Under the reforms of the House of Lords Act 1999, the majority of hereditary peers became ineligible to be members of the House of Lords, the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Section 2 of the Act, however, provides an exception from this general exclusion of membership for up to 92 hereditary peers: 90 to be elected by the House, as well as the holders of two royal offices, the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain, who sit as ex officio members. The initial cohort of excepted hereditary peers were elected in the 1999 House of Lords elections. Between 1999 and November 2002, vacancies among this group were filled by runners-up in the 1999 election. Since then, by-elections to the House of Lords have filled vacancies.
Candidature for both the 1999 elections and subsequent by-elections is restricted to peers in the Peerages of England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Peers in the Peerage of Ireland are only eligible for election if they hold a title in one of the other peerages, but if successful may use their Irish peerage title as a member of the House. The electorates are either the whole membership of the House of Lords (including life peers), or a party group of sitting hereditary peers. A standing order of the House, approved prior to the commencement of the House of Lords Act 1999, mandates that the 90 elected hereditary peers consist of:[1]
By convention, whole-House elections elect members of the same affiliation as the departed peer.[2]
These numbers elected by each group reflected the relative strengths of the parties among hereditary peers in 1999; this allocation has remained unchanged since then. The fifteen peers elected by the whole House were intended to provide a group of experienced members ready to serve as deputy speakers or other officers.
A small number of hereditary peers sit in the Lords by virtue of their being granted life peerages (see listing). These are not listed below.
The Earl Marshal is an hereditary post held by the Duke of Norfolk.
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|
| Miles Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk | ||
| Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk | present | |
The Lord Great Chamberlain is a hereditary office in gross post among the Cholmondeley, Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby and Carington families.
In 1902 it was ruled by the House of Lords that the then joint office holders (the 1st Earl of Ancaster, the 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley, and the Earl Carrington, later Marquess of Lincolnshire) had to agree on a deputy to exercise the office, subject to the approval of the Sovereign. Should there be no such agreement, the Sovereign should appoint a deputy until an agreement be reached.[3]
In 1912 an agreement was reached. The office, or right to appoint the person to exercise the office, would thereafter rotate among the three joint office holders and their heirs after them, changing at the start of each successive reign. Cholmondeley and his heirs would serve in every other reign; Ancaster and Carrington would each serve once in four reigns.[4]
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|
| David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley | ||
| Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington | present | |
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Died | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Makgill, 13th Viscount of Oxfuird | Conservative | 1986 | 1999 | |||
| Morys Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare | Conservative | 1957 | 1999 | |||
| David Kenworthy, 11th Baron Strabolgi | Labour | 1953 | 1999 | |||
| Geoffrey Russell, 4th Baron Ampthill | Crossbencher | 1973 | 1999 | |||
| Hugh Mackay, 14th Lord Reay | Conservative | 1963 | 1999 | |||
| Robert Methuen, 7th Baron Methuen | Liberal Democrats | 1994 | 1999 | |||
| Charles Lyell, 3rd Baron Lyell | Conservative | 1960 | 1999 | |||
| Roger Bootle-Wilbraham, 7th Baron Skelmersdale | Conservative | 1973 | 1999 | |||
| Jan David Simon, 3rd Viscount Simon | Labour | 1993 | 1999 | |||
| Michael Brougham, 5th Baron Brougham and Vaux | Conservative | 1968 | 1999 | |||
Pursuant to section 1 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Resigned | Died | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar | Crossbencher | 1975 | 1999 | |||||
| Rodney Elton, 2nd Baron Elton | Conservative | 1973 | 1999 | |||||
| Nicholas Lowther, 2nd Viscount Ullswater | Conservative | 1966 | 2003 | George Makgill, 13th Viscount of Oxfuird | ||||
| Anthony Hamilton-Smith, 3rd Baron Colwyn | Conservative | 1966 | 1999 | |||||
| Lucius Cary, 15th Viscount Falkland | Crossbencher | 1984 | 1999 | |||||
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Vivian, 6th Baron Vivian | 1991 | 1999 | ||
| Hugh Lawson, 6th Baron Burnham | 1993 | 1999 | ||
| Charles Stourton, 26th Baron Mowbray | 1965 | 1999 | ||
| David Carnegie, 14th Earl of Northesk | 1994 | 1999 | ||
| Michael Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow | 1971 | 1999 | ||
| Robert Shirley, 13th Earl Ferrers | 1954 | 1999 | ||
| Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu | 1947 | 1999 | ||
| Roger Swinfen Eady, 3rd Baron Swinfen | 1977 | 1999 | ||
| David Douglas-Home, 15th Earl of Home | 1995 | 1999 | 22 August 2022 | |
Pursuant to section 1 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Resigned | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Lawson Johnston, 3rd Baron Luke | 1996 | 1999 | |||
| Robin Dixon, 3rd Baron Glentoran | 1995 | 1999 | |||
| John Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne | 1971 | 1999 | |||
| Bertram Bowyer, 2nd Baron Denham | 1949 | 1999 | |||
| Matthew White Ridley, 5th Viscount Ridley | 2013 | Robert Shirley, 13th Earl Ferrers | |||
| Robin Cayzer, 3rd Baron Rotherwick | 1996 | 1999 | |||
| Ivon Moore-Brabazon, 3rd Baron Brabazon of Tara | 1976 | 1999 | |||
| John Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever | 1984 | 1999 | |||
Pursuant to section 2 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Removed | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malcolm Mitchell-Thomson, 3rd Baron Selsdon | 1963 | 1999 | |||
| David Verney, 21st Baron Willoughby de Broke | 1986 | 1999 | 9 July 2024 | ||
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ziki Robertson, 11th Baroness Wharton | 1990 | 1999 | ||
| Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon | 1987 | 1999 | ||
| Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness Strange | 1986 | 1999 | ||
| Davina Ingrams, 18th Baroness Darcy de Knayth | 1963 | 1999 | ||
| Christopher Bathurst, 3rd Viscount Bledisloe | 1979 | 1999 | ||
| Mark Colville, 4th Viscount Colville of Culross | 1954 | 1999 | ||
| John Monson, 11th Baron Monson | 1958 | 1999 | ||
| John Wilson, 2nd Baron Moran | 1977 | 1999 | ||
| Michael Allenby, 3rd Viscount Allenby | 1984 | 1999 | ||
| John Slim, 2nd Viscount Slim | 1970 | 1999 | ||
| Adrian Palmer, 4th Baron Palmer | 1990 | 1999 | ||
Pursuant to section 1 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | Qualifying title, if different from highest title | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Resigned | Died | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Lytton Cobbold, 2nd Baron Cobbold | 1987 | Ziki Robertson, 11th Baroness Wharton | |||||
| Roger Chorley, 2nd Baron Chorley | 1987 | Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon | |||||
| Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun | 1979 | 1999 | |||||
| William Lloyd George, 3rd Viscount Tenby | 1983 | 1999 | |||||
| David Montgomery, 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein | 1976 | Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness Strange | |||||
| Robert Walpole, 10th Baron Walpole | 1989 | 1999 | |||||
| Edward Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley | 1976 | 1999 | |||||
| Christopher James, 5th Baron Northbourne | 1982 | 1999 | |||||
| Francis Hare, 6th Earl of Listowel | Baron Hare | 1997 | 1999 | ||||
| Raymond Jolliffe, 5th Baron Hylton | 1968 | 1999 | |||||
| John Montagu, 11th Earl of Sandwich | 1995 | 1999 |
Pursuant to section 2 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Suenson-Taylor, 3rd Baron Grantchester | 1995 | Michael Milner, 2nd Baron Milner of Leeds | |
| Stephen Benn, 3rd Viscount Stansgate | 2021 | Nicolas Rea, 3rd Baron Rea | |
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Milner, 2nd Baron Milner of Leeds | 1967 | 1999 | ||
| Nicolas Rea, 3rd Baron Rea | 1982 | 1999 | ||
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominic Hubbard, 6th Baron Addington | 1982 | 1999 | |
| Patrick Boyle, 10th Earl of Glasgow | 1984 | Conrad Russell, 5th Earl Russell | |
| John Archibald Sinclair, 3rd Viscount Thurso | 1995 | Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury | |
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conrad Russell, 5th Earl Russell | 1987 | 1999 | ||
| Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury | 1971 | 1999 | ||
, the party affiliations of the elected hereditary peers are as follows:[6]
| Affiliation | Elected by | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Crossbench | Labour | ||||||
| 37[7] [8] | – | – | – | 9 | 46 | |||
| Crossbenchers | 2 | 27[9] | – | – | 3[10] | 32 | ||
| – | – | 2 | – | 2 | 4 | |||
| – | – | – | 3 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 2 | – | – | – | – | 2 | |||
| Total | 41 | 27 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 88 | ||