Cecil FitzMaurice, 8th Earl of Orkney facts for kids

Cecil O'Bryen Fitz-Maurice, 8th Earl of Orkney (born 3 July 1919 – died 5 February 1998) was a Scottish peer. This means he held a special noble title in Scotland. He also had other titles like Viscount of Kirkwall and Baron of Dechmont.

Cecil Fitz-Maurice was born in 1919. His father was Captain Douglas Frederick Harold FitzMaurice, who was a great-grandson of the 5th Earl of Orkney. Cecil's older brother, Douglas Hubert Hamilton FitzMaurice, sadly died in 1942 during the Second World War.

Military Service

Cecil Fitz-Maurice joined the Royal Army Service Corps when the Second World War began in 1939. He served in many different places, including North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. After the Second World War, he also served in the Korean war from 1950 to 1951.

Becoming the Earl of Orkney

In 1951, Cecil Fitz-Maurice became the 8th Earl of Orkney. He inherited this important title from his cousin, Edmond Walter FitzMaurice, who was the 7th Earl. An "Earldom" is the rank or position of an Earl.

Family Life and Later Years

In 1953, Lord Orkney married Rose Katharine Durk. They did not have any children. He passed away in 1998. After his death, his relative Oliver Peter St John became the 9th Earl of Orkney.

Role in the House of Lords

In August 1963, all Scottish peers, including Lord Orkney, were given a seat in the House of Lords. The House of Lords is part of the UK Parliament, where important laws are discussed. At that time, it was expected that he would keep his seat for his entire life. However, a new law called the House of Lords Act 1999 later changed this, removing most hereditary peers from the House of Lords. Cecil Fitz-Maurice died before this law was put into action.

At the time of his death, Lord Orkney was living in Ferndown, Dorset.