Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose


Douglas Beresford Malise Ronald Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose,, styled Lord Ronald Graham until 1872 and Marquess of Graham until 1874, was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and landowner.

Early life

Born in 1852, Montrose was the third but eldest-surviving son of James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose and his wife, The Hon. Caroline Horsley-Beresford, daughter of John Beresford, 2nd Baron Decies. He had two elder brothers, both named James and thus was not expected to succeed, but both died in succession. He was educated at Eton College and succeeded his father as Duke of Montrose, in the Peerage of Scotland, in 1874.

Career

Montrose joined the Coldstream Guards in 1872, transferred to the 5th Royal Irish Lancers in 1874, and retired from active duty in 1878. From October 1881 to January 1903, he was Colonel commanding the 3rd Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, stationed at Stirling. He served in the Second Boer War. Montrose again saw active service fighting with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the First World War. He later served as Captain-General of the Royal Company of Archers, the King's Bodyguard for Scotland.
Montrose was aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and George V successively. He was Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire from 1885 to 1925, Hereditary Sheriff of Dumbartonshire, Lord Clerk Register from 1890 until his death, and Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1916–1917. In January 1900 he accepted the Presidency of the Scotland Branch of the British Empire League.
Montrose was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Thistle in 1879 and was Chancellor of the Order from 1917.

Personal life

In 1876, Montrose married Violet Hermione Graham, daughter of Sir Frederick Graham, 3rd Baronet and his wife Lady Jane St Maur, daughter of Edward St Maur, 12th Duke of Somerset. They had five children:
Montrose died in December 1925 in a nursing home at 6 Park Gardens in the Park District of Glasgow. He was buried at Buchanan Castle and passed on the title to his son the 6th Duke of Montrose.
He owned 103,000 acres, with 68,000 acres in Stirlingshire and 32,000 acres in Perthshire.