George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland

His Grace The Duke of Sutherland KT, PC
The Duke of Sutherland.
Under-Secretary of State for Air
In office 31 October 1922 – 22 January 1924
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Andrew Bonar Law Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	The Lord Gorell
Succeeded by	William Leach
Paymaster-General
In office 28 January 1925 – 2 December 1928
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	Vacant
Succeeded by	The Earl of Onslow
Under-Secretary of State for War
In office 2 December 1928 – 4 June 1929
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	The Earl of Onslow
Succeeded by	The Earl De La Warr
Personal details
Born	29 August 1888
Died	1 February 1963
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	(1) Lady Eileen Butler (1891–1943) (2) Clare Josephine O'Brian

George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland KT, PC (29 August 1888 – 1 February 1963), styled Earl Gower until 1892 and Marquess of Stafford between 1892 and 1913, was a British courtier, patron of the film industry and Conservative politician. He held minor office in the Conservative administration of Andrew Bonar Law and Stanley Baldwin in the 1920s and was later Lord Steward of the Household from 1935 to 1936. He was also a noted patron of the British film industry with the Sutherland Trophy named in his honour.

Background

Sutherland was the eldest son of Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland, by Lady Millicent St Clair-Erskine, daughter of Robert St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn.

Political career

Sutherland succeeded his father in the dukedom in 1913 and took his seat in the House of Lords. The same year he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Sutherland (succeeding his father), which he remained until 1944. He was Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1921 and then served in the Conservative governments of Andrew Bonar Law and Stanley Baldwin as Under-Secretary of State for Air from 1922 to 1924, as Paymaster-General from 1925 to 1928, and as Under-Secretary of State for War from 1928 to 1929. He was appointed a Knight of the Thistle in 1929. In 1936 he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Lord Steward of the Household, a post he held until 1937.

Sutherland was the first Chairman of the British Film Institute, from 1933 to 1936, and remained its patron until his death. From 1958, the BFI awarded the Sutherland Trophy, named after him, to "the maker of the most original and imaginative film introduced at the National Film Theatre during the year".

Family

Sutherland married, firstly, Lady Eileen Gwladys Butler, daughter of Charles Butler, 7th Earl of Lanesborough, on 11 April 1912. After her death in 1943 he married, secondly, Clare Josephine O'Brian, on 1 July 1944. Sutherland died in 1963, aged 74, and without issue. His titles were divided according to their patents: the Earldom of Sutherland and Lordship of Strathnaver passed to his niece, only daughter of Lord Alastair Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Elizabeth Sutherland, 24th Countess of Sutherland, while the remainder of his titles passed to the heir male, a distant relative, the Earl of Ellesmere.

He was a notorious womaniser, and Barbara Cartland claimed that he was possibly the father of her daughter Raine Spencer, Princess Diana's stepmother, although she also thought Prince George was a contender.^{[citation needed]}

References

Political offices
Preceded by The Lord Gorell	Under-Secretary of State for Air 1922 – 1924	Succeeded by William Leach
Vacant Title last held by Harry Gosling	Paymaster General 1925 – 1928	Succeeded by The Earl of Onslow
Preceded by The Earl of Onslow	Under-Secretary of State for War 1928 – 1929	Succeeded by The Earl De La Warr
Court offices
Preceded by The Earl of Shaftesbury	Lord Steward 1936 – 1937	Succeeded by The Duke of Buccleuch
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Duke of Sutherland	Lord Lieutenant of Sutherland 1913 – 1944	Succeeded by G. C. B. Paynter
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower	Duke of Sutherland 1913 – 1963	Succeeded by John Egerton
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower	Earl of Sutherland 1913 – 1963	Succeeded by Elizabeth Millicent Leveson-Gower