Lord Claud Hamilton

Who was Lord Claud Hamilton?

Lord Claud Nigel Hamilton, GCVO, CMG, DSO was a British soldier and courtier.

Lord Claud was the youngest son of James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn and was educated at Wellington College. In 1907, he joined the 3rd Battalion of the Scots Guards as a Second Lieutenant and transferred to the Grenadier Guards in 1909. In 1908, he was promoted to Captain and during World War I, was mentioned in despatches in 1914 for having "commanded a machine-gun for five days and nights without relief" and made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. In 1916, he was made an MVO and in 1918, an Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy and awarded the Croix de guerre. A year later, he was employed as an equerry to Edward, Prince of Wales and made a CMG in 1920 for services to The Prince on his overseas visits.

In 1921, Lord Claud was promoted as Deputy Master of the Household, made an Extra Equerry to King George V a year later and an Equerry in 1924. In 1932, he was promoted to a CVO and a GCVO in 1937. In 1936, he was one of the escorters of the gun carriage at the King's funeral and became Queen Mary's Comptroller, Treasurer and Extra Equerry that year. He served in these offices until her death in 1953, when he became an Extra Equerry to Elizabeth II until his own death in 1975.