Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll

Last updated

Isabelle Astell
​
​
(m. 1982;died 2020)​
The Right Honourable
The Earl of Erroll
Official portrait of The Earl of Erroll crop 2.jpg
Official portrait, 2018
Member of the House of Lords
as an elected hereditary peer
11 November 1999
Children4
Parents
Residence(s)Woodbury Hall, Sandy, Bedfordshire
Occupation Programmer

Merlin Sereld Victor Gilbert Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll (born 20 April 1948), is a crossbench member of the House of Lords, chief of the Scottish clan Hay, and hereditary Lord High Constable of Scotland. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Lord Erroll, elder son of Diana Hay, 23rd Countess of Erroll and Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, was a Page to the Lord Lyon in 1956. He was educated at Eton College before going up to Trinity College, Cambridge. [2]

Earl of Erroll

Succeeding his mother, the Countess, in 1978 as Earl of Erroll, and in 1985, his father as a baronet, Lord Erroll now serves as a member of the Council of the Hereditary Peerage Association. [3] Whilst Lord Erroll inherited Chieftainship of Clan Hay via his mother, their father's Chieftainship of Clan Moncreiffe devolved to his younger brother Peregrine.

Marriage and family

He married Isabelle Jacqueline Laline Astell Hohler (Brussels, 22 August 1955 – 13 January 2020), daughter of Major Thomas Sidney Hohler and his wife, heiress to the Astell family, of Everton House, Bedfordshire, [4] in 1982. The Countess was a Patroness of the Royal Caledonian Ball [5] and served as High Sheriff of Bedfordshire in 2015. [6]

The Earl and Countess had two sons and two daughters:

Military and business career

The Earl of Erroll became a Lieutenant at the Atholl Highlanders since 1974, [2] and is a Member of the Royal Company of Archers. [10] He served in the 21st SAS Artists Rifles (V) Territorial Army from 1975 to 1990, and was an Honorary Colonel of the Royal Military Police (Territorial Army) from 1992 to 1997. [11]

Lord Erroll has worked as a marketing and computer consultant, [2] is a Freeman of the City of London, [2] and Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers (2000–01). [12] He continues to head the Puffin's Club, founded by his father. [13] He is President of ERADAR, an e-business consultancy, [14] and is President of the Digital Policy Alliance (EURIM). [15]

He was a director of LASSeO, a not-for-profit technical standardization and interoperability membership organisation for smartcard technologies. [16]

Politics

Lord Erroll was one of 90 excepted hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords following the House of Lords Act 1999. [17] A programmer and system designer by trade, [18] he sits as a crossbencher and usually speaks on matters relating to cybersecurity and information technology. He was a member of the Science and Technology Committee and criticised Gordon Brown's government for what he said was a failure to curb cybercrime after four government agencies, including the Ministry of Defence and HM Revenue and Customs, reported massive losses of data in 2008. [18] Most recently he was a member of the Information Committee from 2007 to 2012. [17]

Lord Erroll served as Lord High Constable of Scotland at the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2023. [19] [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain. New peers continued to be created in the Peerage of Ireland until 1898.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Erroll</span> Title in the Peerage of Scotland

Earl of Erroll is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1453 for Sir William Hay. The subsidiary titles held by the Earl of Erroll are Lord Hay and Lord Slains (1452), both in the Peerage of Scotland. The Earls of Erroll also hold the hereditary office of Lord High Constable of Scotland. The office was once associated with great power. The Earls of Erroll hold the hereditary title of Chief of Clan Hay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Kilmarnock</span> Scottish peerage title

Baron Kilmarnock, of Kilmarnock in the County of Ayr, Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1831 for William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll. This was a revival of the Kilmarnock title held by his great-grandfather William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock, who was attainted in 1746. The barony of Kilmarnock remained a subsidiary title of the earldom of Erroll until the death in 1941 of the eighteenth Earl's great-great-grandson, the twenty-second Earl. The earldom, which could be passed on through female lines, was inherited by the late Earl's daughter and only child, the twenty-third Countess. The barony of Kilmarnock, which could only be passed on to male heirs, was inherited by the Earl's younger brother, the sixth Baron. He assumed the surname of Boyd in lieu of Hay the same year he succeeded to the title. As of 2013 the title is held by his younger son, the eighth Baron, who succeeded his elder brother in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iain Moncreiffe</span> British officer of arms

Sir Rupert Iain Kay Moncreiffe of that Ilk, 11th Baronet, Chief of Clan Moncreiffe, was a British Officer of Arms and genealogist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord High Constable of Scotland</span> Hereditary ceremonial office in Scotland

The Lord High Constable is a hereditary, now ceremonial, office of Scotland. In the order of precedence of Scotland, the office traditionally ranks above all titles except those of the Royal Family. The Lord High Constable was, after the King of Scots, the supreme officer of the Scottish army. He also performed judicial functions as the chief judge of the High Court of Constabulary. From the late 13th Century the Court – presided over by the Lord High Constable or his deputies – was empowered to judge all cases of rioting, disorder, bloodshed and murder if such crimes occurred within four miles of the King, the King's Council, or the Parliament of Scotland. Following James VI's move to England, the jurisdiction of the Lord High Constable was defined in terms of the "resident place" appointed for the Council.

Neil Archibald Primrose, 7th Earl of Rosebery, 3rd Earl of Midlothian, styled Lord Primrose between 1931 and 1974, is a Scottish nobleman. He was a member of the House of Lords from 1974 to 1999. His son and heir is Harry Primrose, Lord Dalmeny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Hay, 15th Earl of Erroll</span> Scottish nobleman

James Hay, 15th Earl of Erroll styled Lord Boyd from 1728 to 1746, was a Scottish nobleman and the son of William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock.

William George Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll, KT, GCH, PC, styled Lord Hay between 1815 and 1819, was a Scottish peer and politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Moncreiffe</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Moncreiffe is a Highland Scottish clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Scrymgeour</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Scrymgeour is a Highland Scottish clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Hay, 14th Countess of Erroll</span>

Mary Hay, 14th Countess of Erroll was a Scottish noblewoman and suo jure Countess of Erroll. As 18th Hereditary Lord High Constable and Knight Marischal of Scotland, she was the Senior Great Officer among the Royal Officers of Scotland and Chief of the King's Household in Scotland. She inherited these titles in 1717 on the death of her unmarried brother, Charles Hay, 13th Earl of Erroll.

George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman and Chancellor of Scotland from 1498 to 1501.

Granville Charles Gomer Gordon, 13th Marquess of Huntly, styled Earl of Aboyne until 1987, is a Scottish peer and the Premier Marquess of Scotland.

William Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll, known as Lord Hay until 1778, was a Scottish peer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diana Hay, 23rd Countess of Erroll</span>

Diana Denyse Hay, 23rd Countess of Erroll was a British noblewoman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Hay, 7th Earl of Erroll</span> Scottish nobleman and politician

George Hay, 7th Earl of ErrollPC was a Scottish nobleman and politician.

James Hubert Ramsay, 17th Earl of Dalhousie,, styled Lord Ramsay between 1950 and 1999, is a Scottish peer, courtier and landowner. He is chief of Clan Ramsay and Deputy Captain General of the King's Body Guard for Scotland. In that role, he took part in the Royal Procession at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla.

The Hon. Peregrine David Euan Malcolm Hay, later Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Baron of Easter Moncreiffe and Chief of Clan Moncreiffe, is the second son of Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, 11th Baronet Moncreiffe and Diana Denyse Hay, 23rd Countess of Errol. He is also the younger brother of Sir Merlin Sereld Victor Gilbert Hay, 12th Baronet Moncreiffe, 24th Earl of Erroll and Chief of Clan Hay.

There have been three baronetcies created for people with the surname Moncreiffe or Moncreiff, two in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Two of the titles are dormant, as the heir has not proved his descent, and one is extant, though its holder does not bear the surname of Moncreiffe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Hay, 16th Earl of Erroll</span> Scottish peer and soldier

Colonel George Hay, 16th Earl of Erroll was a Scottish peer and soldier.

References

  1. ↑ Tomlinson, Richard (20 December 1992). "They also serve, who only ush" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Who are Scotland's present day clan chiefs?". www.scotsman.com.
  3. ↑ "Hereditary Peerage Association - Notices". HPA. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
  4. 1 2 Kingsley, Nick (20 May 2016). "Landed families of Britain and Ireland: (217) Astell of Everton House and Woodbury Hall".
  5. ↑ "Patronesses". Royal Caledonian Ball. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  6. ↑ "Baden Powell's granddaughter opens road". Biggleswade Today.
  7. ↑ "Lord Hay engaged to Clementine Travis". Peerage News. 18 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Major Jeremy Sudlow and Lady Laline Hay's wedding". Tatler. 18 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "Warrants Under the Royal Sign Manual". thegazette.co.uk.
  10. ↑ "Patrons of the Society". Keepers of the Quaich.
  11. ↑ "Honorary Colonels - Royal Military Police" (PDF). Regimental Headquarters Royal Military Police.
  12. ↑ "The Earl of Erroll - Registered Interests". Parliament of the United Kingdom.
  13. ↑ "Our top 10 of some of Scotland's strangest clubs". Scottish Field. 13 December 2019.
  14. ↑ "Welcome to E RADAR". Archived from the original on 24 January 2012.
  15. ↑ "About Us". Digital Policy Alliance. 18 December 2014.
  16. ↑ Earl of Erroll; Dr John Gill; Geoff Doggett; Mick Davies. "About LASSeO". LASSeO. Archived from the original on 9 November 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  17. 1 2 "40 Years a Chief". www.royalcelticsociety.scot.
  18. 1 2 "One lord leaping on the government's IT flaws". The Guardian . 10 April 2008.
  19. ↑ "Roles to be performed at the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey". The Royal Family. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  20. ↑ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by Earl of Erroll
1978–present
Member of the House of Lords
(1978–1999)		Incumbent
Heir apparent:
Lord Hay
Parliament of the United Kingdom
New office
created by the House of Lords Act 1999
Elected hereditary peer to the House of Lords
under the House of Lords Act 1999
1999–present		Incumbent
Baronetage of Nova Scotia
Preceded by 12th Baronet
(of Moncreiffe)
1985–present		Incumbent
Heir apparent:
Lord Hay
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.