Murray Beauclerk, 14th Duke of St Albans

Murray de Vere Beauclerk, 14th Duke of St Albans (19 January 1939 – 22 April 2026), styled Earl of Burford from 1964 to 1988, was a British hereditary peer and chartered accountant. He sat as a Conservative member of the House of Lords from 1988 until the House of Lords Act 1999.

Early life and education Born on 19 January 1939, Beauclerk was the eldest son of Charles Beauclerk, later 13th Duke of St Albans, and the only child from his first marriage to Nathalie Chatham Walker. He was a descendant of Charles II and Nell Gwyn through their illegitimate son, Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans. He was the senior representative of the House of de Vere.

Beauclerk was educated at Tonbridge School in Kent. In 1964, his father succeeded his second cousin Osborne as 13th Duke of Albans, with Murray acquiring the courtesy title of Earl of Burford.

In 1988, St Albans succeeded his father as 14th Duke of St Albans. The dukedom comes with the honorary position of Hereditary Grand Falconer of England which entitled him to an annual haunch of venison from Richmond Park. This was terminated by Tony Blair's Culture Secretary Chris Smith. During the debates over the Act, His son and heir Earl of Burford decried the bill from the woolsack and was escorted from the House.

In 2015, he and other British dukes were the subject of the documentary film Modern Times: The Last Dukes. St Albans, billed in the film as ‘The Landless Duke’, appeared, along with his wife Gillian, son Charles and Charles’ future wife Sarah. In the film, the duke and duchess’ coronets and robes are displayed, as well as a portrait of the Duke touched robes with a falcon and glimpses inside the Duke and Duchess’ terraced house in London.

From 1989 to his death, St Albans served as governor-general of the Royal Stuart Society, a monarchist organisation with Jacobite ties.

Marriages and children

St Albans was married three times. On 31 January 1963, he married Rosemary Frances Scoones. They were divorced in 2001. at the age of 87. It was described as ‘fitting’’ that his death should occur on the eve of the birth and death of William Shakespeare, given that St Albans was an Oxfordian. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his son Charles.

Arms