Viscount of the Week: Alexander Edgar Lascelles, The Viscount Lascelles

Born in 1980 (13 May), this 31-year-old viscount is the second son and heir apparent of the 8th Earl of Harewood.  On 11 July, 2011, Lord Lascelles succeeded to his courtesy title, his father having succeeded his paternal grandfather as the 8th Earl of Harewood.  This event caused The Viscount Lascelles to be featured in The Single Peer’s 2011 Ten Lords-a-Leaping list.  Interestingly, Lord Lascelles succeeded to the courtesy title and is his father’s heir due to the illegitimate birth of his elder brother, Benjamin.  Although subsequently legitimized, Benjamin cannot lay claim to the earldom or the British throne.

History has a way of repeating itself, ironically, as Lord Lascelles has an illegitimate son of his own, Leo Cyrus Anthony (b. 2008), with his live-in girlfriend, Laleh Yeganegy.  Leo, like his uncle, cannot succeed his father due to his illegitimacy.  The viscount’s younger brother, The Hon. Edward David Lascelles (29, single), serves as his heir.  These complicated domestic circumstances, however, render the viscount technically single and a good catch.

As alluded to above, the Lascelles are in the line of succession to the British throne.  The late 7th Earl of Harewood was a son of Princess Mary, Princess Royal, and was a first cousin to Queen Elizabeth II.  Lord Lascelles is approximately 52nd in line to the British throne.

Harewood House

Address:

Harewood House

Leeds

West Yorkshire
LS17 9LF

Sources:

The Single Peer – http://thesinglepeer.blogspot.com/2011/12/ten-lords-leaping-2011.html

The Peerage.com - http://thepeerage.com/p10159.htm#i101587

Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Lascelles,_Viscount_Lascelles; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lascelles,_8th_Earl_of_Harewood; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lascelles,_7th_Earl_of_Harewood

Debretts - http://www.debretts.com/people/royal-family/the-line-of-succession.aspx

Wargs.com - http://www.wargs.com/essays/succession/2011.html

Harewood - http://www.harewood-estate.co.uk/; http://www.harewood.org/house

Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/59303791@N00/3857875711/