Catherine Maxwell Stuart, 21st Lady of Traquair facts for kids

Catherine Margaret Mary Maxwell Stuart, 21st Lady of Traquair (born 16 November 1964) is a Scottish landowner, hotelier, brewer, and writer. She is also a politician. She holds the title of Laird of Traquair.

When she took over from her father in 1990, she became the first female Laird of Traquair. At that time, she was the only female laird in all of Scotland. She now manages the Traquair estate, which includes a bed and breakfast and an old brewery. Maxwell Stuart has also run for public office several times as a Labour Party candidate.

Early Life and Family History

Catherine Maxwell Stuart was born in 1964. Her parents were Captain Peter D'Arcy Joseph Maxwell Stuart and Flora Mary Carr-Saunders Maxwell Stuart. Her family was Catholic during a time when it was difficult to be so in Scotland. She was raised in the Roman Catholic faith.

Her father was an officer in the British Indian Army. He also worked as a managing director at a company called Vickers. Catherine's maternal grandfather was Sir Alexander Carr-Saunders. She is also a descendant of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Catherine is part of the Clan Stewart and the Clan Maxwell. She grew up at Traquair House, which is her family's historic estate in the Scottish Borders. She went to Traquair Primary School and Peebles High School.

Becoming a Laird and Her Work

Traquair House, Maxwell Stuart's family estate in Scotland.

In 1999, Catherine Maxwell Stuart began managing the Traquair estate. Before this, she worked as a teacher in South America. She took over from her mother, who had managed the estate after Catherine's father passed away in 1990.

When she inherited the estate, Catherine became the first female Laird of Traquair. She was also the only female Laird in Scotland at that time. As a Scottish Laird, she can use the old title "Lady of Traquair."

Traquair House is the oldest continuously lived-in stately home in Scotland. It was given to James Stuart, the first Laird of Traquair, in 1491. He was a cousin of James III of Scotland.

Today, Maxwell Stuart runs a bed and breakfast at the castle. She also operates a brewery there. She works as a tour guide, showing visitors around the estate. Traquair House also hosts weddings, formal events, and summer festivals. She owns the house with a charitable trust.

Political Career and Other Achievements

Catherine Maxwell Stuart is a socialist. In 1999, she ran as a Labour Party candidate for local government. She represented Innerleithen and Walkerburn in the Scottish Borders Council election. She lost that election by a small number of votes.

In 2000, she ran as a Labour candidate for Roxburgh and Berwickshire in the General Election. Her goals included building a new train line and fighting crime. She also wanted to raise the minimum wage and create more jobs. She ran again in the 2003 Scottish Parliament election and the 2007 Scottish Parliament election. She was a Labour candidate for Tweeddale, Ettrick, and Lauderdale.

In 2016, Traquair House received a Four Star Gold Quality Award from VisitScotland. That same year, Catherine was featured in a BBC documentary. The show was called Lady Lairds. It followed women who owned castles and country houses.

She has written two books about her family's history. These are All for Our Rightful King: Traquair's Jacobite Story, 1688–1842 and A Family Life Revealed: The Stuarts at Traquair 1491–1875.

In April 2021, she was interviewed on the Duchess podcast. This podcast features interviews with women who own historic homes.

In August 2024, Maxwell Stuart was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Tweeddale. This is a special role representing the monarch in the area.

Personal Life

Catherine Maxwell Stuart is a practicing Catholic. The National Portrait Gallery has a portrait of her from 1992.

In 1995, she married fashion designer John Grey. Their wedding took place in the chapel at Traquair. John passed away in 1998. In 1999, she married Mark Muller, who is a human rights attorney. They had been friends since they studied together at the London School of Economics in the 1980s. Catherine has three children: Isabella, Louis, and Charlotte.