Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian facts for kids

Have you ever wondered who represents the King or Queen in a local area? In Scotland, this important role is often held by a person called a Lord Lieutenant. They are the monarch's personal representative in a specific county or region. This page lists the people who have served as the Lord Lieutenant for East Lothian, also known as Haddingtonshire, over many years.

What is a Lord Lieutenant?

A Lord Lieutenant is a special person chosen by the King or Queen to represent them in a particular area, like East Lothian. Their main job is to uphold the dignity of the Crown. This means they help with royal visits, present awards on behalf of the monarch, and support local community groups. They are usually respected members of the community.

Duties of a Lord Lieutenant

The Lord Lieutenant has several important duties. These include:

• Organizing Royal Visits: When a member of the Royal Family visits East Lothian, the Lord Lieutenant helps plan and manage the visit.
• Presenting Awards: They present medals and awards, like the King's Awards for Voluntary Service, to deserving people and groups.
• Supporting the Armed Forces: They also support the local units of the armed forces and cadets.
• Promoting Community Spirit: The Lord Lieutenant encourages good citizenship and helps bring people together in the community.

Lord Lieutenants of East Lothian

Here is a list of the people who have held the important role of Lord Lieutenant for East Lothian (or Haddingtonshire) over the years:

• Thomas Hamilton, 6th Earl of Haddington, from 1716 to 28 November 1735
• George Hay, 7th Marquess of Tweeddale, from 17 March 1794 to 9 August 1804
• Charles Hamilton, 8th Earl of Haddington, from 18 September 1804 to 1823
• George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, from 10 February 1823 to 10 October 1876
• George Baillie-Hamilton-Arden, 11th Earl of Haddington, from 14 November 1876 to 11 June 1917
• Hugo Charteris, 11th Earl of Wemyss, from 25 January 1918 to 12 July 1937
• Walter George Hepburne-Scott, 9th Lord Polwarth, from 17 September 1937 to 1944
• William Hay, 11th Marquess of Tweeddale, from 17 August 1944 to 30 March 1967
• David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss, from 21 June 1967 to 1987
• Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple, 10th Baronet, from 26 January 1987 to 2001
• Sir Garth Morrison, from 30 July 2001 to 24 May 2013
• Major Michael Ingouville Williams, from 21 February 2014 to 15 March 2021
• Roderick Urquhart, from 15 March 2021 – present

More Information

• You can learn more about Lord Polwarth.