Blazon of Arms:
Shield: Or a Lion rampant Gules couped at all his joints of the field within the Royal Tressure Azure in a Dexter Canton Argent a Saltire Azure surmounted of an inescutcheon Or charged with a Lion rampant within a Double Tressure flory counterflory Gules.
SOURCE, NOTES AND CREDITS: Illustration for background and the caption’s text adapted for the entry from the Wikipedia article.
The title was created in 1624 for John Maitland, 2nd Lord Maitland of Thirlestane. The second Earl was created Duke of Lauderdale, when he died without male issue, the dukedom became extinct. The earldom passed to his brother Charles as 3rd Earl. Charles married, in 1652, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Lauder of Haltoun and by this marriage came into that family’s great estates.
Other titles associated with the earldom are: Viscount of Lauderdale (created 1616), Viscount of Maitland (1624), Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1590) and Lord Thirlestane and Boulton (1624). All of these titles are in the Peerage of Scotland.
The Earl of Lauderdale is the hereditary chief of Clan Maitland. The eldest son is the Master of Lauderdale. The title Viscount Maitland is sometimes used as a courtesy title for the Earl’s eldest son and heir.
The Earl of Lauderdale, as Bearer for the Sovereign of the Sovereign’s National Flag for Scotland is one of the Officers of the Royal Household in Scotland and has the right to bear the saltire for the Sovereign.
The current Earl is the 18th Earl of Lauderdale, one Ian Maitland (b. 1937 ), he is the eldest son of the 17th Earl. His heir apparent is the present holder’s son, John Douglas Maitland, Master of Lauderdale, by courtesy he is known as Viscount Maitland (b. 1965).
The artwork is an interpretation of John Hamilton Gaylor.
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