Andrew Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin facts for kids

Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce, the 11th Earl of Elgin and 15th Earl of Kincardine, was born on 17 February 1924. Before 1968, he was known as Lord Bruce. He is a Scottish noble and the leader, or Chief, of Clan Bruce.

Early Life and Education

Andrew Bruce was born in 1924 at Broomhall House in Fife, Scotland. This old house is the family's main home. He was the first son of the 10th Earl of Elgin and Katherine Elizabeth. His birth was a big event because his parents had two daughters before him. Villagers from nearby towns celebrated with a bonfire and fireworks.

He was given the title Lord Bruce from birth. He was christened (a type of baptism) at Broomhall. Some of his godparents were important people like Field Marshal Earl Haig.

Andrew Bruce went to two famous schools. First, he studied at Eton College, a well-known boarding school. After that, he attended Balliol College, Oxford, which is part of the University of Oxford.

Military Service

On 12 September 1943, Andrew Bruce joined the army as a Second Lieutenant. He was part of the 3rd (Armoured) Battalion of the Scots Guards. He was injured during Operation Bluecoat in August 1944. This was a key battle during the Second World War in Normandy, France.

He left the army on 24 October 1946. He held the honorary rank of Lieutenant. Later, in 1951, he became an instructor in the Army Cadet Force. This is a youth organization linked to the British Army. He was awarded the Cadet Forces Medal in 1963. He left the Cadet Force in 1965, keeping the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Since 1970, he has been the Colonel-in-Chief of the 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins). This is a Canadian Army unit. He was also an Honorary Colonel for the 153 (Highland) Transport Regiment from 1976 to 1986.

Public Life and Achievements

Lord Elgin has held many important roles in his life. He was involved in business, serving as President of the Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society. He also chaired the National Savings Committee for Scotland. He was President of the Royal Scottish Automobile Club.

In 1951, he became a Justice of the Peace. This role involves helping with local law and order. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant of Fife. From 1987 to 1999, he served as the Lord Lieutenant of Fife. This is the King's official representative in the area.

In 1980 and 1981, Queen Elizabeth II appointed him as her Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. This is a special role representing the monarch at the Church of Scotland's annual meeting. In 1981, the Queen made him a Knight of the Thistle. This is a very high honour in Scotland. He also received the Canadian Forces' Decoration in 1981.

Lord Elgin was a Captain of the Royal Company of Archers. This is the King's bodyguard in Scotland. He was also a leader of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. This group represents the heads of Scottish clans.

He was involved with youth organizations. He was the County Cadet Commandant for Fife from 1952 to 1965. He also served as the Brigade President of the Boys' Brigade from 1966 to 1985.

Lord Elgin has received the "Freedom of the City" honour from several cities. These include Bridgetown, Regina, Saskatchewan, Port Elgin, Winnipeg, Manitoba, St. Thomas, Ontario, and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. This honour means he is a special guest of these cities.

He loves curling, a sport played on ice. He is the Life President of the Broomhall Curling Club. In 1982, he led the Scottish curling team to victory against Canadian teams in Ottawa.

Lord Elgin is the official Chief of Clan Bruce. This means he is the recognized head of the Bruce family. He also leads the Bruce Family Organization. This group connects members of the Bruce family around the world.

Honours and Medals

Lord Elgin has received many medals and honours for his service.

Country	Ribbon	Description	Notes
Scotland		Order of the Thistle (KT)	Knight 1981
United Kingdom		1939–1945 Star
United Kingdom		France and Germany Star
United Kingdom		Defence Medal
United Kingdom		War Medal
United Kingdom		Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal	1953
United Kingdom		Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal	1977
United Kingdom		Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002
United Kingdom		Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	2012
United Kingdom		Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal	2022
United Kingdom		King Charles III Coronation Medal	2023
United Kingdom		Cadet Forces Medal	July 1963
United Kingdom		Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)	1981 With 4 Clasps

Honorary Military Roles

Lord Elgin has also held special honorary positions in the military:

Military Branch	Date	Regiment	Position
Canadian Army	1970 – present	31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins)	Colonel-in-Chief
British Army	1976–1986	153 (Highland) Transport Regiment (TA)	Honorary Colonel
Canadian Army		No. 7 (St. Thomas) Royal Canadian Army Cadets	Honorary Colonel

Family Life

In 1959, Andrew Bruce married Victoria Mary Usher. They had five children together:

• Lady Georgina Mary Bruce (born 1960)
• Charles Edward Bruce, Lord Bruce (born 1961)
• Lady Antonia Katherine Bruce (born 1964)
• The Hon. Adam Robert Bruce (born 1968)
• The Hon. Alexander Victor Bruce (born 1971)

When his father passed away in 1968, Lord Elgin inherited his family titles. His wife, Victoria, was a patron of important events like the Royal Caledonian Ball.

Lord Elgin celebrated his 100th birthday on 17 February 2024. He was interviewed by the BBC as part of a project. This project recorded the memories of Second World War veterans. It marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June 2024.

Sadly, his wife of 65 years, Victoria, Countess of Elgin, passed away on 15 November 2024 at the age of 85.