Chief of Clan Leslie (Rothes)

[colinp]

DPB online states that the present (22nd) Earl of Rothes is Chief of Clan Leslie.  That is contradicted by the Clan website which has a note confirming that his yr brother Hon Alexander John Leslie b 1962 is the current Clan chief.

A Letter From Chief Alex | clanlesliesociety

A Word from the Chief​

It has come to my attention that some members of Clan Leslie are, not surprisingly, confused about who is your Clan Chief and why. 

In short, my elder brother, James, the 22nd Earl of Rothes, is not Clan Chief and I, his younger brother, am. The fact is that James is interested and passionate about other things than Clan history and all that involves. 

My father Ian, the 21st Earl of Rothes, established the Clan Leslie Society with Alec Klieforth over 40 years ago and both were ardent supporters until their respective deaths. 

Just before my father’s death, and recognising that the leadership and support for the Clan and the Society was at risk, he asked me to become Chief, as was his right, in order to continue his work. I had already been to several Highland Games in North America and was a keen apprentice. 

So I became Clan Chief, with the blessing of my father, my brother and indeed the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, where I served as Vice Convenor for over 10 years. 

I am delighted that the Clan Leslie Society is now a growing and vibrant community and I am equally delighted to be a part of it. 

The Honourable Alexander Leslie, Chief of Clan Leslie

[bx...@yahoo.com]

Speaking for myself, I understand how succession to a peerage/baronetage works, but I'm unfamiliar with the succession to Clan Chiefs. 

I had always thought it was the same as with a peerage/baronetage (eldest surviving son, for the most part)   but apparently, at least judging by this case, it's not.

Would someone please explain how the succession to Clan Chiefs work?

Thanks.

Brooke

[S R Eglesfield]

See the guidance note from the Court of the Lord Lyon at https://courtofthelordlyon.scot/SuccessionofChiefsGuidanceNote.pdf. Paragraph 7 thereof states that:

" to be recognised as chief of a clan or family.......an individual [has] to be entitled to bear the undifferenced arms of the clan or family (i.e. the principal arms of the clan or family that descend from one chief to the next in undifferenced form through the generations)".

Paragraph 21 states that:

" An incumbent chief has the right to vary the original destination of the coat of arms and to nominate as successor any individual who is a direct descendant of the original grantee of the chiefly arms or of an ancient user of the chiefly arms and who falls within the destination of the arms. Such a nomination can only have effect once confirmed by the Lord Lyon."

[Richard R]

Thanks for that link. Very useful doc.

A similar case is that of Moncreiffe of that Ilk. On the death of the last Chief, the well-known Sir Iain Moncreiffe 11^th Bt, his title went to his elder son the 24^th Earl of ERROLL and 12^th Bt, while Sir Iain’s yr son became clan Chief: 

“THE HON. PEREGRINE DAVID EUAN MALCOLM MONCREIFFE OF THAT ILK, recognised by Lord Lyon King of Arms as Chief of the Name and Arms of Moncreiffe and matric arms at LO 11 Jan 2001.” See Burke’s Landed Gentry 19^th edn, Scotland p1025.

[bx...@yahoo.com]

Thank you, S R, for the link, and for the  explanation.

Brooke

[colinp]

That is interesting.  Because the chiefship (chiefdom?) is linked to the assumption of the undifferenced arms (subject to confirmation/matriculation by the Lord Lyon) this means that the Arms borne by the 21st Earl of Rothes (as depicted in Debrett's and Burke's) must now belong to Alexander Leslie and not his elder brother the 22nd Earl.  DPB online is therefore wrong to show them as the present Earl's arms - he would need to petition for differenced arms - perhaps surrounded by a bordure - if of course he is interested in such things, which he may well not be.

On the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs website , in the list of chiefs who are members, Alexander Leslie is described as "Representative" which may mean he hasn't yet received formal confirmation from Lord Lyon -  Members of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs | The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs