Patrick Hope-Johnstone, 11th Earl of Annandale and Hartfell facts for kids

Patrick Andrew Wentworth Hope-Johnstone, born on April 19, 1941, is a Scottish nobleman. He became the leader, or "chief," of his family group, called Clan Johnstone, in 1983. A few years later, his claim to an old family title, an earldom, was officially recognized. He was also a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament, from 1986 to 1999.

He also worked at Lloyd's of London, a famous insurance market, for many years. He served on local councils in Scotland, like the Dumfriesshire County Council and the Dumfries and Galloway Council. He was also a Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries, which is a special representative of the King or Queen in a local area.

About His Family

Patrick Hope-Johnstone is the son of Major Percy Wentworth Hope-Johnstone and his second wife, Margaret Hunter-Arundell. He went to Stowe School and the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester for his education.

In 1969, he married Susan, the daughter of Walter John Macdonald Ross. They have one son and one daughter:

• David Patrick Wentworth Hope-Johnstone, Lord Johnstone (born 1971). He married Penelope Jane Macmillan in 2001, and they later divorced in 2020. They have a son named Percy (born 2002) and two daughters, Anna (born 2003) and Rose (born 2009). David also has a son named Kit (born 2019) with his partner Sarah Sherlock.
• Lady Julia Claire Hope-Johnstone (born 1974). She married Andrew Lindsay Curtis Barnard and they have three children.

In 1983, Patrick became the chief of the Clan Johnstone after his father passed away. He also became the traditional steward of Annandale and the traditional keeper of Lochmaben Castle.

Patrick Hope-Johnstone continued his family's effort to have their claim to the earldom of Annandale and Hartfell officially recognized. His father was the heir through the eldest daughter of the second earl. Earlier attempts to claim the title, based on old official documents from 1661, had been turned down. This was because those documents only allowed male heirs to inherit. However, Patrick found a royal charter from 1662 that extended the right to inherit.

This new document was accepted by the Committee for Privileges, which is a special group that deals with noble titles. They recognized it as creating a new earldom. Because of this, Patrick was called to join the House of Lords in 1986 as the Earl of Annandale and Hartfell. The older title from 1661 is still empty as of 2023.

His Career and Public Service

Patrick Hope-Johnstone was involved in local government for many years. From 1970 to 1975, he served on various committees for the Dumfriesshire County Council. Then, from 1974 to 1986, he was a member of the Dumfries and Galloway Council. He also advised the Secretary of State for Scotland on property valuations from 1984 to 1986.

In 1987, he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Dumfries. This is a role where he helps the Lord Lieutenant, who represents the King or Queen in the area. In 1992, he became the Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries.

He was an underwriting member of Lloyd's of London from 1976 until 2004. This means he helped provide insurance coverage. He also served as a director for insurance-related companies, including Bowrings Members Agency from 1985 to 1988, and its successor, Murray Lawrence, until 1992.

Patrick Hope-Johnstone also contributed to environmental and community groups. He was on the Solway River Purification Board from 1970 to 1986, which worked to keep rivers clean. From 1981 to 1984, he was the chairman of the Royal Scottish Forestry Society, which promotes forestry. In 1983, he was appointed to the Annan Fishery Board. From 1984 to 1988, he chaired the Royal Jubilee Trust and The Prince's Trust for Dumfries and Galloway, which are charities that help young people.