General Alexander Thomas Seymour-Stewart, 20th Duke of Somerset, KCB, GCVO, CBE PC (born 18 May 1955) is a retired senior British Army officer, courtier and former Chief of the Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces. He served as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod from 14 July 2016 until 9 September 2016. He is the nephew of William Stewart, 17th Duke of Somerset, first cousin of Henry Stewart, 18th Duke of Somerset and first cousin once removed of Charles Stewart, 19th Duke of Somerset. Following the supposed death of his first cousin once removed, the 19th Duke, on the 23rd of December 2016, Alexander became the 20th Duke of Somerset. He inherited the Dukedom of Somerset from his first cousin once removed on 16 April 2018.
Early life
He was born on 18 May 1955 to Lord Nicholas Stewart and his wife Hon. Priscilla Buchan, daughter of John Norman Stuart Buchan, 2nd Baron Tweedsmuir and Priscilla Jean Fortescue Thomson, Baroness Tweedsmuir of Belhelvie. He was educated at Eton College and Stowe School. He graduated from St Peter's College, Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History in 1977, having taken the degree whilst serving in the army.
Military career
Stewart attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and commissioned into the Scots Guards as a second lieutenant. He became Lieutenant on 9 March 1976, Captain on 9 September 1980, Major on 30 September 1986, Lieutenant-Colonel on 30 June 1991, Brigadier on 31 December 1991, Major-General on 26 July 2002, Lieutenant-General on 14 October 2005 and General on 5 May 2009.
He has served as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff from 2004 to 5 May 2009, when he became Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff until 18 July 2013, when he became Chief of the Defence Staff until 14 July 2016. He served as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod from 14 July 2016 until 9 September 2016.
Royal household
Stewart joined the Royal Household on 1 January 2016 as Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office until 9 September 2016. From 7 August 1998-1 January 2016 he was an Extra Equerry to The Queen.
The Duke was appointed as Lord Chamberlain on 8 January 2019.
Personal life
On September 1, 2016, he was appointed as the Lord Prior of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. He has served as the Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset since 20 September 2018.
He is married to Lady Mary Teresa Lorraine Onslow, daughter of William Arthur Bampfylde Onslow, 6th Earl of Onslow and Hon. Pamela Louisa Eleanor Dillon. They have two sons:
- Oliver Aubrey Seymour Stewart (born 18 October 1982)
His surname was changed to Seymour-Stewart from the triple barrelled Stewart-Seymour-Somerset.
He has served as Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire since 10 March 2018.
Titles and styles
18 May 1955 - 14 October 2005: Alexander Stewart, Esq. (with relevant military titles)
14 October 2005 - 23 December 2016: Sir Alexander Stewart (with relevant military titles)
23 December 2016 - 3 April 2017: The Duke of Somerset (fake death of cousin)
3 April 2017 - 16 April 2018: General Sir Alexander Stewart KCB CVO CBE
16 April 2018 - present: His Grace The Duke of Somerset KCB CVO CBE
Subsidiary titles
The Duke's full titles and styles are as follows: The Most High, Potent and Noble Prince, His Grace The Duke of Somerset, Marquess of Hertford, Earl of Galloway, Baron Seymour, Lord of Garlies, Baronet of Corsewell and Burray, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Noble Order of the Bath, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and Commander of the British Empire
Ancestry
The Duke is the great-great-grandson of the Tory Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury and a first cousin three times removed to Tory Prime Minister Arthur Balfour. He is a third cousin to Diana, Princess of Wales, via them both being the great-great-grandchildren of Vice-Admiral Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer. Thus, he is a third cousin once removed to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry and a third cousin twice removed to Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.