James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose
| His Grace The Duke of Montrose | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of the Duke in 1997. | |
| Born |
James Graham April 6, 1935 Southern Rhodesia |
| Title | Duke of Montrose |
| Tenure | 1992 – |
| Predecessor | James Graham, 7th Duke of Montrose |
| Heir | James Alexander, Marquess of Graham |
| Spouse(s) | Catherine Young |
| Issue |
Lady Hermione Elizabeth Graham James Alexander, Marquess of Graham Lord Ronald John Christopher Graham |
James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose (born 6 April 1935), known as Earl of Kincardine until 1954 and Marquess of Graham between 1954 and 1992, is a Southern Rhodesia-born hereditary peer of the Peerage of Scotland and a British Conservative Party politician.
Biography
Parents
The Duke was born in Southern Rhodesia, where his father, then the Marquess of Graham, was attempting to establish a farm.
Marriage
On 31 January 1970, as Marquess of Graham, he married Catherine Elizabeth MacDonell Young (d. 29 October 2014[1]), of Canada.
They have three children:
- Lady Hermione Elizabeth Graham (20 July 1971), married 1998 Christopher John Thornhill
- James Alexander Norman Graham, Marquess of Graham (born 16 August 1973), married 2004 Cecilia Manfredi, without issue
- Lord Ronald John Christopher Graham (13 October 1975), unmarried and without issue
Education
The Duke attended boarding school in Scotland, first in Aberdeenshire and after that at the Loretto School near Edinburgh.
Politics and international relations
The Duke considers himself a Conservative and took his seat in the House of Lords on his father's death in 1992. He is one of three dukes to have re-entered the House (of the 24 non-royal dukes eligible) following the House of Lords Act 1999, having been one of the 92 peers chosen or elected by the others sitting. The other dukes in the upper house among these 92 are the Duke of Somerset, who won a by-election in December 2014, and the Duke of Norfolk, who did not have to stand for election as his right to sit is deemed automatic, as he holds the Royal Office of Earl Marshal.
The Duke of Montrose was a shadow minister for the Scotland Office before the 2010 General Election. He has also spent some time in China promoting renewable energy and environmental measures, and he is a fluent speaker of Mandarin.
Titles and styles
| Styles of The 8th Duke of Montrose | |
|---|---|
| Reference style | His Grace |
| Spoken style | Your Grace |
| Alternative style | Sir |
- 1935 – 1954: Earl of Kincardine
- 1954 – 1992: Marquess of Graham
- 1992 – present: His Grace The Duke of Montrose
Ancestry
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References
- James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose, Chief of the Grahams
- James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose, thePeerage.com
- Conservative Party website
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose. |
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Duke of Montrose
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Angus Graham |
Duke of Montrose 1992–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by His Grace The Duke of Atholl |
Gentlemen | Succeeded by His Grace The Duke of Roxburghe |
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