Andrew Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin

{{Infobox peer

| honorific_prefix = Lieutenant Colonel The Right Honourable

| name = The Earl of Elgin

| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100|KT|CD|JP|DL}}

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name = Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce, Lord Bruce

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1924|02|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Broomhall House, Fife, Scotland{{cite news |title= Births |work=The Times |publisher=The Times Digital Archive |date=19 February 1924 |page= 1}}

| death_date =

| death_place =

| death_cause =

| title = 11th Earl of Elgin

| CoA =

| tenure = 1968–present

| predecessor =

| successor =

| full name = Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce

| other_titles = Lord Bruce (1924–1968)

| spouse = {{marriage|Victoria Usher|27 April 1959|15 November 2024|reason=d}}

| issue = 5, including Adam

| parents = Edward Bruce, 10th Earl of Elgin
Katherine Cochrane

| residence = Broomhall House, nr. Dunfermline, Scotland

| offices = Chief of Clan Bruce
Lord Lieutenant of Fife
Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

| module = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes

| allegiance = United Kingdom

| branch = British Army

| serviceyears = 1943–46, 1951–65, 1976–86

| rank = Lieutenant Colonel

| servicenumber = 293466

| unit = Scots Guards

| battles = Second World War

Operation Bluecoat

| awards = Order of the Thistle
Canadian Forces' Decoration}}

}}

Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin and 15th Earl of Kincardine (born 17 February 1924), styled Lord Bruce before 1968, is a Scottish peer and Chief of Clan Bruce.Dewar, Peter Beauclerk (2001). Burke's Landed Gentry of Great Britain: together with members of the titled and non-titled contemporary establishment Edition 19, Burke's Peerage, {{ISBN|0-9711966-0-5}}. [https://books.google.com/books?id=wEFuRPsYHwwC&dq=Andrew+Douglas+Alexander+Thomas+Bruce+11th+Earl+of+Elgin+a&pg=PA104 p. 104]

Early life and education

Elgin was born in 1924 at the family seat, Broomhall House, in Fife, the eldest son of the 10th Earl of Elgin and Katherine Elizabeth, Countess of Elgin, daughter of the 1st Baron Cochrane of Cults. The arrival of a male heir following the births of two daughters, Lady Martha and Lady Jean, created tremendous celebration at the Broomhall estate, which included a bonfire and fireworks attended by crowds of villagers from Limekilns and Charlestown. He was styled Lord Bruce from birth{{cite news |title=An Important Baby |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003340/19240301/103/0021 |access-date=22 November 2024 |work=Gentlewoman |date=1 March 1924 |page=21}} and christened at Broomhall on 31 March 1924 by his great-uncle Rev. Henry Holmes Stewart.{{cite news |title=Lord Elgin's Heir Christened Big Assembly at Broomhall |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19240401/080/0005 |access-date=22 November 2024 |work=Dundee Courier |date=1 April 1924 |page=5}} His five god-parents were Field Marshal Earl Haig, his uncle the Hon. Thomas Cochrane, Sir Alexander Gibb; Lord Elgin's elder sister, Lady Elisabeth Babington Smith; and Lady Victoria Cavendish-Bentinck, daughter of the Duke of Portland.{{cite news |title=Earl of Elgin's Heir |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000577/19240402/050/0006 |access-date=22 November 2024 |work=Aberdeen Press and Journal |date=2 April 1924 |page=6}}

He was educated at Eton and at Balliol College, Oxford.

Military career

On 12 September 1943, Bruce was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd (Armoured) Bn Scots Guards{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/21/a4538621.shtml |title=BBC - WW2 People's War - The Breakout: Part 1 (To Normandy with the 3rd Tank Battalion Scots Guards) |website=www.bbc.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060625050258/http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/21/a4538621.shtml |archive-date=2006-06-25}} {{London Gazette|issue=36206 |supp=y|page=4499|date=8 October 1943}} and was wounded during Operation Bluecoat, the breakout from Normandy in August 1944. He was invalided out of the army on 24 October 1946, with the honorary rank of lieutenant.{{London Gazette|issue=37767 |supp=y|page=5256|date=22 October 1946}}

On 4 April 1951, he was appointed an instructor in the Army Cadet Force, with the rank of Lieutenant.{{London Gazette|issue=39274 |supp=y|page=3613|date=29 June 1951}} In July 1963, by then the County Cadet Commandant for Fife, he was awarded the Cadet Forces Medal.{{London Gazette|issue=43051 |supp=y|page=5882|date=9 July 1963}} He resigned his commission on 19 April 1965, retaining the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel.{{London Gazette|issue=43652 |supp=y|page=4854|date=14 May 1965}}{{London Gazette|issue=43712 |supp=y|page=6726|date=13 July 1965}} Since 1970, he has been Colonel-in-Chief of the 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins),{{YouTube|bibM6nW9fno}} and was Honorary Colonel of the 153 (Highland) Transport Regiment from 1976 to 1986.

Career

Elgin has held a number of business appointments, including as President of the Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society (1975–1994), and Chairman of the National Savings Committee for Scotland. He was also President of the Royal Scottish Automobile Club.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/lord-elgin-defender-of-aristocratic-adventure-and-national-treasures-74100.html|title=Lord Elgin: Defender of aristocratic adventure and national treasures|date=17 January 2004|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=7 July 2023}}

He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1951, was Deputy Lieutenant of Fife 1955–1987, and Lord Lieutenant 1987–1999. In 1980, he was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II as her Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and reappointed in 1981.Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland In 1981 HM The Queen appointed him as a Knight of the Thistle.{{cite web|url=https://www.royal.uk/new-appointments-order-thistle|title=New appointments to the Order of the Thistle|publisher=The Royal Household of the Queen|date=30 November 2003|accessdate=10 March 2024}} He was awarded the Canadian Forces' Decoration in 1981. He is a former Captain of the Royal Company of Archers and a former convenor of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs.

He was County Cadet Commandant for Fife from 1952 to 1965, Brigade President of the Boys' Brigade from 1966 to 1985, and Grand Master Mason of Scotland from 1961 to 1965.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/conservatives-at-the-heart-of-freemasonry-1580256.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091109134930/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/conservatives-at-the-heart-of-freemasonry-1580256.html |archive-date=2009-11-09 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Conservatives at the heart of Freemasonry|work=The Independent|date=31 October 1995}}

He is a Freeman of Bridgetown, Regina, Saskatchewan, Port Elgin, Winnipeg, Manitoba, St. Thomas, Ontario, and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Lord Elgin is a Past President of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, and is the Life President of the Broomhall Curling Club. He skippered the Scottish curling teams that defeated the Governor-General of Canada's teams in a series of matches in Ottawa in 1982.{{YouTube|cPokOCcKTzI}}

Lord Elgin is Chief of Clan Bruce and President of the Bruce Family Organization{{cite web|url=http://www.familyofbruce.org/about.htm|title=familyofbruce.org - Family of Bruce International, Inc. - About Us|work=familyofbruce.org|access-date=26 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813021339/http://familyofbruce.org/about.htm|archive-date=13 August 2015|url-status=dead}} which is the main association for members of the Bruce family.

Honours

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class="wikitable sortable"

!Country

!Date

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Scotland

|1981

|Order of the Thistle

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|KT

|1981

rowspan="11" |United Kingdom

| rowspan="4" |

|1939–1945 Star

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France and Germany Star

1953

|Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal

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| rowspan="6" |UK Version of this Medal

1977

|Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal

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2002

|Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal

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2012

|Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

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2022

|Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal

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2023

|King Charles III Coronation Medal

July 1963

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|1981

|Canadian Forces' Decoration

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|CD

France

|Chevalier of the Legion of Honour

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|{{Cite web |title= |url=https://x.com/MoraySir/status/1136737493838118912?lang=bg |url-status=live}}

=Honorary military appointments=

class="wikitable" style="width:100%;" ! style="width:20%;"\| Military Branch ! style="width:20%;"\| Date ! style="width:40%;"\| Regiment ! style="width:20%;"\| Position
{{flagicon\|CAN\|army}} Canadian Army	1970{{spaced ndash}}present	31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins)	Colonel-in-Chief{{YouTube\|bibM6nW9fno}}
{{flagicon\|UK\|army}} British Army	1976–1986	153 (Highland) Transport Regiment (TA)	Honorary Colonel
{{flagicon\|CAN\|army}} Canadian Army		No. 7 (St. Thomas) Royal Canadian Army Cadets	Honorary Colonel

Family

In 1959 he married Victoria Mary Usher and they have five children:

Lady Georgina Mary Bruce, (born 4 June 1960)
Charles Edward Bruce, Lord Bruce DL, (born 19 October 1961); was married (29 July 1990–1996) to Amanda Leigh Grimes née Movius{{Cite web |date=28 February 2010 |title=Infamous fraudster Lady Bruce vows to return to Scotland |url=http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2010/02/28/13974-2704 |publisher=Deadline News}} with three children; Antonia Jean Bruce (born 14 December 1990), James Andrew Charles Robert Bruce, Master of Bruce (born 16 November 1991) and George Benjamin Thomas Bruce (born 5 July 1993). Bruce later married Dr Alice Enders on 5 May 2001 and, following a divorce, Sheree Cosgrove on 19 August 2023
Lady Antonia Katherine Bruce, (born 30 August 1964); married Marcel Ballot (1989–){{Cite web |title=cracroftspeerage.co.uk |url=http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/elgin1633.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012051518/http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/Elgin1633.htm |archive-date=12 October 2012 |access-date=10 August 2019}}
The Hon. Adam Robert Bruce CStJ WS, (born 18 January 1968); married Donna Maria-Sofia Giovanna Rose Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte (17 May 2003–) with two children; Robert Frederick Angelo Bruce (born 7 January 2007) and Orlando Antonio Andrew Bruce (born 12 September 2008)
The Hon. Alexander Victor Bruce, (born 31 March 1971); married Victoria M. Bythell on 26 September 1998

The Countess of Elgin and Kincardine was the Patron of both the Royal Caledonian Ball and Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University.{{cite web|title=Patronesses|url=http://www.royalcaledonianball.com/ball_details/patronesses|publisher=Royal Caledonian Ball|access-date=11 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014035226/http://www.royalcaledonianball.com/ball_details/patronesses|archive-date=14 October 2013|url-status=dead}} The Earl succeeded to the earldoms and other family titles on the death of his father in 1968.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

The Earl celebrated his 100th birthday on the 17 February 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/from-scotland-100-year-old-chief-of-clan-bruce-hails-swift-and-true-waterloo-squadron/article_d006f166-f30e-570d-b366-5594a2b6b143.html|title=From Scotland, 100-year-old chief of Clan Bruce hails 'swift and true' Waterloo squadron|publisher=The Record|date=16 February 2024|accessdate=17 February 2024}} He was interviewed by the BBC as part of a project to record the memories of Second World War veterans, marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June 2024.{{cite web |author= |date=4 June 2023 |title='The German army blew up a cup of tea next to me' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cyee8yk7l1wo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604232006/https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cyee8yk7l1wo |archive-date=4 June 2024 |website=BBC News |location=London |access-date=5 June 2024}}

On 15 November 2024, Bruce's wife of 65 years, Victoria, Countess of Elgin, died aged 85.[https://www.legacy.com/uk/obituaries/scotsman-uk/name/victoria-elgin-obituary?id=56816892 Victoria ELGIN Obituary]

Notes

References

Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, {{Page needed |date=February 2013}}
"Who's Who" (2011 edition). A & C Black Publishers Ltd; 163rd Revised edition (6 December 2010)

External links

{{Hansard-contribs | mr-andrew-bruce | the Earl of Elgin }}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924044939/http://www.genealogics.org/pedigree.php?personID=I00282017&tree=LEO Andrew Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin]

{{s-ttl|title=Grand Master Mason of the
Grand Lodge of Scotland|years=1961–1965}}