Earl of Balfour facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Earldom of Balfour
Argent, on a Chevron engrailed between three Mullets Sable as many Otter's heads erased of the first.
Creation date	5 May 1922
Monarch	King George V
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	Arthur Balfour
Present holder	Roderick Balfour, 5th Earl of Balfour
Heir presumptive	Hon. Charles Balfour
Remainder to	Special remainder
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Traprain
Status	Extant
Seat(s)	Burpham Lodge
Former seat(s)	Whittingehame House
Motto	VIRTUS AD ÆTHERA TENDIT ("Virtue strives towards heaven")

The Earl of Balfour is a special title given to a person in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. A "peerage" is a system of titles like Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. These titles are often passed down through families.

This title was created in 1922 for Arthur Balfour. He was a very important Conservative politician. Arthur Balfour served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. He was also the Foreign Secretary from 1916 to 1919. This means he was in charge of how Britain dealt with other countries.

Arthur Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour

When the earldom was created, it came with a "special remainder." This means there were specific rules about who would inherit the title if Arthur Balfour did not have sons of his own. The title would go to:

1. His younger brother, Gerald William Balfour, and then to his sons.
2. If Gerald had no sons, it would go to his nephew Francis Cecil Campbell Balfour, and then to his sons.
3. If Francis had no sons, it would go to his nephew Oswald Herbert Campbell Balfour, and then to his sons.

These nephews were the sons of Arthur's youngest brother, Eustace James Anthony Balfour. At the same time he became an Earl, Arthur Balfour also received the title Viscount Traprain. This title is also part of the Peerage of the United Kingdom and follows the same rules for who inherits it.

Arthur Balfour never married, so he had no children. Because of the special rules, his younger brother Gerald became the second Earl. Gerald was also a Conservative politician. He held important government jobs like Chief Secretary for Ireland, President of the Board of Trade, and President of the Local Government Board.

Gerald's family line ended when his grandson, the fourth Earl, passed away in 2003. As of 2017, the current Earl is Roderick Balfour. He is the fifth Earl and is the grandson of Francis Cecil Campbell Balfour, who was a nephew of the first Earl.

The family's main home is Burpham Lodge, which is located near Arundel in Sussex, England.

The Earls of Balfour (since 1922)

Here are the people who have held the title of Earl of Balfour:

• Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour (1848–1930)
• Gerald William Balfour, 2nd Earl of Balfour (1853–1945)
• Robert Arthur Lytton Balfour, 3rd Earl of Balfour (1902–1968)
• Gerald Arthur James Balfour, 4th Earl of Balfour (1925–2003)
• Roderick Francis Arthur Balfour, 5th Earl of Balfour (born 1948)

The person expected to inherit the title next is the current Earl's brother, the Hon. Charles George Yule Balfour (born 1951). His son, George Eustace Charles Balfour (born 1991), would be next in line after his father.

More About the Balfour Family

See also

• Francis Maitland Balfour
• James Maitland Balfour