£11m fortune left by polo-loving Edinburgh aristocrat landowner

An aristocrat who was known for his love of polo and his efforts to support the game in Scotland left an £11m fortune to his family, it has emerged.

John Douglas, 88, the 21st Earl of Morton, died last year at his Dalmahoy estate near Edinburgh.

The earl served as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, where he spoke out on issues affecting Scotland.

He was a former chairman of the Dalmahoy Country Club, an exclusive hotel and golfing centre.

The Dalmahoy Estate has been owned by the Douglas family since around 1760.

Legal papers now show he had accrued a massive £11,064,631.55 fortune and left instructions that it be handed over to his family. The bulk of his fortune was made up from land and property, including his Dalmahoy estate.

Following his death the late Tam Dalyell, MP for West Lothian and Linlithgow from 1962 to 2005, paid tribute to him, saying: “The 21st Earl of Morton carried out his duties with charm and, where appropriate, concern for individuals.”