At the road’s end: The 15th Duke of Hamilton (1938-2010)

Angus Alan Douglas-Hamilton, the 15th Duke of Hamilton and 12th Duke of Brandon, died on Saturday, aged 71. The holder of the oldest Scottish dukedom, created in 1643, he was the Premier Peer of Scotland and hereditary Keeper of Holyroodhouse Palace, the monarch’s official residence in Edinburgh. In his capacity of Lord Abernethy he was also hereditary Bearer of the Crown of Scotland to the Parliament of Scotland and as such carried the Scottish crown at the 1999 opening of the first Scottish Parliament in nearly 300 years.
He was born on 13 September 1938 and succeeded to the dukedom on the death of his father in 1973. He later said he was furious when he became a member of the House of Lords and supported the 1999 reform which removed most hereditary peers from the upper house.
The Daily Telegraph (external link) has more on the turbulent life of the late Duke of Hamilton, who is succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Alexander.