Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Erroll
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Official portrait, 2018
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| Member of the House of Lords | |
| as an elected hereditary peer 11 November 1999 |
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| Election | 1999 |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| as a hereditary peer 16 May 1978 – 11 November 1999 |
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| Preceded by | The 23rd Countess of Erroll |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Lord High Constable of Scotland Chief of Clan Hay |
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| Assumed office 16 May 1978 |
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| Preceded by | The 23rd Countess of Erroll |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Merlin Sereld Victor Gilbert Hay
20 April 1948 |
| Spouse |
Isabelle Astell
(m. 1982; died 2020) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
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| Residences | Woodbury Hall, Sandy, Bedfordshire |
| Occupation | Programmer |
Merlin Sereld Victor Gilbert Hay, the 24th Earl of Erroll (born 20 April 1948), is an important person in the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament. He is known as a Crossbencher, meaning he doesn't belong to a specific political party. He is also the chief of a Scottish family group called Clan Hay and holds a special old title, the Lord High Constable of Scotland.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Merlin Hay, the Earl of Erroll, is the older son of Diana Hay, 23rd Countess of Erroll and Sir Iain Moncreiffe. When he was young, in 1956, he served as a Page to the Lord Lyon. This is a special role in Scotland, often for young people from noble families.
He went to Eton College, a famous school, and then studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, which is a well-known university.
Becoming the Earl of Erroll
In 1978, Merlin Hay became the Earl of Erroll after his mother, the Countess, passed away. This means he inherited her title. Later, in 1985, he also inherited his father's title as a baronet.
Today, he is a member of the Council of the Hereditary Peerage Association. This group helps to represent people who have inherited noble titles. While he became the chief of Clan Hay through his mother, his father's role as chief of Clan Moncreiffe went to his younger brother, Peregrine.
Marriage and Family
In 1982, he married Isabelle Jacqueline Laline Astell Hohler. She was born in Brussels on August 22, 1955, and passed away on January 13, 2020. Isabelle was the daughter of Major Thomas Sidney Hohler and came from the Astell family, who owned Everton House in Bedfordshire.
The Countess was a supporter of the Royal Caledonian Ball, a traditional Scottish event. She also held the important local role of High Sheriff of Bedfordshire in 2015.
The Earl and Countess had two sons and two daughters:
- Harry Thomas William Hay, Lord Hay (born August 8, 1984, in Basingstoke); he married Clementine Travis in 2017.
- Hon. Amelia Diana Jacqueline Hay (born November 23, 1986, in Basingstoke).
- Hon. Laline Lucy Clementine Hay (born December 21, 1987, in Basingstoke); she married Major Jeremy Sudlow in 2017.
- Hon. Richard Merlin Iain Astell (born December 14, 1990, in Basingstoke); he changed his last name to "Astell" in 2015 with special permission.
Military and Business Work
The Earl of Erroll has had a varied career. In 1974, he became a Lieutenant in the Atholl Highlanders, a private army in Scotland. He is also a member of the Royal Company of Archers, a ceremonial guard for the King in Scotland.
From 1975 to 1990, he served in the 21st SAS Artists Rifles (V) of the Territorial Army, which is a part-time military force. He was also an Honorary Colonel for the Royal Military Police (Territorial Army) from 1992 to 1997.
In his business life, Lord Erroll has worked as a consultant for marketing and computers. He is a Freeman of the City of London, which is an old honor given to people connected to London. He was also the main leader, called "Prime Warden," of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers from 2000 to 2001. This is one of London's ancient trade groups.
He still leads the Puffin's Club, which his father started. He is also the President of ERADAR, a company that advises on e-business (doing business online). He is also the President of the Digital Policy Alliance (EURIM), which works on digital rules and policies.
He used to be a director of LASSeO, a group that helped create technical rules for smartcard technologies. This group was a not-for-profit organization.
Role in Politics
After the House of Lords Act 1999, many hereditary peers (people who inherited their titles) lost their right to sit in the House of Lords. However, Lord Erroll was one of 90 hereditary peers who were elected to stay.
As a programmer and system designer, he often speaks in the House of Lords about cybersecurity (keeping computer systems safe) and information technology. He was a member of the Science and Technology Committee. In 2008, he spoke out against the government at the time, saying they weren't doing enough to stop cybercrime after several government groups lost a lot of data. More recently, he was a member of the Information Committee from 2007 to 2012.
In 2023, Lord Erroll served as the Lord High Constable of Scotland during the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. This is a very old and important role in Scottish history.
See also
