The 7th Earl of Rosebery, DL 1929-204

The Earl of Rosebery, DL, who died 30 June, 2024, aged 95, was the 7th earl in the peerage of Scotland, and was a grandson of the Victorian prime minister, the 5th Earl.

Lord Rosebery, of Dalmeny House, South Queensferry, West Lothian, was a deputy lieutenant for Midlothian from 1960. His grandfather, the 5th Earl, KG, KT, PC, was the Liberal statesman and prime minister, 1894-95, who married the heiress Baroness Hannah de Rothschild, and inherited the vast estate at Mentmore, Buckinghamshire.

Neil Archibald Primrose was born 11 February, 1929, son of then then Albert Edward Harry Meyer Archibald Primrose, styled Lord Primrose (born 8 Jan, 1882), and his second wife the former Hon Eva Isabel Marian Strutt, DBE (1892-1987), former wife of the Hon Algernon Strutt, 3rd Baron Belper, and scion of the Barons Aberdare. Neil's father succeeded to the earldom on the death of his father, 21 May, 1929, and was 2nd Lieut, Grenadier Guards; Member of Parliament (Liberal) for Midlothian 1906-10; assistant Military Secretary to Lord Allenby in World War I 1914-17; MC 1916; DSO 1918; Lord Lieutenant of Midlothian 1929-64; Ensign, Royal Company of Archers 1936-45, Lieutenant 1945-74 and Captain 1948-74; Regional Commissioner for Scotland 1941-45; Secretary of State for Scotland 1945; Privy Councillor 1945; Knight of the Thistle 1947.

He married 22 January, 1955, Alison Mary Deirdre Reid (born 1931), 1st daughter of Ronald William Reid (1910-94), of Crepping Hall, Wakes Colne, co. Essex, and his wife the former Elinor Mary Stuart, a descendant of the Chaytor baronets.

Neil Primrose, was styled Lord Primrose from 11 Nov 1931 until the death of his father, 31 May, 1974, when he succeeded as 7th Earl of Rosebery (Scotland, let. pat. 10 Apr 1703), 3rd Earl of Midlothian (United Kingdom, let. pat. 3 Jul 1911), 7th Viscount of Rosebery (Scotland, let. pat. 1 Apr 1700), 7th Viscount of Inverkeithing (Scotland, let. pat. 10 Apr 1703), 3rd Viscount Mentmore, of Mentmore in the County of Buckingham (United Kingdom, let. pat. 3 Jul 1911), 7th Lord Primrose and Dalmeny (Scotland, let. pat. 1 Apr 1700), 7th Lord Dalmeny and Primrose (Scotland, let. pat. 10 Apr 1703), 4th Baron Rosebery (United Kingdom, let. pat. 26 Jan 1828), 3rd Baron Epsom, of Epsom in the County of Surrey, (United Kingdom, let. pat. 3 Jul 1911),9th Baronet, styled "of Carrington" (Nova Scotia, let. pat. 1 Aug 1651), Chief of the Name and Arms of Primrose.

The 7th Earl leaves issue, a son Harry, and four daughters, Lady Lucy (born 1955), Lady Jane (born 1960), Lady Emma (born 1962), and Lady Caroline (born 1964). The only son, Harry Ronald Neil Primrose, styled Lord Dalmeny (from 1974), now succeeds to the peerages and baronetcy and chief of the name and arms of Primrose. He was born 20 November, 1967.

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