The Scottish dukedom that vanished and was reclaimed by a distant heir

Countries & Cities · Published 9 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Roxburghe titles once fell into dormancy when a 4th Duke died without an heir. It took a 1812 ruling by the House of Lords to settle the dispute, ultimately favoring Sir James Innes-Ker and restoring the lineage that continues to hold the family seat at Floors Castle today.

The Dukedom of Roxburghe was established in 1707, when John Ker, the 5th Earl of Roxburghe, was elevated to the peerage of Scotland. This elevation brought several subsidiary titles, including the Marquessate of Bowmont and Cessford and the Earldom of Kelso. While most of the family's titles belong to the Scottish peerage, the Earldom of Innes, created in 1837, belongs to the peerage of the United Kingdom.

The lineage faced a significant crisis following the death of the 4th Duke, which left the titles dormant because no successor could prove a legal claim. The dispute was finally resolved in 1812 when the House of Lords ruled in favor of Sir James Innes-Ker, 6th Baronet, of Innes. This decision rejected claims from both the female heir of the second earl and the male heirs of the first earl.

The family's fortunes were significantly bolstered in 1903 through the marriage of the 8th Duke, Henry Innes-Ker, to the American heiress Mary Goelet. Mary was the daughter of real-estate millionaire Ogden Goelet, who had left her a substantial inheritance including $500,000 and income from a $10,000,000 trust fund. By the time the 10th Duke, Guy Innes-Ker, passed away in 2019, The Times estimated his personal wealth at approximately £132,000,000.

Today, the family maintains its seat at Floors Castle near Kelso, Scotland. The estate's grounds include the ruins of Roxburgh Castle, situated on a promontory between the Tweed and Teviot rivers. The Dukes are traditionally buried in the Roxburghe Memorial Cloister, a 20th-century addition located within the ruins of Kelso Abbey.

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