Andrew Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin facts for kids

Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce, born on February 17, 1924, is a Scottish nobleman and the leader of the Bruce family, known as the Chief of Clan Bruce. He holds the titles of 11th Earl of Elgin and 15th Earl of Kincardine. Before 1968, he was known as Lord Bruce. He has had a long career in the military and in public service.

Early Life and Education

Andrew Bruce was born in 1924 at Broomhall House in Fife, Scotland. This historic house is the family home. He was the oldest son of the 10th Earl of Elgin and Katherine Elizabeth. His birth was a big celebration for the family and local villagers. They had a bonfire and fireworks!

He was christened at Broomhall on March 31, 1924. He had five godparents, including famous figures like Field Marshal Earl Haig. Andrew Bruce went to Eton College, a well-known school, and later studied at Balliol College, Oxford University.

Military Service and Leadership

Andrew Bruce joined the British Army in 1943 as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd (Armoured) Battalion of the Scots Guards. He was injured during Operation Bluecoat in August 1944. This was a major battle during the Second World War in Normandy, France. He left the army in 1946 with the honorary rank of lieutenant.

He continued his military involvement by becoming an instructor in the Army Cadet Force in 1951. He later became the County Cadet Commandant for Fife. He received the Cadet Forces Medal in 1963. He retired from this role in 1965, holding the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel.

Since 1970, he has been the Colonel-in-Chief of the 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins) in Canada. He also served as Honorary Colonel of the 153 (Highland) Transport Regiment from 1976 to 1986.

Public Service and Other Roles

Lord Elgin has held many important positions throughout his life. He was a Justice of the Peace starting in 1951. He also served as Deputy Lieutenant of Fife from 1955 to 1987, and then as Lord Lieutenant of Fife from 1987 to 1999. The Lord Lieutenant is the King's personal representative in a county.

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 also made him a Knight of the Thistle, which is a very high honour in Scotland. He also received the Canadian Forces' Decoration in 1981.

He was the Captain of the Royal Company of Archers, which is the King's bodyguard in Scotland. He also led the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs.

Lord Elgin has been involved in many youth organizations. He was the Brigade President of the Boys' Brigade from 1966 to 1985. He was also the Grand Master Mason of Scotland from 1961 to 1965.

He has received the Freedom of the City in several Canadian cities, including Bridgetown, Regina, Saskatchewan, Port Elgin, Winnipeg, Manitoba, St. Thomas, Ontario, and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Lord Elgin is also a big fan of Curling. He is the Past President of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club and the Life President of the Broomhall Curling Club. In 1982, he led the Scottish curling team to victory against Canadian teams in Ottawa.

As the Chief of Clan Bruce, he leads the Bruce Family Organization, which connects members of the Bruce family around the world.

Honours and Awards

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 UK Version of this Medal
United Kingdom		Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002 UK Version of this Medal
United Kingdom		Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	2012 UK Version of this Medal
United Kingdom		Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal	2022 UK Version of this Medal
United Kingdom		King Charles III Coronation Medal	2023 UK Version of this Medal
United Kingdom		Cadet Forces Medal	July 1963
United Kingdom		Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)	1981 With 4 Clasps

Honorary Military Appointments

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)

Lord Elgin became the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine after his father passed away in 1968.

He celebrated his 100th birthday on February 17, 2024. He was interviewed by the BBC as part of a project to record memories of Second World War veterans. This was done to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2024.

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