Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Caithness
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| Minister of State for Aviation and Shipping | |
| In office 14 April 1992 – 11 January 1994 |
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| Prime Minister | John Major |
| Preceded by | The Lord Brabazon of Tara |
| Succeeded by | John Watts |
| Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | |
| In office 14 July 1990 – 14 April 1992 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher John Major |
| Preceded by | The Lord Brabazon of Tara |
| Succeeded by | Alastair Goodlad |
| Paymaster General | |
| In office 25 July 1989 – 14 July 1990 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Peter Brooke |
| Succeeded by | Richard Ryder |
| Minister of State for Housing | |
| In office 25 July 1988 – 25 July 1989 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | William Waldegrave |
| Succeeded by | Michael Howard |
| Minister of State for Environment | |
| In office 10 January 1988 – 25 July 1988 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | The Lord Belstead |
| Succeeded by | Michael Howard |
| Minister of State for Home Affairs | |
| In office 10 September 1986 – 10 January 1988 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Giles Shaw |
| Succeeded by | The Earl Ferrers |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport | |
| In office 2 September 1985 – 10 September 1986 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | David Mitchell |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Brabazon of Tara |
| Lord-in-waiting Government Whip |
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| In office 8 May 1984 – 2 September 1985 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | The Lord Lyell |
| Succeeded by | The Viscount Davidson |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| as a hereditary peer 2 December 1969 – 11 November 1999 |
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| Preceded by | The 19th Earl of Caithness |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| as an elected hereditary peer 11 November 1999 |
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| Election | 1999 |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 November 1948 |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | Marlborough College Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester |
Malcolm Ian Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness, born on 3 November 1948, is a Scottish politician. He is a member of the Conservative Party and serves in the House of Lords. He is one of the few remaining hereditary peers, meaning he inherited his title.
He also holds other important titles. He is the 20th Lord Berriedale and the 15th Baronet of Canisbay. He is also the chief of Clan Sinclair, a historic Scottish family. Today, he is the Chief Executive of the Clan Sinclair Trust, which works to preserve his family's heritage.
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Early Life and Education
Malcolm Sinclair was born in 1948. He is the only son of Roderick Sinclair, who was the 19th Earl of Caithness. His mother was Madeline Gabrielle Ormerod.
He attended Blairmore School in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Later, he studied at Marlborough College and the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester. This college is now known as the Royal Agricultural University.
In 1965, when his father passed away, Malcolm Sinclair became the Earl of Caithness. This meant he inherited the earldom and its related titles.
Serving in Government
Lord Caithness has held many important roles in the British government. He started his political career in the House of Lords. The House of Lords is part of the UK Parliament, where members debate laws and hold the government accountable.
From 1984 to 1985, he worked as a government-whip under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. A whip helps make sure members of their party vote together.
After that, he moved to the Department for Transport. He served as a junior minister there until 1986. Then, he became a Minister of State at the Home Office, which deals with internal affairs.
In 1988, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Environment. The next year, in 1989, he became Paymaster General. This role is a minister in the Treasury, which manages the country's money.
In 1990, Lord Caithness was made Minister of State at the Foreign Office. This department handles the UK's relationships with other countries. In 1992, he returned to the Department of Transport. He was also made a privy counsellor in 1990. This is an honor given to senior politicians.
Changes in the House of Lords
In 1999, a new law called the House of Lords Act 1999 was passed. This law changed how the House of Lords worked. Before this, most hereditary peers, like Lord Caithness, automatically had a seat in the House of Lords.
After the Act, most hereditary peers lost this automatic right. However, Lord Caithness was elected as one of 90 representative peers. These elected peers were allowed to remain members of the House of Lords.
Protecting Heritage
Lord Caithness has also been very involved in preserving Scottish history. From 1996 to 2016, he was a trustee of the Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust.
In 1999, he helped create the Clan Sinclair Trust. This charity aims to protect and restore Castle Sinclair Girnigoe. This historic castle is located near Wick in Caithness, Scotland.
As the chief executive of the trust, he has done a lot of work for the castle. He helped get the castle listed by the World Monuments Fund in 2002. This listing meant it was recognized as one of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World. He has also raised money and overseen repairs. Thanks to his efforts, the castle is now safe and open for people to visit.
Family Life
Lord Caithness has two children from his first marriage to Diana Caroline Coke. They were married on 9 January 1975.
- Lady Iona Alexandra Sinclair (born 18 February 1978)
- Alexander James Richard Sinclair, Lord Berriedale (born 26 March 1981). He is the heir apparent, meaning he is next in line to inherit the earldom.
Clan Sinclair Gatherings
The Clan Sinclair is a large family with members all over the world. There are Clan Sinclair groups in the UK, Australia, Canada, Italy, and the USA.
Malcolm Sinclair has helped organize several international gatherings for Clan Sinclair members. These events bring people together to celebrate their shared heritage. He organized the first gathering in Caithness in 2000. Since then, he has hosted more gatherings in 2002, 2005, 2008, 2010, and 2015. In 2012, a gathering was held in Norway.
In 2009, Lord Caithness spoke about the role of Clan Chiefs. He believes that if a chief has the time, especially for clan members living abroad, it can be very rewarding for everyone.
