David Douglas, 12th Marquess of Queensberry facts for kids

David Harrington Angus Douglas, born on December 19, 1929, is known as the 12th Marquess of Queensberry. He is an important person from both Scottish and English backgrounds. He is also a talented designer who works with pottery. His father was Francis Douglas, 11th Marquess of Queensberry. His mother was the artist Cathleen Sabine Mann. David became the Marquess after his father in 1954.

Early Life and Education

David was born in London, England. He went to a famous school called Eton College.

Career in Design

Midwinter 'Country Garden' tableware, with designs by Jessie Tait on shapes created by Queensberry.

David served in the Royal Horse Guards, a special part of the army. In the 1950s, he started working with pottery. He became a very important figure in the design world.

From 1959 to 1983, he was a professor at the Royal College of Art. He taught students how to design and make things with ceramics (pottery). He is also part of the Crafts Council. This group supports craftspeople in the United Kingdom.

He was the President of the Design and Industries Association for a few years. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers. This means he is a highly respected member of the design community. He even received the Minerva Medal, which is the Society's highest award.

Role in the House of Lords

When David became the Marquess in 1954, he did not automatically get a seat in the House of Lords. This is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This was because he was a Scottish Peer.

However, a new law called the Peerage Act 1963 changed this. After this law, all Scottish Peers were given seats in the House of Lords. This meant David could now be a part of the Parliament.

Later, in 1999, another law called the House of Lords Act 1999 changed things again. This law reduced the number of hereditary peers (people who inherit their titles) in the House of Lords. Because of this, David lost his seat in November 1999.

Family Views on Fairness

David has spoken about his family's history. He mentioned how his family's name became linked to the famous writer Oscar Wilde. This was due to events in 1895. David was happy that his family's name could now be connected to more modern ideas of fairness and acceptance. He felt it was important to support positive changes in society.

Family Life

Queensberry has been married three times. His first marriage was in 1956 to Ann Jones. They had two daughters. His second marriage was in 1969 to Alexandra "Lexa" Mary Clare Wyndham Sich. They had three sons and one daughter. His third marriage was in 2000 to Hsueh-Chun Liao. They had one daughter.

David has several siblings. He has an elder half-sister, Lady Patricia Douglas. He also had a sister, Lady Jane Cory-Wright, who passed away in 2007. He has a younger half-brother, Lord Gawain Douglas.

Images for kids

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  Midwinter 'Country Garden' tableware, with designs by Jessie Tait on shapes created by Queensberry.