Shane Alexander, 2nd Earl Alexander of Tunis

The Right Honourable

The Earl Alexander of Tunis
The Right Honourable; The Earl Alexander of Tunis
Tenure	since 16 June 1969
Other titles	2nd Viscount Alexander of Tunis; 2nd Baron Rideau
Born	Shane William Desmond Alexander; 30 June 1935 (age 86)
Spouse(s)	Hilary Van Geest (m. 1971; div. 1976); Davina Mary Woodhouse (m. 1981);
	Issue Rose Margaret Alexander; Lucy Caroline Alexander;
Heir	Brian James Alexander
Parents	Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis; Margaret Diana Bingham;

Shane William Desmond Alexander, 2nd Earl Alexander of Tunis (born 30 June 1935), styled Lord Rideau between 1952 and 1969, is a British hereditary peer.

Biography[]

Alexander is the elder son of Field Marshal Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis and Lady Margaret Bingham (1905–1977), daughter of George Bingham, 5th Earl of Lucan. He was educated at Harrow and Ashbury College. He joined the Irish Guards in 1954.^[1] He succeeded his father in the earldom following his death on 16 June 1969.

Alexander served as a Lord-in-waiting from 8 January 1974 until 4 March 1974, at the end of Edward Heath's premiership.^[2] He has also been a director of the Pathfinder Financial Corporation (firm.dissolved 1988) in Toronto in 1980.

As a descendant of the Earls of Caledon, he is also in the remainder to that title and was the heir presumptive from 1980 to 1990.

Marriages and children[]

Alexander married firstly Hilary van Geest on 14 July 1971. They were divorced in 1976 without having had any children.

He married secondly Davinia Mary Woodhouse, daughter of David Woodhouse, 4th Baron Terrington, on 22 July 1981. She is a former lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. They have two daughters:^{[citation needed]}

Lady Rose Margaret Alexander (born 23 April 1982), a god-daughter of Princess Margaret, who married James Hardinge Houssemayne Du Boulay on 6 February 2015 and has issue;^{[citation needed]}
Lady Lucy Caroline Alexander (born 1984), who married James Shaun Christian Welbore Ellis Agar, 7th Earl of Normanton, in June 2012 and has issue.^{[citation needed]}

As Alexander has no son, the heir presumptive to his earldom is his younger brother, the Honourable Brian James Alexander, CMG (born 1939). He is the last person in line to succeed to the earldom and subsidiary titles.

References[]

^ [1]
^ Butler, D. & Butler, G. (1994) British Political Facts 1900−1994. 7th edn. Basingstoke and London: The Macmillan Press, p. 35.

External links[]

Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Harold Alexander	Earl Alexander of Tunis 1969–present	Incumbent

[1] [1]

[2] Butler, D. & Butler, G. (1994) British Political Facts 1900−1994. 7th edn. Basingstoke and London: The Macmillan Press, p. 35.

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