Michael Fergus Bowes-Lyon, 18th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, DL (born 7 June 1957) is a Scottish politician and former army officer. He was the only son of Michael Bowes-Lyon, 17th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and his wife Mary Pamela McCorquodale. He is a grandnephew of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and first cousin, once removed, of Queen Elizabeth II. He was educated at Sunningdale School, Eton, the University of Aberdeen, and RMA Sandhurst. He rose to the rank of Captain in the British Army (serving with the Scots Guards). He is currently a consultant surgeon.
He succeeded his father as 18th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in 1987. He was one of the peers excluded from the House of Lords by the House of Lords Act 1999. He has been married twice. In 1984, he married Isobel Charlotte Weatherall and had his first four sons:
- Simon Patrick Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis b. 18 June 1986
- Hon. John Fergus Bowes-Lyon b. c 1988
- Hon. Lawrence Baron Bowes-Lyon. c 1988
- Hon. George Norman Bowes-Lyon b. 1991
All descendents of Michael Bowes-Lyon have attended the prestigious Fettes College and later went on to study medicine at Glasgow University. The Strathmores separated in 2003 and a year later became embroiled in a divorce suit much publicised in the press. According to a 9 January 2005 article in "The Scotsman," the countess was battling to continue to live at Glamis Castle and to receive a lump settlement of five million pounds while the earl was described in court as an alcoholic with liver damage and for whom the continued stress of the case posed a health danger. The same article reported that a tabloid had revealed that during the earl's separation from his wife, he had hired the services of three call girls over a period of four days, behaviour that his lawyer deemed out-of-character and related to his "drinking heavily." In January 2005, Lady Strathmore dropped her demands and the divorce was finalised. He married for a second time on November 24 2005 to Dr. Damaris E. Stuart-William at the family seat of Glamis Castle and had a son:
- Hon. Toby Peter Fergus Bowes-Lyon b. 2005
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Lord Strathclyde |
Lord-in-Waiting 1989–1992 |
Succeeded by The Baroness Denton of Wakefield |
| Preceded by The Viscount Davidson |
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard 1991–1994 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Arran |
| Court offices | ||
| Preceded by Simon Mulholland |
Page of Honour to The Queen Mother 1971–1973 |
Succeeded by George Clayton |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by Michael Bowes-Lyon |
Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1987–present |
Succeeded by Current Incumbent |
| Preceded by The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Perth |
United Kingdom Order of Precedence (gentlemen) |
Succeeded by The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Haddington |
