Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton

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Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton, 5th Duke of Brandon and 2nd Baron Hamilton of Hameldon KT was a Scottish peer, nobleman, and politician.

Hamilton was born at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the son of the 6th Duke of Hamilton and his wife, Elizabeth Gunning. He attended Eton from 1763 to 1767 and on the death of his brother in 1769, he succeeded to the title of Duke of Hamilton. He also inherited his mother's title of Baron Hamilton of Hameldon when she died in 1790.

Between 1772 and 1776, he lived in Europe with Dr. John Moore and his son the future Sir John Moore, hero of Corunna. On his return, aged 21, he married the beautiful Elizabeth Anne Burrell (b 20 April 1757), fourth daughter of Peter Burrell, in London on 5 April 1778. The new Duchess was a sister of the future 1st Baron Gwydyr, the Countess of Beverley, and the future Duchess of Northumberland. Hamilton's mother disapproved of the match, possibly because she had hoped for a better match for her handsome son. The Duchess of Argyll was of the opinion that 'the daughter of a private gentleman, however accomplished, was not qualified to be allied to her' even though she herself had been a mere Miss Gunning and Irish at that. The couple are portrayed in an affectionate pose, but they had no children in 16 years of marriage.

The Duke gradually sank into dissipation. In 1794, the couple eventually divorced, by Act of Parliament after 16 years of marriage. The Duchess initiated the divorce on the grounds of his adultery with actress Mrs Esten since 1793, but also previous adultery with an unnamed lady (Frances Twysden, wife of the Earl of Eglinton and sister of the Countess of Jersey) since 1787. Lord Eglinton had divorced his wife 6 February 1788 on grounds of her adultery with the Duke, after she had borne a child, possibly Lady Susannah Montgomerie (1788-1805) supposed to be the Duke's. Thus, the Duchess could have used the Eglinton divorce to support her own case. However, she did not, and used a later dalliance with a virtually unknown actress. The 1794 divorce is thus a curious one, and apparently one agreed on beforehand, according to Lawrence Stone in his book Alienated Affections: Divorce and Separation in Scotland 1684-1830. The Duke did not defend, and the Duchess obtained her divorce since she had left her husband a year earlier.

The Duke died without remarrying, even though he apparently fathered an illegitimate daughter by his mistress the actress Harriet Pye Bennett (at the time called Mrs. Esten), in 1796. Steptoe also credits him with another child, born circa 1788, with Lady Eglinton.

The Duchess remarried one year after his death, to the 1st Marquess of Exeter (d 1804) as his third wife. She had no children, and died 17 January 1837.

Hamilton died in 1799, aged 43 at Hamilton Palace and was buried in the family mausoleum at Hamilton, Scotland. Without legitimate issue, his ducal title passed to his uncle, Archibald and his barony passed to his half-brother, George. The Duke however left the contents of Hamilton Palace to his illegitimate daughter by Mrs Esten, Anne Douglas-Hamilton, later Lady Rossmore (born c. 1796 – died 1844 without issue). The new Duke was forced to buy them back.

The Duke is also noted for being an early patron of the future Sir John Moore, hero of Corruna, whose parliamentary and military career was sponsored by the Hamiltons from 1779. The dance "Hamilton House" is also said to be named for the 8th Duke and his duchess, with the changes of partner echoing the infidelities of both.[10] Finally, the Duke was the first Duke of Hamilton to be seated in Parliament as Duke of Brandon (a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that entitled him to a seat in the House of Lords, not as a Scottish Representative Peer).

He succeeded to the title of 5th Baron of Dutton [G.B., 1711] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 5th Duke of Brandon [G.B., 1711] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 5th Lord Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest [S., 1633] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 5th Marquess of Douglas [S., 1633] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 5th Earl of Angus [S., 1633] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 8th Earl of Arran and Cambridge [S., 1643] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 8th Marquess of Clydesdale [S., 1643] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 8th Duke of Hamilton [S., 1643] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 7th Lord Machansyre and Polmont [S., 1639] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 7th Earl of Lanark [S., 1639] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 8th Lord Aven and Innerdale [S., 1643] on 7 July 1769. He held the office of Keeper of Linlithgow Palace in 1777. In 1782 he was adjudged entitled to sit in the British House of Lords. He was invested as a Knight, Order of the Thistle (K.T.) on 23 December 1785. He succeeded to the title of 2nd Baron Hamilton of Hameldon, co. Leicester [G.B., 1776] on 20 December 1790. He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire between 1794 and 1799. He and Harriet Pye Bennett were associated circa 1795. He gained the rank of Colonel in 1798 in the service of the British Army.

According to Cokayne, "Dr. Moore wrote of his charge during their travels in Europe, 'he has many amenable Qualities and an excellent understanding-his fort is Quickness and penetration into character which often surpises me; his foible is a love of show and an uncontrollable desire for every new object, but however becomes insipid as soon as it is acquired ... He is not fond of the Company of his Superiors either in Rank or Understanding. The first put him under Restarint and the others offend his amour propre ... he is sometimes pevish yet his Temper is not bad, and his dispositions aremuch better than his Temper. He cannot bear contradiction, nad is subject to violent gusts of Passion but is incapable of harbouring malice or Revenge ... The Duke is fitted for the best Company in every sense of the word-among such he is Polite, Modest and Judicious. But with the other class his behaviour may be construed as self-sufficient, arrogant and capricious."

Cockayne adds "Lady North writes to Lady Gower on 4 Oct. 1772, 'the Duke of Hamilton is a very pretty young man, perfectly unaffected and well bred, and I dare say will turn out vastly well'. In the Royal Register, 1781, it is stated that his marriage was carried out in opposition not only to the wishes but to the strategems of the Duke's mother, who 'was of the opinion that the daughter of a private gentleman, however accomplished, was not qualified to be alllied to her. Her first husband however was of a different obscurity. It is confidently said that the Duke is now heartily sick of the adventure'. He was fond of boxing, and of low company, and gave dinners to hackney coachmen. 'This nobleman was one of the handsomest men of his day, but having allowed himself to be led astray by the spirit of dissipation, his health was gradually undermined and he died in 1799 in the flower of his age.' "