David Douglas-Home

David Alexander Cospatrick Douglas-Home, 15th Earl of Home, KT, CVO, CBE (/ˈhjuːm/; 20 November 1943 – 22 August 2022) was a British businessman and hereditary peer. He was a Conservative member of the House of Lords from 1996 until his death in 2022.

Background and education

Home was the only son of Sir Alec Douglas-Home, formerly 14th Earl of Home and British Prime Minister and later Lord Home of the Hirsel, and Elizabeth Alington, daughter of Cyril Alington. He was educated at Ludgrove School and Eton College followed by Christ Church, Oxford.

Political career

Home succeeded to his father's disclaimed earldom after his death in October 1995. When the hereditary peers of the House of Lords were reduced under the House of Lords Act 1999, he was elected as one of the 92 that were allowed to remain. He sat as a Conservative, having served some time on the Conservative front bench.

Apart from his political career Lord Home was, until 2013, chairman of the private bank Coutts & Co. He was also President of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and Chief of the Name and Arms of Home.

Home was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Thistle (KT) in the 2014 New Year Honours.

Family

Lord Home married Jane Margaret Williams-Wynne (born 20 February 1949), of the Williams-Wynn baronet family, in 1972. They had three children:

• Lady Iona Katherine Douglas-Home (born 1980), married the Hon. James Thomas Wingfield Hewitt (b. 1979), son and heir of the 9th Viscount Lifford, on 5 April 2008. They have three sons:
  • Harry Alexander Wyldbore Hewitt (born 9 February 2010)
  • Rory David Wingfield Hewitt (born 3 February 2012)
  • Nico James Cospatrick Hewitt (born 15 May 2015)
• Lady Mary Elizabeth Douglas-Home (born 1982), married Christopher Gurth Clothier. They have one daughter:
  • Eira Thursday Clothier (born 5 January 2013)
• Michael David Alexander Douglas-Home, 16th Earl of Home (born 30 November 1987), married to Sally Underhill

Lord Home died at The Hirsel on 22 August 2022, at the age of 78.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Official portrait, 2018 Titles and styles

• 20 November 1943 – 11 July 1951: The Honourable David Douglas-Home
• 11 July 1951 – 6 November 1963: Lord Dunglass
• 6 November 1963 – 24 December 1974: Mr David Douglas-Home
• 24 December 1974 – 9 October 1995: The Honourable David Douglas-Home
• 9 October 1995 – 22 August 2022: The Right Honourable The Earl of Home

In 1963, the year his father disclaimed his earldom (and became prime minister), David too discontinued the use of his courtesy title.

Honours

•  31 December 2013: Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (KT)
•  14 June 1997: Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)
•  31 December 1990: Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)