Hector Naismith MacDonald

Hector Naismith MacDonald, Laird of Glenbogle MC is a fictional character in the BBC TV series Monarch of the Glen. Hector is played by English actor Richard Briers.

Plot

Hector is the husband of Molly MacDonald and father of Archie MacDonald, Paul Bowman, Lizzie MacDonald, and Jamie MacDonald. Hector is the eccentric, elderly patriarch and former Laird of Glenbogle. He is constantly getting in to trouble with his sidekick, and often arch-rival Lord Kilwillie. Hector is always keen for Archie to marry, and often gets in trouble with Archie for trying to marry him off without his knowing! Hector is ultimately responsible for Glenbogle's debt and near bankruptcy. Hector cannot stand Stella Moon who is sent to Glenbogle by Lascelles Bank to take over the day-to-day running of the estate. After Archie announces his engagement to housekeeper and chef - Lexie MacDonald, an annoyed Hector goes to sulk whilst fishing. After finding no trout in the loch, Hector finds a pike and decides to put explosives on a plastic boat in the loch in order to blow up the pike; however, once the explosives are lit and in the loch, Hector's puppy 'Useless' goes into the loch and brings back the explosives. Hector stands there unable to run quickly enough and is blown up, causing his death. Hector returned to Glenbogle as a ghost in Archie's dream on the day of Archie's wedding to Lexie. In series 7, it is revealed Molly has been speaking to the ghost of Hector throughout the series. When Molly tries to get the blessing of Hector for her marriage to someone (presumably Golly), Hector refuses to give his blessing to any man except his friend and neighbour Kilwillie.

Paul Bowman

Paul Bowman is Hector's illegitimate son. When Hector and Molly temporarily split up, Hector went to Edinburgh and met a woman called Meg, and accidentally had a son with her.

Compton Mackenzie Book

In the novel The Monarch of the Glen, which inspired the series, Hector MacDonald is the eldest son of the Laird of Glenbogle, Donald MacDonald, and shares the name with three notable ancestors.

The only other characters in the TV series who have clear parallels in the book are Molly and Lord Kilwillie.

Family Details

Series Length

Series 1-3, 7