Earl of Rosebery

## TheEarldom of Rosebery*held with*Earldom of Midlothian

The arms of the Earl and Countess of Rosebery.

Viscount of Rosebery
Viscount of Inverkeithing
Viscount Mentmore
Lord Primrose and Dalmeny
Baron Rosebery
Baron Epsom

**Earl of Rosebery** is a title in the Peerage of Scotland created in 1703 for **Archibald Primrose, 1st Viscount of Rosebery**, with remainder to his issue male and female successively. Its name comes from Roseberry Topping, a hill near Archibald's wife's estates in Yorkshire. The current earl is Meyers Primrose, 6th Earl of Rosebery.

The family seat is Dalmeny House, near Dalmeny, West Lothian, in Scotland. They also reside at Mentmore Towers, near Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, in England.

## History

Archibald, the first Earl, was the fourth and youngest son of Sir Archibald Primrose, 1st Baronet, a Lord of Session under the title Lord Carrington, whose eldest son William was the father of James Primrose, who was created Viscount of Primrose in 1703. Archibald had already been created **Lord Primrose and Dalmeny** and **Viscount of Rosebery** in 1700, with remainder to his issue male and female successively, and in default thereof to the heirs of entail in the lands of Rosebery, and was made **Lord Dalmeny** and **Viscount of Inverkeithing** at the same time as he was given the earldom (and with similar remainders). These titles were also in the Peerage of Scotland.

He was succeeded by his son, James Primrose, the second Earl. In 1741, on the death of his cousin **Hugh Primrose, 3rd Viscount Primrose**, he succeeded as fifth **Baronet of Carrington**. Hugh's son, **Neil Primrose**, the third Earl, sat in the House of Lords as a Scottish Representative Peer from 1768 to 1784. He was succeeded by his son, **Archibald John Primrose, the fourth Earl**. He represented Helston and Cashel in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom and served as Lord Lieutenant of Linlithgowshire. In 1828, he was created **Baron Rosebery**, of Rosebery in the County of Edinburgh, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, which gave him and his descendants an automatic seat in the House of Lords.

His grandson, **Archibald Philip Primrose, the fifth Earl**, was a prominent Liberal politician. He served as Foreign Secretary in 1886 and between 1892 and 1894 and as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom between 1894 and 1895. In 1911, he was honoured when he was created **Baron Epsom**, of Hyde in the County of Surrey, **Viscount Mentmore**, of Mentmore in the County of Buckingham, and **Earl of Midlothian**, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Lord Rosebery was married to **Hannah de Rothschild**, the wealthy daughter and heiress of **Baron Mayer Amschel de Rothschild**.

## Familial Relations

The Primroses are related to both noble and working families in Scotland and England. They are related to the Earldom of Dirletoun through the 6th Earl's marriage to Lady Margaret Maxwell.

The Earl and Countess' eldest child and son—Henry, Lord Dalmeny, married Hon. Elizabeth Sandilands, who was the daughter of the Baron Abercrombie. Lady Sophia Primrose's marriage to the Hon. Joseph Pennington, made them related to the Baron Muncaster. And the current marriage of Lady Augusta Primrose's to Mr. James Lewis made them related to the working-class Lewis Family.

## List of The Earls of Rosebery

* **Archibald Primrose, 1st Earl of Rosebery** - original holder of the title.
* **James Primrose, 2nd Earl of Rosebery** - eldest son of the 1st Earl.
* **Neil Primrose, 3rd Earl of Rosebery** - cousin of the 2nd Earl.
* **Archibald John Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery** - eldest son of the 3rd Earl.
* **Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery & 1st Earl of Midlothian** - grandson of the 4th Earl.
* **Meyers Primrose, 6th Earl of Rosebery & 2nd Earl of Midlothian** - current holder of the title, only son of the 5th Earl.

## Current Line of Succession

* **Meyers Primrose**, 6th Earl of Rosebery & 2nd Earl of Midlothian (b. 1865)
	+ (1) **Henry Meyers Primrose**, Lord Dalmeny (b. 1899)
		- (2) **Caspian Henry Primrose**, Master Dalmeny (b. 1923)
		- (3) Lord **Ronald Neil Primrose** (b. 1925)