Shane Alexander, 2nd Earl Alexander of Tunis
Encyclopedia
Shane William Desmond Alexander, 2nd Earl Alexander of Tunis (born 30 June 1935), known as Lord Rideau from 1952 to 1969, is a British
peer
of Anglo-Irish
descent.
Alexander is the eldest son of Field Marshal
Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
and Lady Margaret Bingham
(1905–1977), the daughter of the 5th Earl of Lucan
. He succeeded his father in the earldom following his death on the 16 June 1969. He was educated at Harrow
and Ashbury College
. He joined the Irish Guards
in 1954.
Alexander served as Lord in Waiting from the 8 January 1974 until the 4 March 1974 at the end of Edward Heath
's premiership. He has also been a director of the Pathfinder Financial Corporation in Toronto in 1980.
As a descendant of the Earls of Caledon
he is also in the remainder to that title and was the heir presumptive
from 1980 to 1990. The heir presumptive to the Earl Alexander of Tunis title is his brother the Hon. Brian James Alexander, CMG (born 1939) who has no children, and so is the only person in remainder to the Earldom.
Lord Alexander of Tunis lives in London
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
of Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
descent.
Alexander is the eldest son of Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis was a British military commander and field marshal of Anglo-Irish descent who served with distinction in both world wars and, afterwards, as Governor General of Canada, the 17th since Canadian...
and Lady Margaret Bingham
Margaret Alexander, Countess Alexander of Tunis
Margaret Alexander, Countess Alexander of Tunis GBE, DStJ , born Lady Margaret Bingham, was a daughter of George Bingham, Lord Bingham . On 14 October 1931, she married Hon. Harold Alexander and they had four children....
(1905–1977), the daughter of the 5th Earl of Lucan
George Bingham, 5th Earl of Lucan
Colonel George Charles Bingham, 5th Earl of Lucan GCVO, KBE, CB, PC, TD, DL , known as Lord Bingham from 1888 to 1914, was a British Conservative politician....
. He succeeded his father in the earldom following his death on the 16 June 1969. He was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Ashbury College
Ashbury College
Ashbury College is an independent day and boarding school located in Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa, Canada. It was founded in 1891 and moved to its current venue in 1910. Previously, it occupied what now houses Canadian Senate offices. It is an International Baccalaureate World School, a member of the...
. He joined the Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
in 1954.
Alexander served as Lord in Waiting from the 8 January 1974 until the 4 March 1974 at the end of Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
's premiership. He has also been a director of the Pathfinder Financial Corporation in Toronto in 1980.
As a descendant of the Earls of Caledon
Earl of Caledon
Earl of Caledon, of Caledon, County Tyrone, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1800 for James Alexander, 1st Viscount Caledon. He was a merchant who had made an enormous fortune in India. He also represented the constituency of Londonderry City in the Irish House of Commons...
he is also in the remainder to that title and was the heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
from 1980 to 1990. The heir presumptive to the Earl Alexander of Tunis title is his brother the Hon. Brian James Alexander, CMG (born 1939) who has no children, and so is the only person in remainder to the Earldom.
Marriages and children
He was married twice: firstly to Hilary van Geest on the 14 July 1971 until the marriage was dissolved in 1976. He married secondly The Hon. Davinia Mary Woodhouse the daughter of the James Woodhouse, 4th Baron Terrington, on the 22 July 1981, he has two daughters from his second marriage.- Lady Rose Margaret Alexander (born 1982)
- Lady Lucy Caroline Alexander (born 1984)
Lord Alexander of Tunis lives in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.