Earl of Carnarvon is a title that has been created three times in British history. The first creation came in the Peerage of England

Peerage of England

The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....

 in 1628 in favour of Robert Dormer, 2nd Baron Dormer

Robert Dormer, 1st Earl of Carnarvon

Robert Dormer, 1st Earl of Carnarvon was an English peer. He was the son of Sir William Dormer, and thus a grandson of Robert Dormer, 1st Baron Dormer. His mother was Alice Molyneux, daughter of Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Bt. and Frances Gerard...

. For more information on this creation, which became extinct in 1709, see the Baron Dormer

Baron Dormer

Baron Dormer, of Wyng or Wenge in the County of Buckingham, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created on 30 June 1615 for Sir Robert Dormer, 1st Baronet. He had only twenty days earlier, on 10 June 1615, been created a Baronet, of Wenge in the County of Buckingham, in the Baronetage of...

.
The title was created again in 1714 in the Peerage of Great Britain

Peerage of Great Britain

The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...

 for James Brydges, 9th Baron Chandos

James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos

James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, MP, PC was the first of fourteen children by Sir James Brydges, 3rd Baronet of Wilton Castle, Sheriff of Herefordshire, 8th Baron Chandos; and Elizabeth Barnard...

. In 1719 he was further honoured when he was made Marquess of Carnarvon and Duke of Chandos. For more information on this creation, which became extinct in 1789, see the Duke of Chandos

Duke of Chandos

The title Baron Chandos has been created twice in the Peerage of England. It was first created in 1337 when Roger de Chandos was summoned to parliament. It became extinct on his death....

.

The title was created for a third time in the Peerage of Great Britain

Peerage of Great Britain

The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...

 in 1793 for Henry Herbert, 1st Baron Porchester

Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon

Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon PC , known as The Lord Porchester from 1780 to 1793, was a British Whig politician. He served as Master of the Horse from 1806 to 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents headed by Lord Grenville.-Background and education:Herbert was the son of Major-General the...

. The precise form of this creation was Earl of the Town and County of Carnarvon, in the Principality of Wales

Principality of Wales

The Principality of Wales existed between 1216 and 1542, encompassing two-thirds of modern Wales.It was formally founded in 1216 at the Council of Aberdyfi, and later recognised by the 1218 Treaty of Worcester between Llywelyn the Great of Wales and Henry III of England...

, although in practice only the style of Earl of Carnarvon is used. He had previously represented Wilton

Wilton (UK Parliament constituency)

Wilton was the name of a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1295 to 1707, then in the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of the Parliament of the...

 in the House of Commons

British House of Commons

The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...

 and had already in 1780 been created Baron Porchester, of High Clere in the County of Southampton (also in the Peerage of Great Britain). Herbert was the son of Major-General the Hon. William Herbert, fifth son of Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke

Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke

Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke, 5th Earl of Montgomery, KG, PC, FRS was a British politician during the reigns of William III and Anne....

. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He sat as Whig Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

 for Cricklade

Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)

Cricklade was a parliamentary constituency named after the town of Cricklade in Wiltshire.From 1295 until 1885, Cricklade was a parliamentary borough, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, previously to the House of Commons of...

.

His eldest son, the third Earl, briefly represented Wootton Bassett

Wootton Bassett (UK Parliament constituency)

Wootton Bassett was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1447 until 1832, when the rotten borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...

 in Parliament as a Tory

Tory

Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...

 before he succeeded his father in the earldom. His eldest son, the fourth Earl, was a prominent Conservative

Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...

 politician and served as Secretary of State for the Colonies

Secretary of State for the Colonies

The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....

 and as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...

. He was succeeded by his only son from his first marriage, the fifth Earl. He is famous for discovering the tomb of Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun , Egyptian , ; approx. 1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty , during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom...

 along with Howard Carter

Howard Carter (archaeologist)

Howard Carter was an English archaeologist and Egyptologist, noted as a primary discoverer of the tomb of Tutankhamun.-Beginning of career:...

. As of 2009 the titles are held by his great-grandson, the eighth Earl, who succeeded in 2001. As a descendant of the eighth Earl of Pembroke he is also in remainder to this peerage and its subsidiary titles.

Several other members of this branch of the Herbert family may be mentioned. The Very Reverend the Hon. William Herbert, third son of the first Earl, was a clergyman and noted botanist. His son Henry William Herbert

Henry William Herbert

Henry William Herbert , pen name Frank Forester, was an English novelist and writer on sport.-Biography:The son of the Hon. and Rev. William Herbert, Dean of Manchester , Herbert was born in London.He was educated at Eton College and at Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1830...

 was a novelist and writer on sport. Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert

Robert Herbert

Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert, GCB , was the first Premier of Queensland, Australia.-Early years:Born in Brighton, England, Herbert was the only son of the Hon. Algernon Herbert, a younger son of the first Earl of Carnarvon. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford...

, Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies

Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies

The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and, from 1948, also to a Minister of State....

 from 1871 to 1892, was the son of the Hon. Algernon Herbert

Algernon Herbert

Algernon Herbert was an English antiquary.-Biography:Herbert was the sixth and youngest son of Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon by Elizabeth Alicia Maria, elder daughter of Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont. He was educated at Eton from 1805 onwards, and progressed to Christ Church,...

, fifth son of the first Earl. The Hon. Auberon Herbert

Auberon Herbert

Auberon Edward William Molyneux Herbert was a writer, theorist, philosopher, and "19th-century individualist anarchist." A member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, Herbert was the son of the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon, brother of Henry Herbert, the 4th Earl, and father of the 9th Baron Lucas...

, second son of the third Earl, was a writer, theorist, philosopher and also represented Nottingham

Nottingham (UK Parliament constituency)

Nottingham was a parliamentary borough in Nottinghamshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295. In 1885 the constituency was abolished and the city of Nottingham divided into three single-member constituencies....

 in the House of Commons. He married Lady Florence Amabel Cowper, daughter of George Augustus Frederick Cowper, 6th Earl Cowper and his wife Anne Florence Cowper, 7th Baroness Lucas of Crudwell. In 1905 their only son Auberon Herbert succeeded his uncle as ninth Baron Lucas of Crudwell

Baron Lucas of Crudwell

The title Baron Lucas has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The second creation is extant and is currently held with the title Lord Dingwall in the Peerage of Scotland.-Lucas of Shenfield, created 1645:...

 (see this title for further history of this branch of the family). The Hon. Aubrey Herbert

Aubrey Herbert

Aubrey Nigel Henry Molyneux Herbert was a British diplomat, traveller and intelligence officer associated with Albanian independence. Twice he was offered the throne of Albania...

, second son of the fourth Earl, was Member of Parliament for South Somerset

South Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)

South Somerset was a county constituency in the county of Somerset, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....

 and for Yeovil. His son Auberon Herbert

Auberon Herbert (landowner)

Auberon Herbert was a British landowner and advocate of Eastern European causes after World War II.Herbert was the son of Aubrey Herbert, Member of Parliament , who died the year after his birth, and brother-in-law of the famous novelist, Evelyn Waugh...

 was an expert on Eastern Europe.

The town and county in Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

 to which the title refers are now usually spelt Caernavon

Caernarfon

Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...

(Welsh: Caernarfon

Caernarfon

Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...

).

The family seat is Highclere Castle

Highclere Castle

Highclere Castle is a country house in the Jacobethan style, with park designed by Capability Brown. The 1,000 acre estate is in the English county of Hampshire, about south of the border with Berkshire, and south of Newbury...

 in Hampshire

Hampshire

Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...

, which is the setting for the highly successful UK miniseries Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey is a British television period drama series, produced by NBC Universal-owned British media company Carnival Films for the ITV network. The series is set during the late Edwardian era and the First World War on the fictional estate of Downton Abbey in Yorkshire, and features an...

 created by Julian Fellowes

Julian Fellowes

Julian Alexander Kitchener-Fellowes, Baron Fellowes of West Stafford, DL , known as Julian Fellowes, is an English actor, novelist, film director and screenwriter, as well as a Conservative peer.-Early life:...

. The Countess of Carnarvon is interviewed for the "Making of..." special feature included in the PBS DVD release.

Earls of Carnarvon, Third Creation (1793)

• Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon
  Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon
  Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon PC , known as The Lord Porchester from 1780 to 1793, was a British Whig politician. He served as Master of the Horse from 1806 to 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents headed by Lord Grenville.-Background and education:Herbert was the son of Major-General the...
  
   (1741–1811)
• Henry George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon
  Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon
  Colonel Henry George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon, DL , styled The Honourable from 1780 to 1793 and subsequently Lord Porchester to 1811, was a British peer and Whig politician.-Background:...
  
   (1772–1833)
• Henry John George Herbert, 3rd Earl of Carnarvon
  Henry Herbert, 3rd Earl of Carnarvon
  Henry John George Herbert, 3rd Earl of Carnarvon FRS , known as Lord Porchester from 1811 to 1833, was a British writer, traveller and politician....
  
   (1800–1849)
• Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
  Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
  Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, PC, DL, FSA, FRS , known as Lord Porchester from 1833 to 1849, was a British politician and a leading member of the Conservative Party...
  
   (1831–1890)
• George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon
  George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon
  George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon was an English aristocrat best known as the financial backer of the search for and the excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings.-Biography:...
  
   (1866–1923)
• Henry George Alfred Marius Victor Francis Herbert, 6th Earl of Carnarvon (1898–1987)
• Henry George Reginald Molyneux Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon (1924–2001)
• George Reginald Oliver Molyneux Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon (b. 1956)

The heir apparent

Heir apparent

An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....

 is the present holder's son George Kenneth Oliver Molyneux Herbert, Lord Porchester (b. 1992).

The 8th Earl is also currently heir presumptive to the earldom of Pembroke

Earl of Pembroke

Earl of Pembroke is a title created ten times, all in the Peerage of England. It was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, which is the site of Earldom's original seat Pembroke Castle...

 and the earldom of Montgomery

Earl of Montgomery

The title Earl of Montgomery was created in the Peerage of England in 1605 for Sir Philip Herbert, younger son of the 2nd Earl of Pembroke. The first Earl inherited the Earldom of Pembroke in 1630 from his brother, the 3rd Earl, and the two titles have been united ever since.* Philip Herbert, 4th...

.