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Andrew Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin facts for kids

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The Earl of Elgin

KT CD JP DL
Coats of Arms of the Earl of Elgin.svg
Born Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce
(1924-02-17) 17 February 1924 (age 100)
Title 11th Earl of Elgin
Tenure 1968–present
Other titles Lord Bruce (1924–1968)
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
Spouse(s)
Victoria Usher
(m. 1959)
Issue 5, including Adam
Parents Edward Bruce, 10th Earl of Elgin
Katherine Cochrane
Military career
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 1943–46, 1951–65, 1976–86
Rank Colonel
Service number 293466
Unit Scots Guards
Battles/wars Second World War
Awards Order of the Thistle
Canadian Forces' Decoration
Order of St. Olav

Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin and 15th Earl of Kincardine, KT, CD, JP, DL (born 17 February 1924), styled Lord Bruce before 1968, is a Scottish peer and Chief of Clan Bruce.

Background and education

The eldest son of the 10th Earl of Elgin and the Honourable Katherine Elizabeth Cochrane, daughter of the 1st Baron Cochrane of Cults, he was educated at Eton and at Balliol College, Oxford. On 12 September 1943, Bruce was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd (Armoured) Bn Scots Guards 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.

On 4 April 1951, he was appointed an instructor in the Army Cadet Force, with the rank of Lieutenant. In July 1963, by then the County Cadet Commandant for Fife, he was awarded the Cadet Forces Medal. He resigned his commission on 19 April 1965, retaining the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel. Since 1970, he has been Colonel-in-Chief of the 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins), 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.

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. In 1981 HM The Queen appointed him as a Knight of the Thistle. He was awarded the Canadian Forces' Decoration in 1981, and the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1994. 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.

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.

Lord Elgin is Chief of Clan Bruce and President of the Bruce Family Organization which is the main association for members of the Bruce family.

Honours

Ribbon - 1939-45 Star.png France and Germany Star BAR.svg Defence Medal BAR.svg Ribbon - War Medal.png

UK Queen EII Coronation Medal ribbon.svg UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg

UK Queen EII Platinum Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Cadet Forces Medal ribbon.png CD-ribbon and 4 bars.png St. Olavs Orden stripe.svg

Ribbon Description Notes
Order of the Thistle UK ribbon.svg Order of the Thistle (KT)
  • Knight
  • 1981
Ribbon - 1939-45 Star.png 1939–1945 Star
France and Germany Star BAR.svg France and Germany Star
Defence Medal BAR.svg Defence Medal
Ribbon - War Medal.png War Medal
UK Queen EII Coronation Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
  • 1953
UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
  • 1977
  • UK Version of this Medal
UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
  • 2002
  • UK Version of this Medal
QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • 2012
  • UK Version of this Medal
UK Queen EII Platinum Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal
  • 2022
  • UK Version of this Medal
Cadet Forces Medal ribbon.png Cadet Forces Medal
  • July 1963
CD-ribbon and 4 bars.png Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)
  • 1981
  • With 4 Clasps
St. Olavs Orden stripe.svg Order of St. Olav
  • 1994

Honorary Military Appointments

Military Branch Date Regiment Position
Canada Canadian Army 1970 – Present 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins) Colonel-in-Chief
United Kingdom British Army 1976 – 1986 153 (Highland) Transport Regiment (TA) Honorary Colonel
Canada 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:

  • Charles Edward Bruce, styled Lord Bruce, married three times: 1) m. 1990 Amanda Grimes née Movius (divorced 1996) 2) m. 5 July 2001 Dr. Alice Enders 3) m. 19 August 2023 Sheree Cosgrove
  • The Hon. Alexander Bruce
  • The Hon. Adam Bruce
  • The Lady Georgina Bruce
  • The Lady Antonia Bruce

The Countess of Elgin is a Patron of the Royal Caledonian Ball. The Earl succeeded to the earldoms and other family titles on the death of his father in 1968.

The Earl celebrated his 100th birthday on the 17 February 2024. He was interviewed by the BBC as part of a project to record the memories of World War II veterans, marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June 2024.

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