John Carnegie, 12th Earl of Northesk

Coat of arms of the Earls of Northesk

John Douglas Carnegie, 12th Earl of Northesk (16 February 1895 – 22 July 1975) inherited the earldom in 1963.

Carnegie was born the son of Lt.-Col. Hon. Douglas Carnegie and Margaret Jean Johnstone-Douglas on 16 February 1895. He was educated at Gresham's School, Holt and King’s College, Cambridge, and served in World War I of 1914–1918 (mentioned in despatches), Captain (temporary Major), 95th (Hants Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (TA).

Carnegie married Dorothy May Campion, daughter of Colonel Sir William Robert Campion and Katherine Mary Byron, on 20 July 1920. They had four children:

• Mary Elizabeth Carnegie (born 18 October 1921)
• David John Carnegie (4 December 1922 – 21 November 1942)
• Robert Andrew Carnegie, 13th Earl of Northesk (24 June 1926 – 1994)
• Susan Jean Carnegie (born 20 August 1930)

In 1963, Carnegie inherited the earldom from his first cousin David Carnegie, 11th Earl of Northesk, who had died childless.