Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne


Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne is a title in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was first created as Earl of Kinghorne in Peerage of Scotland in 1606 for Patrick Lyon. In 1677, the designation of the earldom changed to "Strathmore and Kinghorne". A second earldom was bestowed on the 14th Earl in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1937, leading to him being titled as the 14th and 1st Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.
Aside from the earldoms, the Earl holds the subsidiary titles: Viscount Lyon, Lord Glamis, Tannadyce, Sidlaw and Strathdichtie, Lord Lyon and Glamis, Lord Glamis and Baron Bowes of Streatlam Castle, in the County of Durham, and of Lunedale, in the County of York. An earlier creation of Baron Bowes, in favour of the 10th Earl became extinct on his death in 1821. The first three are in the Peerage of Scotland; the last two in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The eldest son of the earl uses Lord Glamis as a courtesy title. Normally, the highest subsidiary title would be used, but Lord Glamis is used instead to prevent confusion with the officer of arms, Lord Lyon King of Arms. The earl is also Chief of Clan Lyon.
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was the daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and the sister of the 15th Earl.
The family seat is Glamis Castle, in Angus, Scotland. Other family seats were Gibside, near Burnopfield, County Durham and Streatlam Castle, near Barnard Castle in County Durham. The traditional burial place of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne is in an aisle of Glamis parish church.

History

The established history of Clan Lyon states that the family is of French origin, with the original name de Leonne, but James Balfour Paul, in his Scots Peerage, states that the family is likely of Celtic origin. The family's earliest recorded possessions, the thanages of Glamis, Glamis, Tannadyce and Belhelvies, were in a Celtic stronghold, while government positions held by family chiefs would have required fluency in Gaelic.
The first recorded family member, John Lyon, Lord of Glamis, was a courtier and diplomat, who was appointed Keeper of the Privy Seal in 1371 on the accession of Robert II. He acquired significant lands, and on 18 March 1372, Robert II granted him "the free barony of Glamuyss in the sheriffdom of Forfar." Glamis has remained the seat of the family ever since.

Thanes of Glamis (1372)