David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie

David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie
Born	David George Coke Patrick Ogilvy (1926-05-17) 17 May 1926 Westminster, London, England
Died	26 June 2023(2023-06-26) (aged 97) London, England
Occupation(s)	Peer, soldier, banker, landowner
Years active	1953–1997
Known for	Lord Chamberlain of the Household (1984–1997), Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle, Lord Lieutenant of Angus

David George Coke Patrick Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie, (17 May 1926 – 26 June 2023) was a distinguished Scottish peer, soldier, banker, and landowner.

From 1984 until 1997, Airlie occupied the prestigious role of Lord Chamberlain of the Household. He also held prominent honorary titles such as Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle and Lord Lieutenant of Angus. Additionally, he was related by marriage to Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy.

Early life and ancestry

Born on 17 May 1926 in Westminster, David George Coke Patrick Ogilvy was the eldest child of the 12th Earl of Airlie and Lady Alexandra Marie Bridget Coke, herself the daughter of the 3rd Earl of Leicester. His godfather was King George V. His younger sibling was The Hon. Sir Angus Ogilvy, who married Princess Alexandra of Kent. As a youth, he served as a page to his father at the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937; following Queen Elizabeth II's passing in 2022, he remained the last living participant from that event.

Known by the courtesy title Lord Ogilvy during his early years, he received his education at Eton College and later served with the Scots Guards across Germany, Malaya, and Austria. In 1946, he was appointed aide-de-camp to the commander-in-chief and High Commissioner in Austria. After leaving military service in 1950, he pursued estate management studies at the Royal Agricultural College. He maintained two residences on his family’s expansive estates in Angus: Cortachy Castle and Airlie Castle, along with a home in Chelsea, London, where he ultimately resided full-time until his death.

Merchant banking

Lord Ogilvy began his career in merchant banking in 1953 when he joined J. Henry Schroder & Co. He advanced to director by 1961, then chairman of Henry Schroder Wagg & Co. in 1973, and ultimately chairman of Schroders plc in 1977. Following his father's death in 1968, he inherited the title of 13th Earl of Airlie and assumed leadership as chief of Clan Ogilvy. In recognition of his style and presence, he was inducted into the International Best Dressed Hall of Fame List in 1972.

Royal Household

In 1984, Lord Airlie stepped down from his position at Schroder to accept the senior role of Lord Chamberlain of the Household, the highest office within the Royal Household. He was sworn into the Privy Council and honored as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, serving as chancellor for the order. This appointment followed in his father’s footsteps, who had served as Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

During his tenure, Airlie transformed the Lord Chamberlain’s responsibilities from largely ceremonial functions to those resembling a chief executive officer. In the early 1990s, through an initiative known as "The Way Ahead Group," he spearheaded reforms that included securing the Queen's agreement to pay taxes, enhancing transparency regarding public funding, and prioritizing public relations efforts. In 1986, he authored an extensive report spanning 1,393 pages that proposed 188 operational improvements for the Royal Household.

On 29 November 1985, Airlie was inducted as a Knight of the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s most prestigious chivalric order. He took on leadership as Chairman of General Accident Fire and Life Assurance plc in 1987 and was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Angus in 1989 after serving as deputy lieutenant since 1964.

His period in office coincided with notable challenges for the monarchy including Queen Elizabeth II’s annus horribilis, the devastating Windsor Castle fire in 1992, several high-profile royal separations and divorces, along with the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. Upon retiring that year, he was awarded the Royal Victorian Chain and designated a permanent lord-in-waiting.

Later life

The ancestral residence of Lord Airlie, Cortachy Castle in Tayside near Kirriemuir, Angus, has remained the family seat for more than five centuries. In 2014, Lord and Lady Airlie vacated the castle, entrusting its management and future plans to their eldest son. Following the passing of the 9th Duke of Buccleuch, on 13 November 2007, Airlie was named Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle, a role he fulfilled until his own death.

At the inception of the University of Abertay Dundee in 1994, Airlie was appointed as its inaugural chancellor. Additionally, he held the position of Captain-General of the Royal Company of Archers, which serves as the monarch's ceremonial guard in Scotland, and acted as Gold Stick for Scotland.

In September 2022, Lord Airlie took part in Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral and was also present at the May 2023 coronation ceremony for King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Remarkably, he was the last surviving male attendee to have witnessed three coronations: those of 1937, 1953, and 2023.

Lord Airlie passed away at his London residence on 26 June 2023 at the age of 97. His funeral occurred on 6 July 2023 at Cortachy Castle, where members of Scouts Scotland—an organization he presided over—lined the path to his final resting place. A memorial service was held on 15 November 2023 at the Royal Hospital Chelsea Chapel, attended by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Personal life

On 23 October 1952, he wed Virginia Fortune Ryan at St Margaret's Church in Westminster, with Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret among the attendees.

The couple had six children:

• Lady Doune Mabell Ogilvy (born 1953); married Hereward Charles Wake (divorced in 1995)
• Lady Jane Fortune Margaret Ogilvy (born 1955); married François Nairac
• David John Ogilvy, 14th Earl of Airlie (born 1958); married twice and fathered four children
  • Lady Augusta Amadeus Caroline Ogilvy (born 1981)
  • David Huxley Ogilvy, Lord Ogilvy (born 1991)
  • The Hon. Joseph Skene Ogilvy (born 1995)
  • The Hon. Michael Móir Ogilvy (born 1997)
• The Hon. Bruce Patrick Mark Ogilvy (born 1959)
• Lady Elizabeth Clementina Ogilvy (born 1965); married Jonathan Baring
• The Hon. Patrick Alexander Ogilvy (born 1971)

The Countess of Airlie served as a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II and was notable as the first American appointed to such a position. This appointment continued a family legacy initiated by his grandmother Mabell, Countess of Airlie, who held a comparable role serving Queen Mary.

In popular culture

In the 2006 film The Queen, Lord Airlie was portrayed by Douglas Reith in his capacity as Lord Chamberlain during arrangements for Diana, Princess of Wales' funeral. Actor Martin Turner depicted him in seasons five and six of The Crown, illustrating his involvement in Prince Charles and Diana's divorce proceedings as well as orchestrating Diana's funeral and Operation London Bridge.

Honours and arms

Ribbon decorations of David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie

Nation	Date awarded	Honor	Ribbon	Post-nominal initials	Additional information
United Kingdom	12 May 1937	King George VI Coronation Medal
United Kingdom	2 June 1953	Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
United Kingdom	6 February 1977	Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
United Kingdom	11 May 1981	Officer of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem		OStJ	Elevated to KStJ in 1996
United Kingdom	7 December 1984	Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order		GCVO
Scotland; United Kingdom	29 November 1985	Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle		KT
Brunei	1992	Order of the Crown of Brunei, First Class		SPMB
Portugal	27 April 1993	Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry		GCIH
United Kingdom	6 February 1996	Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem		KStJ
United Kingdom	19 December 1997|| Royal Victorian Chain||
United Kingdom	6 February 2002|| Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal||
United Kingdom	6 February 2012|| Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal||
United Kingdom	6 May 2023|| King Charles III Coronation Medal||
United Kingdom		Defence Medal||
United Kingdom		War Medal 1939–1945||
United Kingdom		General Service Medal||

External links

• Cortachy Castle. Accessed 21 July 2016.
• Domesday Project archive. Accessed 21 July 2016.