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Charles, the younger son of Charles 3rd Duke of Queensberry, became
Earl of Drumlanrig in 1754 on his brother's accidental death.
Lord Charles Douglas, of Kellwood, Dumfries was born 17 July 1726,
the 2nd son of Charles, 3rd Duke of Queensberry and 2nd of Dover, by
Lady Catherine Hyde, daughter of Henry, 4th Earl of Clarendon.
He was educated at Winchester 1734-41, Westminster 1742 and Oxfrd 1745.
Unmarried, he succeeded his brother Henry in the courtesy title of Earl
of Drumlanrig 19 Oct. 1754.
From early in 1752 Lord Charles’s
health was precarious, but he stood for re-election in 1754 and was
returned unopposed, being listed by Dupplin as a Government supporter.
On 19 Oct. 1754 he was travelling south from Scotland with his parents
and Lord and Lady Drumlanrig, when his brother accidentally shot
himself. Lord Charles thereby became the eldest son of a Scottish peer,
but the question of his disqualification as a Scottish M.P. seems to
have been held in abeyance until it was certain that no posthumous heir
would be born to Drumlanrig’s widow, and a new writ was not issued until
8 Nov. 1755.
He was chosen M.P. for the
county of Dumfries, at the general election of 1747, and re-elected in 1754.
Having gone to Lisbon on account of his health, he was in that city when the
celebrated earthquake took place, 1st November 1755.
He returned home the
following year, and died, 24th October 1756, unmarried.
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