by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2015
John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll; source: Wikipedia
John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll, was the husband of Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He was born John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell, on August 6, 1845, in London, England, the eldest son of the twelve children of George Campbell, Marquess of Lorne (later 8th Duke of Argyll) and Lady Elizabeth Sutherland-Leveson-Gower (a daughter of the 2nd Duke of Sutherland). At the time of his birth, he was styled, by courtesy, Earl of Campbell. Less than two years later, his father succeeded his Duke of Argyll, and John was styled Marquess of Lorne.
Lorne (as he was typically known) had eleven younger siblings:
- Lord Archibald Campbell (1846 – 1913), married Janey Callander, had two children including Niall Campbell, 10th Duke of Argyll
- Lord Walter Campbell (1848 – 1889), married (1) Olivia Milns, no children (2) Lilian Sclater, had two children
- Lady Edith Campbell (1849 – 1913), married Henry Percy, 7th Duke of Northumberland, had thirteen children
- Lady Elisabeth Campbell (1852 – 1896), married Lt.-Col. Edward Harrison Clough-Taylor, had one daughter
- Lord George Granville Campbell (1850 – 1915), married Sybil Lascelles Alexander, had three children
- Lord Colin Campbell (1853 – 1895), married Gertrude Blood, no children, divorced
- Lady Victoria Campbell (1854 – 1910), unmarried
- Lady Evelyn Campbell (1855 – 1940), married James Baillie-Hamilton, no children
- Lady Frances Campbell (1858 – 1931), married Eustace Balfour, had five children
- Lady Mary Emma Campbell (1859 – 1947), married The Right Reverand The Honorable Edward Carr Glyn, had three children.
- Lady Constance Harriett Campbell (1864 – 1922), married Charles Emmott, no children
Lorne attended Edinburgh Academy, Eton College, The University of St. Andrews, and Trinity College, Cambridge. He also studied at the National Art Training School. He served in the House of Commons for several years, representing Argyllshire, beginning in 1868.
Engagement photo of Lorne and Princess Louise; source: Wikipedia
On March 21, 1871, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, Lorne and Princess Louise were married. The marriage was met with much opposition, as Lorne was not royal. This was the first time a daughter of a British monarch had married a commoner since 1515, when Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, married Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII. However, despite protests from some of Louise’s siblings and the Prussian court, Queen Victoria saw the marriage as an opportunity to “infuse new and healthy blood” into the Royal Family. The Queen offered Lorne a peerage (something she would do many times over the years), with the intent of resolving issues of precedence and giving him a rank closer to that of his wife. Lorne refused for several reasons – he would one day inherit the Argyll dukedom and he did not want to give up his place in the House of Commons.
The couple initially lived at Argyll House in London, England owned by Lorne’s family, and then leased a home in Grosvenor Square in London from Lorne’s uncle, the Duke of Westminster. However, the expense was somewhat beyond Lorne’s reach, and in 1873, Queen Victoria offered them a home at Kensington Palace. Apartment No.1 had been the residence of The Duchess of Inverness, the widow of Queen Victoria’s uncle The Duke of Sussex, who had recently passed away. After extensive renovations, Louise and Lorne took up residence, and this would be their primary residence for the rest of their lives. They later bought a country home, Dornden, in Kent, England. In addition, they had the use of several residences in Scotland owned by the Argyll family.
In 1878, Lorne was appointed Governor-General of Canada, where he served for five years. Lorne and Princess Louise traveled extensively throughout Canada, bringing a royal touch to the country. Although he was not always well-received, he and Louise usually managed to win over the Canadian people wherever they went. While in Canada, he and his wife contributed to the establishment of the Royal Society of Canada, the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, and the National Gallery of Canada. On his return to Britain in 1883, he published a book, Memories of Canada and Scotland.
From 1892 until his death, he was the Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle, appointed by his mother-in-law. Although more of a title than an actual job, Lorne took the position very seriously and ensured that he earned the £12,000 salary that came with the position. Lorne wrote an extensive history of the castle – The Governor’s Guide to Windsor Castle.
In 1895, Lorne and Louise purchased Rosneath Castle in Scotland, from his father. The property had been mostly unused for several years, and his father had attempted several times to sell it. Thanks in part to his wife’s dowry, Lorne was able to purchase it outright, and it would become the couple’s home in Scotland until he succeeded to the Dukedom. After his death, it would become Louise’s dower home as well. Also in 1895, Lorne was again elected to Parliament, serving in the House of Commons representing Manchester South.
On April 24, 1900, Lorne succeeded his father as the 9th Duke of Argyll. Among many other titles, he also became Hereditary Master of the Royal Household in Scotland, Admiral of the Western Coasts and Isles, Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, and Lord-Lieutenant of Argyllshire. Most important of all, Lorne was now Chief of the Clan Campbell.
Despite the huge step up in prominence, Lorne’s financial situation was still quite strained. Facing massive inheritance taxes after his father’s death, the new Duke of Argyll managed to maintain Rosneath and the family seat, Inveraray Castle. When not in residence, he often leased both out to help meet the expense, and the couple lived primarily at Kensington Palace and at Kent Cottage on the grounds of Osborne House.
Lorne published several books through the years. His first was a book of poetry in 1875, Guido and Lita – A Tale of the Riviera, and others included several books about Canada and his family history. After Queen Victoria’s death, he agreed to write a serialized biography of her to be published in monthly installments – V.R.I Queen Victoria, Her Life and Empire.
Argyll Mausoleum attached to St Munn’s Church; Credit – Wikipedia
Lorne’s later years were spent managing the Argyll estates and fulfilling his role in the House of Lords. The Duke of Argyll died on May 2, 1914, at Kent House on the Isle of Wight. He is buried in the Argyll Mausoleum at St. Munn’s Church in Kilmun, Scotland. His wife survived him by 25 years and is buried in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore.
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