord Saltoun. Her brother was killed in 1944, making Flora heir presumptive to the Lordship.^[2]

In 1979, when Lord Saltoun died, Flora became the 21st Lady Saltoun, and also gained a seat in the House of Lords. In 1999, because of the House of Lords Act 1999, 662 hereditary peers were removed from the House. However, Lady Saltoun was one of the ninety hereditary peers who were elected to remain in the House.

On 6 October 1956 at Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Lady Saltoun married Alexander Ramsay of Mar (1919–2000), a grandson of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, keeping her maiden surname after marriage. Queen Elizabeth II considers Lady Saltoun to be a member of the Royal family.

Saltoun's children are:

• The Hon. Katharine Fraser, Mistress of Saltoun^{[fn 2]} (born Katharine Ingrid Mary Isabel Ramsay) (b. 11 October 1957), Deputy Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire since 2005, m. Mark Nicolson (b. 24 September 1954)
  • Louise Alexandra Patricia Nicolson (b. 2 September 1984) m. since 25.05.2013 Charles Morshead
  • Juliet Victoria Katharine Nicolson (b. 3 March 1988)
  • Alexander William Malise Fraser (b. 5 July 1990)
• The Hon. Alice Elizabeth Margaret Ramsay (b. 8 July 1961) m. David Alan Ramsey (b. 17 September 1960).
  • Alexander David Ramsey (b. 17 December 1991)
  • Victoria Alice Ramsey (b. 7 April 1994)
  • George Arthur Ramsey (b. 28 September 1995)
  • Oliver Henry Ramsey (b. 28 September 1995)
• The Hon. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Ramsay (b. 15 April 1963)

Titles

• Miss Flora Fraser (18 October 1930 – 19 June 1933)
• The Hon. Flora Fraser (19 June 1933 – 1944)
• The Mistress of Saltoun (1944 – 31 August 1979)
• The Rt Hon. The Lady Saltoun (31 August 1979 –)

Footnotes

1. ↑ It has recently been determined that Margaret Abernethy succeeded her brother, Alexander Abernethy, 9th Lord Saltoun, in 1668, but only survived him by about 6 weeks and had not previously been counted in the title's numbering. This new information has resulted in the ordinals in subsequent Saltoun Lords being revised. As a result, Flora Fraser is sometimes listed as the 20th Lady Saltoun.
2. ↑ Katharine is the heir presumptive to her mother's peerage and the leadership of the Clan Fraser. Lord Lyon King Arms officially recognized her use of the surname Fraser in 1973. Her son was also given this surname. Katherine holds the title "Mistress of Saltoun" as the heir to her mother's peerage.

References

External links

• Lady Saltoun's website