Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester

The Right Honourable The Earl of Leicester
Official portrait, 2021
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
as an elected hereditary peer 23 June 2021 – present
Preceded by	The Lord Denham
Personal details
Born	Thomas Edward Coke (1965-07-06) 6 July 1965 Epping, Essex, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Polly Maria Whately ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	4
Parent(s)	Edward Coke, 7th Earl of Leicester Valeria Phyllis Potter
Occupation	Politician and peer

Thomas Edward Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester (born 6 July 1965), is the son of Edward Coke, 7th Earl of Leicester, and Valeria Phyllis Potter. He is the current Earl of Leicester. From 1994 to 2015, when he succeeded into the earldom, he was styled Viscount Coke.

Education and career

Holkham Hall, Norfolk

Lord Leicester was educated at Beeston Hall School and Eton College. Between 1979 and 1981, he was the Page of Honour to Queen Elizabeth II. He graduated from the University of Manchester with a Bachelor of Arts in the History of Art. In 1987, he was commissioned into the Scots Guards. Between 1991 and 1993, he served as Equerry to the Duke of Kent. He now runs the family estate at Holkham Hall. In 2021, he won a by-election to the House of Lords as a member of the Conservative Party, taking the oath on 20 July 2021.

Marriage and family

Lord Leicester was married on 21 December 1996 to Polly Maria Whately (born 1967), youngest daughter of the financier David Whately and his wife Belinda Bellville, of the designers Bellville Sassoon. Lady Leicester, through her mother, is a first cousin of the interior designer Cath Kidston. She is a milliner by profession.

They have a son and three daughters together:

• Lady Hermione Belinda Coke (born 29 December 1998)
• Lady Juno Carey Coke (born 21 October 2000)
• Edward Horatio Coke, Viscount Coke (born 11 June 2003)
• Lady Elizabeth Coke (born 7 January 2006)

Notes and sources

Family tree of the Dukes of: Beaufort, Dorset, Lancaster, and Somerset, Marquesses of: Dorset, Hertford, Somerset and Worcester, and Earls of: Dorset, Hertford, Lancaster, Leicester, Middlesex, Somerset, Worcester, and Yarmouth (3rd creation)

Earl of Dorset (possible 1st creation), 1070 Saint Osmund d. 1099 Bishop of Salisbury and possible Earl of Dorset Roger de Beaumont c. 1015–1094 Earl of Dorset (1st creation) discontinued, 1099 Earl of Leicester (1st creation), 1107 King Henry I c. 1068–1135 King Stephen 1092/1096–1154 Robert de Beaumont c. 1040/1050–1118 1st Earl of Leicester Henry de Beaumont d. 1119 1st Earl of Warwick Earl of Worcester (1st creation), 1138 Robert FitzRoy c. 1090–1147 1st Earl of Gloucester Matilda (d. bef. 1141) Waleran de Beaumont 1104–1166 Earl of Worcester Robert de Beaumont 1104–1168 2nd Earl of Leicester Hugh de Beaumont b. 1106 1st Earl of Bedford Earldom of Worcester (1st creation) extinct, 1166 William FitzRobert 1116–1183 2nd Earl of Gloucester Hawise de Beaumont Robert de Beaumont d. 1190 3rd Earl of Leicester Robert de Beaumont d. 1204 4th Earl of Leicester Amice Countess of Rochefort King John 1166–1216 Isabella 1173/1174–1217 Countess of Gloucester Simon de Montfort c. 1175–1218 5th Earl of Leicester King Henry III 1207–1272 Eleanor of England Simon de Montfort c. 1208–1265 6th Earl of Leicester Earldom of Leicester (1st creation) forfeited, 1265 Earl of Leicester (2nd creation), 1267 Earl of Lancaster, 1276 King Edward I 1239–1307 Edmund Crouchback 1245–1296 1st Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Lancaster Earldom of Leicester (1st creation) restored, 1324 Earldom of Lancaster restored, 1327 King Edward II 1284–1327 Thomas of Lancaster 1278–1322 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl of Lancaster Henry of Lancaster 1281–1345 3rd Earl of Leicester, 3rd Earl of Lancaster Earldom of Leicester (1st creation) forfeited, 1322 Earldom of Lancaster forfeited, 1322 Duke of Lancaster, 1351 King Edward III 1312–1377 Henry of Grosmont c. 1310–1361 Duke of Lancaster, 4th Earl of Lancaster, 4th Earl of Leicester Joan of Lancaster c. 1312–1349 John (II) de Mowbray 1310–1361 3rd Baron Mowbray Eleanor of Lancaster 1318–1372 Mary of Lancaster c. 1320–1362 Earl of Worcester (2nd creation), 1397 John of Gaunt 1340–1399 Duke of Lancaster, 5th Earl of Lancaster, (6th) Earl of Leicester jure uxoris Blanche of Lancaster 1342–1368 Maud of Lancaster 1340–1362 a.k.a. Matilda, Countess of Hainault William 1330–1389 Duke of Bavaria and Count of Holland, (5th) Earl of Leicester jure uxoris Richard Fitzalan 1346–1397 Earl of Arundel Thomas Percy 1343–1403 Earl of Worcester Earldom of Worcester (2nd creation) extinct, 1403 Roger La Warr 1326–1370 Eleanor Mowbray Earl of Somerset (1st creation), 1397 Marquess of Somerset and Marquess of Dorset (1st creation), 1397 Earl of Dorset (2nd creation), 1411 Henry Bolingbroke 1367–1413 Duke of Lancaster, (7th) Earl of Leicester King Henry IV John Beaufort c. 1373–1410 Marquess of Somerset, Marquess of Dorset, 1st Earl of Somerset Thomas Beaufort c. 1377–1426 Duke of Exeter, Earl of Dorset Joan Beaufort c. 1379–1440 Joan La Warr Thomas West 1365–1405 1st Baron West Joan de Beauchamp 1375–1435 Earldom of Leicester (2nd creation) and Dukedom of Lancaster merged into the Crown, 1399 Marquessate of Somerset and Marquessate of Dorset (1st creation) revoked, 1399 Earldom of Dorset (2nd creation) extinct, 1426 Duke of Lancaster, 1399 Earl of Worcester (3rd creation), 1421 Henry of Monmouth 1386–1422 Duke of Lancaster King Henry V Reginald West 1395–1450 6th Baron De La Warr and 3rd Baron West Richard Beauchamp (1394–c. 1422) Earl of Worcester Dukedom of Lancaster merged into the Crown, 1413 Earldom of Worcester (2nd creation) extinct, 1422 Duke of Somerset (1st creation), 1443 Earl of Dorset (3rd creation), 1442 Marquess of Dorset (2nd creation), 1443 Duke of Somerset (2nd creation), 1448 Henry Beaufort 1401–1418 2nd Earl of Somerset John Beaufort 1404–1444 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset Edmund Beaufort 1406–1455 2nd Duke of Somerset, 1st Marquess of Dorset, 4th Earl of Somerset, Earl of Dorset Richard Neville 1400–1460 Earl of Salisbury Richard West 1430–1476 7th Baron De La Warr and 4th Baron West Edward Neville d. 1476 de facto 3rd (de jure 1st) Baron Bergavenny Elizabeth Beauchamp 1415–1448 Dukedom of Somerset (1st creation) extinct, 1444 Claimed titles here are disputed Earl of Worcester (4th creation), 1449 Margaret Beaufort 1443–1509 Elizabeth Woodville c. 1437–1492 Henry Beaufort 1436–1464 3rd Duke of Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, 5th Earl of Dorset Edmund Beaufort c. 1438–1471 4th Duke of Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Dorset, 6th Earl of Dorset Cecily Neville c. 1425–1450 John Tiptoft 1427–1470 1st Earl of Worcester Dukedom of Somerset (2nd creation), Marquessate of Dorset (2nd creation), and Earldom of Dorset attained, 1461, but possibly restored (disputed), 1463 Dukedom of Somerset (2nd creation), Marquessate of Dorset (2nd creation), and Earldom of Dorset extinct, 1471 Earldom of Worcester (4th creation) attainted, 1470 Thomas West c. 1457–1525 8th Baron De La Warr and 5th Baron West Marquess of Dorset (3rd creation), 1475 Earl of Worcester (5th creation), 1514 Earl of Worcester (4th creation) restored, 1471 Margery Wentworth c. 1478–1550 King Henry VII 1457–1509 Elizabeth of York 1466–1503 Thomas Grey 1451–1501 1st Marquess of Dorset Charles Somerset c. 1460–1526 1st Earl of Worcester Elizabeth Somerset c. 1476–1507 3rd Baroness Herbert suo jure Edward Tiptoft c. 1469–1485 2nd Earl of Worcester Eleanor West b. 1481 Edward Guildford c. 1474–1534 Earldom of Worcester (4th creation) extinct, 1485 Viscount Beauchamp "of Hache" (1st creation), 1536 Earl of Hertford (2nd creation), 1537 Duke of Somerset (4th creation), 1547 Duke of Somerset (3rd creation), 1499 Edward Seymour c. 1500–1552 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford and Viscount Beauchamp Jane Seymour c. 1508–1537 King Henry VIII 1491–1547 Thomas Grey 1477–1530 2nd Marquess of Dorset Henry Somerset c. 1495–1548 2nd Earl of Worcester, 4th Baron Herbert John Dudley 1504–1553 Duke of Northumberland Jane Guildford c. 1508/1509–1555 Mary Tudor 1496–1533 Queen of France Duchess of Suffolk Prince Edmund 1499–1500 1st Duke of Somerset Dukedom of Somerset (4th creation), Earldom of Hertford (2nd creation), and Viscountcy Beauchamp (1st creation) forfeit, 1552 Dukedom of Somerset (3rd creation) extinct, 1500 Duke of Richmond and Somerset, 1525 King Edward VI 1537–1553 Henry Fitzroy 1519–1536 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset Henry Grey 1517–1554 Duke of Suffolk 3rd Marquess of Dorset Lady Frances Brandon 1517–1559 Duchess of Suffolk Dukedom of Richmond and Somerset extinct, 1536 Marquessate of Dorset (3rd creation) attainted and honours forfeit, 1554 Earl of Hertford (3rd creation) reverted, 1559 Earl of Leicester (3rd creation), 1564 Baron Buckhurst of Buckhurst in the County of Sussex (1st creation), 1567 Earl of Dorset (4th creation), 1604 Edward Seymour c. 1528–1593 Edward Seymour 1539–1621 1st Earl of Hertford Katherine Grey 1540–1568 William Somerset c. 1526–1589 3rd Earl of Worcester, 5th Baron Herbert John Dudley c. 1527–1554 Earl of Warwick Robert Dudley 1532–1588 1st Earl of Leicester Mary Dudley d. 1586 m. Henry Sidney Lord Guildford Dudley c. 1535–1554 Lady Jane Grey 1537–1554 Disputed Queen of England Thomas Sackville 1536–1608 1st Earl of Dorset, 1st Baron Buckhurst Earldom of Hertford (3rd creation) forfeit, 1552 Earldom of Leicester (3rd creation) extinct, 1588 Earl of Leicester (4th creation), 1618 Edward Seymour c. 1563–1613 1st Baronet Edward Seymour 1561–1612 Viscount Beauchamp Edward Somerset 1553–1628 4th Earl of Worcester, 6th Baron Herbert Philip Sidney 1554–1586 Mary Sidney 1561–1621 Robert Sidney 1563–1626 1st Earl of Leicester Robert Sackville 1561–1609 2nd Earl of Dorset, 2nd Baron Buckhurst Marquess of Hertford (1st creation), 1641 Duke of Somerset (4th creation restored), 1660 Baron Seymour of Trowbridge, 1641 Viscount Rochester, 1611 Earl of Somerset (3rd creation), 1613 Marquess of Worcester, 1642 Viscount Somerset of Cashel, 1626 Edward Seymour c. 1580–1659 2nd Baronet William Seymour 1588–1660 3rd Duke of Somerset, 1st Marquess of Hertford, 2nd Earl of Hertford Francis Seymour c. 1590–1664 1st Lord Seymour of Trowbridge Robert Carr c. 1587–1645 Earl of Somerset Henry Somerset 1577–1646 1st Marquess of Worcester, 5th Earl of Worcester, 7th Baron Herbert Thomas Somerset 1579–1651 Viscount Somerset Robert Sidney 1595–1677 2nd Earl of Leicester Richard Sackville 1589–1624 3rd Earl of Dorset, 3rd Baron Buckhurst Edward Sackville 1591–1652 4th Earl of Dorset, 4th Baron Buckhurst Earldom of Somerset (3rd creation) and Viscountcy Rochester extinct, 1645 Viscountcy Somerset extinct, 1651 Edward Seymour 1610–1688 3rd Baronet Henry Seymour c. 1626–1654 Lord Beauchamp Charles Seymour c. 1621–1665 2nd Lord Seymour of Trowbridge Edward Somerset 1601–1667 2nd Marquess of Worcester, 6th Earl of Worcester, 8th Baron Herbert Philip Sidney 1619–1698 3rd Earl of Leicester Algernon Sidney 1623–1683 Lady Lucy Sidney 1630–1685 Henry Sidney 1641–1704 Earl of Romney Richard Sackville 1522–1677 5th Earl of Dorset, 5th Baron Buckhurst Duke of Beaufort, 1682 Baron Cranfield, of Cranfield in the County of Middlesex, 1674 Earl of Middlesex (2nd creation), 1675 Edward Seymour 1633–1708 4th Baronet William Seymour 1650–1671 3rd Duke of Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Hertford, 3rd Earl of Hertford John Seymour c. 1646–1675 4th Duke of Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Hertford, 4th Earl of Hertford Francis Seymour 1658–1678 5th Duke of Somerset, 3rd Lord Seymour of Trowbridge Charles Seymour 1662–1748 6th Duke of Somerset Henry Somerset 1629–1700 1st Duke of Beaufort, 3rd Marquess of Worcester, 7th Earl of Worcester, 9th Baron Herbert Robert Sidney 1649–1702 4th Earl of Leicester Thomas Pelham 1653–1712 Charles Sackville 1522–1677 6th Earl of Dorset, 1st Earl of Middlesex, 6th Baron Buckhurst, 1st Baron Cranfield Marquessate of Hertford (1st creation) extinct, 1675 Baron Conway of Ragley in the County of Warwick, 1703 Baron Conway of Killultagh in the County of Antrim, 1712 Duke of Dorset, 1720 Edward Seymour 1663–1740 5th Baronet Francis Seymour-Conway 1679–1732 1st Baron Conway Edward Coke d. 1707 Algernon Seymour 1684–1750 7th Duke of Somerset, Earl of Northumberland Charles Somerset 1660–1698 styled Marquess of Worcester Philip Sidney 1676–1705 5th Earl of Leicester John Sidney 1680–1737 6th Earl of Leicester Jocelyn Sidney 1682–1743 7th Earl of Leicester Elizabeth Pelham 1681–1711 Lionel Sackville 1688–1765 1st Duke of Dorset, 7th Earl of Dorset, 2nd Earl of Middlesex, 7th Baron Buckhurst, 2nd Baron Cranfield Earldom of Leicester (4th creation) extinct, 1743 Baron Lovel, of Minster Lovel in the County of Oxford, 1728 Earl of Leicester (5th creation) and Viscount Coke of Holkham in the County of Norfolk, 1744 Edward Seymour 1695–1757 6th Baronet 8th Duke of Somerset Anne Coke Thomas Coke 1697–1759 Earl of Leicester, Viscount Coke Henry Somerset 1684–1714 2nd Duke of Beaufort, 4th Marquess of Worcester, 8th Earl of Worcester, 10th Baron Herbert Charles Townshend 1700–1764 3rd Viscount Townshend Earl of Hertford (4th creation) and Viscount Beauchamp (2nd creation), 1850 Marquess of Hertford (2nd creation) and Earl of Yarmouth (3rd creation), 1793 Earldom of Leicester (5th creation) extinct, 1759 Viscount Sackville and Baron Bolebrooke in the County of Sussex, 1782 Edward Seymour 1717–1792 9th Duke of Somerset Webb Seymour 1718–1793 10th Duke of Somerset Francis Seymour 1726–1799 Francis Seymour-Conway 1718–1794 1st Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Yarmouth, and Viscount Beauchamp, 2nd Baron Conway Wenman (Roberts) Coke c. 1717–1776 Henry Somerset-Scudamore 1707–1745 3rd Duke of Beaufort, 5th Marquess of Worcester, 9th Earl of Worcester, 11th Baron Herbert Charles Noel Somerset 1709–1756 4th Duke of Beaufort, 6th Marquess of Worcester, 10th Earl of Worcester, 12th Baron Herbert George Townshend 1724–1807 1st Marquess Townshend Charles Sackville 1711–1769 2nd Duke of Dorset, 8th Earl of Dorset, 3rd Earl of Middlesex, 8th Baron Buckhurst, 3rd Baron Cranfield John Sackville 1713–1765 George Germain 1716–1785 1st Viscount Sackville, 1st Baron Bolebrooke Earl of Leicester (7th creation), 1837 Baron Botetourt abeyance terminated, 1803 Earl of Leicester (6th creation), 1784 Francis Compton Seymour d. 1822 Francis Ingram-Seymour-Conway 1743–1822 2nd Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Yarmouth, and Viscount Beauchamp, 3rd Baron Conway Hugh Seymour 1759–1801 Thomas William Coke 1754–1842 1st Earl of Leicester, 1st Viscount Coke Henry Somerset 1744–1803 5th Duke of Beaufort, 7th Marquess of Worcester, 11th Earl of Worcester, 13th Baron Herbert, 5th Baron Botetourt George Townshend 1753–1811 2nd Marquess Townshend, 1st Earl of Leicester John Frederick Sackville 1745–1799 3rd Duke of Dorset, 9th Earl of Dorset, 4th Earl of Middlesex, 9th Baron Buckhurst, 4th Baron Cranfield Baron Raglan, 1852 Edward Adolphus St Maur 1775–1855 11th Duke of Somerset Francis Charles Seymour-Conway 1777–1842 3rd Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Yarmouth, and Viscount Beauchamp, 4th Baron Conway George Seymour 1787–1870 Henry Charles Somerset 1766–1835 6th Duke of Beaufort, 8th Marquess of Worcester, 12th Earl of Worcester, 14th Baron Herbert, 6th Baron Botetourt FitzRoy James Henry Somerset 1788–1855 1st Baron Raglan George Townshend 1778–1855 3rd Marquess Townshend, 2nd Earl of Leicester George John Frederick Sackville 1793–1815 4th Duke of Dorset, 10th Earl of Dorset, 5th Earl of Middlesex, 10th Baron Buckhurst, 5th Baron Cranfield John Frederick Sackville 1767–1843 5th Duke of Dorset, 11th Earl of Dorset, 6th Earl of Middlesex, 2nd Viscount Sackville, 11th Baron Buckhurst, 6th Baron Cranfield, 2nd Baron Bolebrooke Earldom of Leicester (6th creation) extinct, 1855 Dukedom of Dorset, Earldoms of Dorset (4th creation) and Middlesex (2nd creation), Viscountcy of Sackville, Baronies of Buckhurst (1st creation), Cranfield, and Bolebrooke extinct, 1843 Francis Edward Seymour 1788–1866 Richard Seymour-Conway 1800–1870 4th Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Yarmouth, and Viscount Beauchamp, 5th Baron Conway Francis George Hugh Seymour 1812–1884 5th Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Yarmouth, and Viscount Beauchamp, 6th Baron Conway Henry Somerset 1792–1853 7th Duke of Beaufort, 9th Marquess of Worcester, 13th Earl of Worcester, 15th Baron Herbert, 8th Baron Botetourt Earl St. Maur, 1863 Edward Adolphus St Maur 1804–1885 12th Duke of Somerset Archibald Henry Algernon St Maur 1810–1891 13th Duke of Somerset Algernon Percy Banks St Maur 1813–1894 14th Duke of Somerset Francis Payne Seymour 1815–1870 Thomas William Coke 1822–1909 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Viscount Coke Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset 1824–1899 8th Duke of Beaufort, 10th Marquess of Worcester, 14th Earl of Worcester, 16th Baron Herbert, 8th Baron Botetourt Richard Henry FitzRoy Somerset 1817–1884 2nd Baron Raglan Earldom St. Maur extinct, 1885 Edward Adolphus Ferdinand St. Maur 1835–1869 Algernon St Maur 1846–1923 15th Duke of Somerset Edward Hamilton Seymour 1860–1931 16th Duke of Somerset Hugh de Grey Seymour 1843–1912 6th Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Yarmouth, and Viscount Beauchamp, 7th Baron Conway Thomas William Coke 1848–1941 3rd Earl of Leicester, 3rd Viscount Coke Henry Adelbert Wellington FitzRoy Somerset 1847–1924 9th Duke of Beaufort, 11th Marquess of Worcester, 15th Earl of Worcester, 17th Baron Herbert, 9th Baron Botetourt Henry Richard Charles Somerset 1849–1932 George FitzRoy Henry Somerset 1857–1921 3rd Baron Raglan Evelyn Francis Edward Seymour 1882–1954 17th Duke of Somerset George Francis Alexander Seymour 1871–1940 7th Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Yarmouth, and Viscount Beauchamp, 8th Baron Conway Henry Charles Seymour 1878–1939 Thomas William Coke 1880–1949 4th Earl of Leicester, 4th Viscount Coke Arthur George Coke 1882–1915 Henry Charles Somers Augustus Somerset 1874–1945 FitzRoy Richard Somerset 1885–1964 4th Baron Raglan Percy Hamilton Seymour 1910–1984 18th Duke of Somerset Thomas William Edward Coke 1908–1976 5th Earl of Leicester, 5th Viscount Coke Anthony Louis Lovel Coke 1909–1994 6th Earl of Leicester, 6th Viscount Coke Henry Hugh Arthur FitzRoy Somerset 1900–1984 10th Duke of Beaufort, 12th Marquess of Worcester, 16th Earl of Worcester, 18th Baron Herbert, 10th Baron Botetourt Henry Robert Somers FitzRoy de Vere Somerset 1898–1965 Barony Botetourt abeyant, 1984 Hugh Edward Conway Seymour 1930–1997 8th Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Yarmouth, and Viscount Beauchamp, 9th Baron Conway Edward Douglas Coke 1936–2015 7th Earl of Leicester, 7th Viscount Coke David Robert Somerset 1928–2017 11th Duke of Beaufort, 13th Marquess of Worcester, 17th Earl of Worcester FitzRoy John Somerset 1927–2010 5th Baron Raglan Geoffrey Somerset b. 1932 6th Baron Raglan John Michael Edward Seymour b. 1952 19th Duke of Somerset Henry (Harry) Jocelyn Seymour b. 1958 9th Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Yarmouth, and Viscount Beauchamp, 10th Baron Conway Thomas Edward Coke b. 1965 8th Earl of Leicester, 8th Viscount Coke Henry John FitzRoy Somerset b. 1952 12th Duke of Beaufort, 14th Marquess of Worcester, 18th Earl of Worcester Arthur Geoffrey Somerset 1960–2012 Sebastian Edward Seymour b. 1982 styled Lord Seymour William Francis Seymour b. 1993 styled Earl of Yarmouth Edward Horatio Coke b. 2003 styled Viscount Coke Henry Robert FitzRoy Somerset b. 1989 styled Marquess of Worcester Inigo Arthur Fitzroy Somerset b. 2004 Heir apparent to the Dukedom of Somerset Heir apparent to the Marquessage of Hertford Heir apparent to the Earldom of Leicester Heir apparent to the Dukedom of Beaufort Heir apparent to the Raglan Barony