Malcolm Erskine, 17th Earl of Buchan

Malcolm Harry Erskine, 17th Earl of Buchan (4 July 1930 – 11 September 2022) was a Scottish landowner and peer, a member of the House of Lords from 1984 until the House of Lords Act 1999 removed most hereditary peers.

The younger son of Donald Cardross Flower Erskine, 16th Earl of Buchan, and his wife Christina Baxendale, he became his father's heir due to the death of his brother David Stuart Erskine (1928–1933) in childhood. He was educated at Eton College and was styled as Lord Cardross between 1960 and 1984, when he succeeded as the Earl of Buchan (1469), Lord Auchterhouse (1469), Lord Cardross (1610) and Baron Erskine of Restormel Castle (1806). The last of these was in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, the others in that of Scotland.

On 21 February 1957, Buchan married Hilary Diana Cecil Power, a daughter of Sir Ivan Power, 2nd Baronet, and his first wife Nancy Hilary Griffiths, and they had four children:

• Henry Thomas Alexander Erskine, 18th Earl of Buchan (born 1960)
• Lady Seraphina Mary Erskine (born 1961)
• Hon. Montagu John Erskine (born 1966)
• Lady Arabella Fleur Erskine (born 1969)

In 1972, as Lord Cardross, Buchan became a Justice of the Peace for Westminster and was also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Grocers. He was chairman of Battersea Dogs Home.

In 1998 in response to plans for Scottish devolution, he asserted that should these give rise to independence he would establish his claim to the throne of Scotland. In 2003, Buchan was living at Newnham House, Newnham, Hampshire. He died on 11 September 2022, at the age of 92.

Family tree

Male-line family tree, Earls of Buchan, Earls of Traquair and Barons Erskine.

James Stewart 1st Earl of Buchan 1442–1499 Stewarts of Traquair Alexander Stewart 2nd Earl of Buchan died 1505 John Stewart 1st of Traquair 1489-1513 John Stewart 3rd Earl of Buchan 1498–1551 William Stewart 2nd of Traquair died 1538 John Stewart Master of Buchan died 1547 Robert Stewart 3rd of Traquair died 1548 Sir John Stewart 4th of Traquair died 1591 Sir William Stewart 5th of Traquair died 1605 James Stewart 6th of Traquair died 1606 Robert Douglas 4th Earl of Buchan died 1580 Christina Stewart 4th Countess of Buchan 1498–1551 John Stewart younger of Traquair died 1606 Earls of Traquair John Douglas 5th Earl of Buchan died 1547 John Erskine 19th/2nd Earl of Mar 1562-1634 John Stewart 1st Earl of Traquair 1600-1659 Mary Douglas 6th Countess of Buchan died 1628 James Erskine 6th Earl of Buchan died 1640 Henry Erskine Master of Cardross 1672-1745 John Stewart 2nd Earl of Traquair 1623-1666 James Erskine 7th Earl of Buchan died 1664 David Erskine 2nd Lord Cardross 1626-1671 William Stewart 3rd Earl of Traquair 1657-1673 Charles Stewart 4th Earl of Traquair 1659-1741 William Erskine 8th Earl of Buchan died 1695 Henry Erskine 3rd Lord Cardross 1650-1693 Charles Stewart 5th Earl of Traquair 1697-1764 John Stewart 6th Earl of Traquair 1698-1779 David Erskine 9th Earl of Buchan 1672-1745 Charles Stewart 7th Earl of Traquair 1746-1827 Henry Erskine 10th Earl of Buchan 1710-1767 Charles Stewart 8th Earl of Traquair 1781-1861 David Erskine 11th Earl of Buchan 1742-1829 Hon. Henry Erskine 1746-1817 Thomas Erskine 1st Baron Erskine 1750-1823 Sir David Erskine Henry Erskine 12th Earl of Buchan 1783-1857 David Erskine 2nd Baron Erskine 1776-1855 Baron Erskine David Erskine 13th Earl of Buchan 1815-1899 Thomas Erskine 3rd Baron Erskine 1802-1877 John Erskine 4th Baron Erskine 1804-1882 Shipley Erskine 14th Earl of Buchan 1850-1934 William Erskine 5th Baron Erskine 1841-1913 Ronald Erskine 15th Earl of Buchan 1878-1960 Montagu Erskine 6th Baron Erskine 1865-1957 Donald Erskine 16th Earl of Buchan 1899-1984 Malcom Erskine 17th Earl of Buchan 1930–2022 Henry Erskine 18th Earl of Buchan born 1960 Alexander Erskine Lord Cardross born 1990