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.
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.
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. 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 โ 13 January 2020), daughter of Major Thomas Sidney Hohler and his wife, heiress to the Astell family, of Everton House, Bedfordshire, in 1982. The Countess was a Patroness of the Royal Caledonian Ball and served as High Sheriff of Bedfordshire in 2015.
The Earl and Countess had two sons and two daughters:
- Harry Thomas William Hay, Lord Hay (b. Basingstoke, 8 August 1984); married Clementine Travis in 2017.
- Lady Amelia Diana Jacqueline Hay (b. Basingstoke, 23 November 1986)
- Lady Laline Lucy Clementine Hay (b. Basingstoke, 21 December 1987); married Major Jeremy Sudlow in 2017.
- Hon. Richard Merlin Iain Astell (b. Basingstoke, 14 December 1990); took the surname "Astell" by Royal Licence in 2015.
Military and business career
The Earl of Erroll became a Lieutenant at the Atholl Highlanders since 1974, and is a Member of the Royal Company of Archers. 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.
Lord Erroll has worked as a marketing and computer consultant, is a Freeman of the City of London, and Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers (2000โ01). He continues to head the Puffin's Club, founded by his father. He is President of ERADAR, an e-business consultancy, and is President of the Digital Policy Alliance (EURIM).
He was a director of LASSeO, a not-for-profit technical standardization and interoperability membership organisation for smartcard technologies.
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. A programmer and system designer by trade, 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. Most recently he was a member of the Information Committee from 2007 to 2012.
Lord Erroll served as Lord High Constable of Scotland at the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2023.
See also
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England
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- Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury
- Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby
- William Hastings-Bass, 17th Earl of Huntingdon
- William Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke
- Charles Courtenay, 19th Earl of Devon
- Robert Fiennes-Clinton, 19th Earl of Lincoln
- Alexander Howard, 22nd Earl of Suffolk
- William Herbert, 15th Earl of Montgomery
- Alexander Feilding, 12th Earl of Denbigh
- Anthony Fane, 16th Earl of Westmorland
- Alexander Howard, 15th Earl of Berkshire
- Richard Bertie, 14th Earl of Lindsey
- Daniel Finch-Hatton, 17th Earl of Winchilsea
- John Montagu, 11th Earl of Sandwich
- Paul Capell, 11th Earl of Essex
- George Howard, 13th Earl of Carlisle
- Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl of Shaftesbury
- Daniel Finch-Hatton, 12th Earl of Nottingham
- Richard Bertie, 9th Earl of Abingdon
- Timothy Bentinck, 12th Earl of Portland
- Richard Lumley, 13th Earl of Scarbrough
- Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle
- George Coventry, 13th Earl of Coventry
- William Child Villiers, 10th Earl of Jersey
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Scotland
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- Alistair Sutherland, 25th Earl of Sutherland
- Anthony Lindsay, 30th Earl of Crawford
- Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar
- Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll
- Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness
- Stewart Douglas, 22nd Earl of Morton
- James Leslie, 22nd Earl of Rothes
- Henry Erskine, 18th Earl of Buchan
- Hugh Montgomerie, 19th Earl of Eglinton
- John Stuart, 21st Earl of Moray
- James Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar
- Michael Douglas-Home, 16th Earl of Home
- James David Drummond, 10th Earl of Perth
- Simon Bowes-Lyon, 19th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
- James Erskine, 16th Earl of Kellie
- George Baillie-Hamilton, 14th Earl of Haddington
- Andrew Stewart, 14th Earl of Galloway
- Ian Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale
- James Lindesay-Bethune, 16th Earl of Lindsay
- Simon Abney-Hastings, 15th Earl of Loudoun
- Charles Hay, 16th Earl of Kinnoull
- Andrew Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin
- James Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss
- James Ramsay, 17th Earl of Dalhousie
- David Ogilvy, 14th Earl of Airlie
- Alexander Leslie-Melville, 15th Earl of Leven
- John Grant, 13th Earl of Dysart
- John Andrew Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Earl of Selkirk
- Patrick Carnegy, 15th Earl of Northesk
- Andrew Bruce, 15th Earl of Kincardine
- Anthony Lindsay, 13th Earl of Balcarres
- Filippo Rospigliosi, 12th Earl of Newburgh
- Alexander Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee
- Patrick Hope-Johnstone, 11th Earl of Annandale and Hartfell
- Iain Cochrane, 15th Earl of Dundonald
- James Keith, 14th Earl of Kintore
- Malcolm Murray, 12th Earl of Dunmore
- Alexander Leslie-Melville, 14th Earl of Melville
- Peter St John, 9th Earl of Orkney
- James Charteris, 9th Earl of March
- Ian Ogilvie-Grant, 13th Earl of Seafield
- John Dalrymple, 14th Earl of Stair
- Neil Primrose, 7th Earl of Rosebery
- Patrick Boyle, 10th Earl of Glasgow
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Great Britain
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- Robert Shirley, 14th Earl Ferrers
- William Legge, 10th Earl of Dartmouth
- Peter Bennett, 10th Earl of Tankerville
- Charles Finch-Knightley, 12th Earl of Aylesford
- Richard Parker, 9th Earl of Macclesfield
- James Waldegrave, 13th Earl Waldegrave
- Charles Stanhope, 12th Earl of Harrington
- Quentin Wallop, 10th Earl of Portsmouth
- Guy Greville, 9th Earl Brooke
- George Hobart-Hampden, 10th Earl of Buckinghamshire
- Piers North, 10th Earl of Guilford
- Joseph Yorke, 10th Earl of Hardwicke
- Robin Fox-Strangways, 10th Earl of Ilchester
- Guy Greville, 9th Earl of Warwick
- William Sackville, 11th Earl De La Warr
- William Pleydell-Bouverie, 9th Earl of Radnor
- Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
- Allen Bathurst, 9th Earl Bathurst
- George Villiers, 8th Earl of Clarendon
- Alexander Murray, 8th and 9th Earl of Mansfield
- Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 7th Earl Talbot
- Christopher Edgcumbe, 9th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe
- Charles Fortescue, 8th Earl Fortescue
- Alexander Murray, 9th Earl of Mansfield
- George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon
- Edward Cadogan, 9th Earl Cadogan
- James Harris, 7th Earl of Malmesbury
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Ireland
| Kingdom of Ireland |
- Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 22nd Earl of Waterford
- John Boyle, 15th Earl of Cork
- William Anthony Nugent, 13th Earl of Westmeath
- John Brabazon, 15th Earl of Meath
- Alexander Feilding, 11th Earl of Desmond
- Roger Lambart, 13th Earl of Cavan
- John Boyle, 15th Earl of Orrery
- Derry Moore, 12th Earl of Drogheda
- Peter Forbes, 10th Earl of Granard
- Ivo Bligh, 12th Earl of Darnley
- Myles Ponsonby, 12th Earl of Bessborough
- Thomas Butler, 11th Earl of Carrick
- Henry Boyle, 10th Earl of Shannon
- Arthur Gore, 9th Earl of Arran
- Patrick Stopford, 9th Earl of Courtown
- John Savile, 8th Earl of Mexborough
- David Turnour, 8th Earl Winterton
- Robert King-Tenison, 12th Earl of Kingston
- Robert Jocelyn, 10th Earl of Roden
- David Vaughan, 9th Earl of Lisburne
- Patrick Meade, 8th Earl of Clanwilliam
- Randal McDonnell, 10th Earl of Antrim
- Thomas Pakenham, 8th Earl of Longford
- George Dawson-Damer, 7th Earl of Portarlington
- Charles Bourke, 11th Earl of Mayo
- Michael Annesley, 12th Earl Annesley
- Andrew Cole, 7th Earl of Enniskillen
- John Crichton, 7th Earl Erne
- George Bingham, 8th Earl of Lucan
- John Lowry-Corry, 8th Earl Belmore
- Andrew Stuart, 9th Earl Castle Stewart
- Nicholas Alexander, 7th Earl of Caledon
- Richard Hely-Hutchinson, 8th Earl of Donoughmore
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After 1801 | |
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United Kingdom
| King George III |
- Peter St Clair-Erskine, 7th Earl of Rosslyn
- Benjamin Craven, 9th Earl of Craven
- Rupert Onslow, 8th Earl of Onslow
- Julian Marsham, 8th Earl of Romney
- John Pelham, 9th Earl of Chichester
- Francis Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton
- John Herbert, 8th Earl of Powis
- Simon Nelson, 10th Earl Nelson
- Philip Kent Grey, 7th Earl Grey
- William Lowther, 9th Earl of Lonsdale
- Conroy Ryder, 8th Earl of Harrowby
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Prince Regent | |
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King George IV | |
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King William IV | |
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Queen Victoria |
- Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester
- Anthony Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough
- William Byng, 9th Earl of Strafford
- Mark Pepys, 9th Earl of Cottenham
- Graham Wellesley, 8th Earl Cowley
- David Ward, 5th Earl of Dudley
- Hugh Montgomerie, 7th Earl of Winton
- John Russell, 7th Earl Russell
- John Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Cromartie
- John Wodehouse, 5th Earl of Kimberley
- Richard Wortley, 5th Earl of Wharncliffe
- Simon Cairns, 6th Earl Cairns
- John Lytton, 5th Earl of Lytton
- William Palmer, 5th Earl of Selborne
- John Northcote, 5th Earl of Iddesleigh
- Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 5th Earl of Cranbrook
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King Edward VII | |
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King George V |
- Neil Primrose, 3rd Earl of Midlothian
- Michael Hicks Beach, 3rd Earl St Aldwyn
- David Beatty, 3rd Earl Beatty
- Alexander Haig, 3rd Earl Haig
- Edward Guinness, 4th Earl of Iveagh
- Roderick Balfour, 5th Earl of Balfour
- Raymond Asquith, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Asquith
- Patrick Jellicoe, 3rd Earl Jellicoe
- Peter Mackay, 4th Earl of Inchcape
- William Peel, 3rd Earl Peel
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King George VI | |
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Queen Elizabeth II | |
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Italics in entries mean the peer also holds a previously listed earldom of higher precedence |
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Shared (royal family) | |
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England and Wales |
- Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Alex Chalk, Lord Chancellor
- Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York
- Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons
- The Lord McFall of Alcluith, Lord Speaker
- The Lord Reed of Allermuir, President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
- The Lord True, Lord Privy Seal
- Ambassadors and High Commissioners
- The Lord Carrington, Lord Great Chamberlain
- The Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal
- The Earl of Rosslyn, Lord Steward
- The Lord Parker of Minsmere, Lord Chamberlain
- The Lord de Mauley, Master of the Horse
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Scotland | |
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Northern Ireland |
- Lords Lieutenant of counties and cities
- High sheriffs of counties
- John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)
- Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh (Roman Catholic)
- Dermot Farrell, Archbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)
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- Rt Rev Dr John Kirkpatrick, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church
- Lord Mayor of Belfast and Mayors of boroughs in Northern Ireland
- Alex Chalk, Lord High Chancellor
- Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Commons Speaker
- The Lord McFall of Alcluith, Lord Speaker
- The Lord Carrington, Lord Great Chamberlain
- The Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal
- The Earl of Rosslyn, Lord Steward
- The Lord Parker of Minsmere, Lord Chamberlain
- The Lord de Mauley, Master of the Horse
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Authority control databases: People | |
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