James Ramsay, 17th Earl of Dalhousie

Dalhousie was born on 17 January 1948, the son of Simon Ramsay, later 16th Earl of Dalhousie, and his wife Margaret Elizabeth Mary Stirling (1914–1997). His mother was a sister of Sir David Stirling, founder of the Special Air Service, and therefore (a descendant of Charles II). He was educated at Ampleforth College.

In 1968, Dalhousie, then styled Lord Ramsay, trained at the Mons Officer Cadet School and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Coldstream Guards.{{London Gazette| issue = 44661| date = 27 August 1968| page = 9352| supp = Y}} In 1971 he transferred from the active list to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers.{{London Gazette| issue = 45404| date = 21 June 1971| page = 6642| supp = Y}}

Dalhousie had a career in investment banking.{{cite news |last1=Pelham |first1=Amanda |title=The Lord speaks |url=https://www.dal.ca/news/2010/02/17/lord_dal.html |access-date=25 March 2023 |work=Dal News |date=17 February 2010}} On 15 July 1999, his father died and he succeeded to the earldom of Dalhousie as the 17th Earl. He briefly sat in the House of Lords as a Conservative, he lost his seat four months later with the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999.{{cite web |title=Mr James Ramsay |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-james-ramsay |website=Hansard |access-date=25 March 2023}}{{cite web |title=Earl of Dalhousie |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/2469/career |website=UK Parliament |access-date=25 March 2023}}

Dalhousie was appointed Lord Steward of Household on 22 July 2009 on the retirement of the 5th Duke of Abercorn.{{cite news |title=Appendix to the Court Circular: June 24, 2009 |work=The Times |date=25 June 2009}} He relinquished his appointment on 22 February 2023 and was succeeded by the 7th Earl of Rosslyn.{{cite news |title=Court Circular: February 22, 2023 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/court-circular-february-22-2023-kld0g3w7m |access-date=24 February 2023 |work=The Times |date=23 February 2023}}

He has been Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Angus since 10 December 2002.{{London Gazette| issue = 56782| date = 13 December 2002| page = 15176}}{{cite web | url=https://www.angus.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/provosts_office/lord_lieutenant_of_angus | title=Lord-Lieutenant of Angus }}

On 3 October 1973, the then Lord Ramsay married Marilyn Davina Butter (born 22 March 1950), second daughter of Sir David and Lady Butter, at the Guards' Chapel, Wellington Barracks.{{cite book|author=Peter Beauclerk Dewar|title=Burke's landed gentry of Great Britain|publisher=Burke's Peerage and Gentry LLC|edition=19th|year=2001|isbn=0-9711966-0-5}} {{Google books|wEFuRPsYHwwC|Burke's landed gentry of Great Britain (19th ed.)}} They have three children:

• Lady Lorna Theresa Ramsay (born 6 February 1975), married Fergus Lefebvre in 2005, has issue
• Lady Alice Magdalene Ramsay (born 10 August 1977), married Michael Dickinson, has issue
• Simon David Ramsay, Lord Ramsay (born 18 April 1981), married Kaitlin Kubinsky in 2016, has issue

In 2019, he listed Brechin Castle, the family seat in Angus, for sale through Savills.{{cite web |title=Brechin Castle |url=https://assets.savills.com/properties/GBEDRUEDR190005/EDR190005_EDR19000266.PDF |website=Savills |access-date=25 March 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/uk/3m-scottish-castle-built-fortress-owned-kings/ |title=Yours for £3m: a scottish castle built on a fortress owned by kings |last=Youens |first=Arabella |date=16 June 2019 |website=The Telegraph |publisher=Telegraph Media Group Ltd. |access-date=20 June 2019 |quote=}}https://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/spectacular-scottish-castles-and-estates-for-sale-71895, Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for salehttps://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle-2-15039/clan-chief-puts-family-castle-on-market-after-250-years-due-to-high-running-costs-1-4869589, Clan chief puts family castle on market after 250 years due to high running costs Lord and Lady Dalhousie moved to a small house of the estate, which they retained most of.https://lunanhead.com/2019/02/04/historic-brechin-castle-up-for-sale-brechincastle-angus-dalhousie-castles-scottishcastles/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731202757/https://lunanhead.com/2019/02/04/historic-brechin-castle-up-for-sale-brechincastle-angus-dalhousie-castles-scottishcastles/ |date=31 July 2019 }}, Historic Brechin Castle Much of the family's immovable properties have been vested into Dalhousie Estates, a family-run business engaged in farming, property letting and forestry, including shooting, fishing and deer stalking. The business venture provides employment for over 90 people.{{cite news |last1=Mills |first1=Georgia |title=There is still an Earl of Dalhousie |url=https://dalgazette.com/news/campus/still-earl-dalhousie/ |access-date=25 March 2023 |work=The Dalhousie Gazette |date=22 February 2018}}

Lady Dalhousie is a patroness of the Royal Caledonian Ball.{{cite web|title=Patronesses|url=http://www.royalcaledonianball.com/ball_details/patronesses|publisher=Royal Caledonian Ball|access-date=4 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014035226/http://www.royalcaledonianball.com/ball_details/patronesses|archive-date=14 October 2013|url-status=dead}}

• 50px 17 January 2012: Commander (Brother) of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (CStJ){{London Gazette| issue = 60032| date = 17 January 2012|page= 786}}
• 50px 25 March 2023: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO){{London Gazette |issue= 64008 |date= 25 March 2023 |page= D2 |supp= y }}

• {{Flagicon|UK|naval}} 1 June 2008: Honorary Captain, His Majesty's Royal Naval Reserve{{London Gazette| issue = 58752 | date = 1 July 2008| page = 9835| supp = Y}}

{{Infobox emblem wide

|image = File:17th Lord Dalhousie's arms.png

|crest = An Unicorn's Head couped at the neck armed maned and tufted Or

|coronet = A Coronet of an Earl

|escutcheon = Argent an Eagle displayed Sable beaked and membered Gules

|supporters = On the dexter side a Griffin Argent, and on the sinister side a Greyhound Argent gorged with a Collar Gules charged with three Escallops of the first

|motto = Ora Et Labora (Pray and work!)

}}

{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-court}}

{{s-bef|before=The Duke of Abercorn}}

{{s-ttl|title=Lord Steward of the Household|years=2009–2023}}

{{s-aft|after=The Earl of Rosslyn}}

{{s-reg|sct}}

{{s-bef|before=Simon Ramsay}}

{{s-ttl|title=Earl of Dalhousie|years=1999–present}}

{{s-inc|heir=Simon Ramsay, Lord Ramsay|heir-type=Heir apparent}}

{{s-prec|uk}}

{{s-bef|before=The Earl of Wemyss and March}}

{{s-ttl|title=Gentlemen}}

{{s-aft|after=The Earl of Airlie}}

{{s-end}}

{{Current British earls}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dalhousie, James Ramsay, 17th Earl}}

Category:Living people

Category:1948 births

Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order

Category:Commanders of the Order of St John

James

Category:Deputy lieutenants of Angus

Category:Earls of Dalhousie

Category:Coldstream Guards officers

Category:Graduates of the Mons Officer Cadet School

Category:Hereditary peers removed under the House of Lords Act 1999

Category:People educated at Ampleforth College