Lord Harrington was succeeded by his son William, the second Earl.[2] He was a General in the Army and also represented Bury St Edmunds in the House of Commons. His son, the third Earl, was also a General in the Army and sat as Member of Parliament for Thetford and Westminster. His elder son, the fourth Earl, and younger son, the fifth Earl, were both Colonels in the Army.
The line of the fifth Earl failed in 1866 upon the early death of his son, the sixth Earl. The latter was succeeded by his first cousin, the seventh Earl. He was the son of the Very Reverend and Hon. FitzRoy Henry Richard, fourth son of the third Earl.[1] His elder son, the eighth Earl, was a successful polo player. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the ninth Earl.[3] His grandson, the eleventh Earl, succeeded his father in 1929.
In 1967, the eleventh Earl also succeeded as eighth Viscount Stanhope (of Mahon) and eighth Baron Stanhope (of Elvaston) upon the death of his distant relative James Stanhope, 7th Earl Stanhope, by a special remainder in these titles' patent that allowed them to be inherited by the male heirs of the aforementioned John Stanhope, father of the first Earl of Harrington. As of 2016[update], the titles are held by the eleventh Earl's son, the twelfth Earl, who succeeded his father in 2009.
The former family seat was Elvaston Castle, in Derbyshire. The house and grounds are currently owned by Derbyshire County Council, which has opened the gardens as a country park. The 5th Earl had a London townhouse built on land formerly belonging to Kensington Palace – Harrington House remained in the family until the First World War. It is currently home to the Russian Embassy.
The heir apparent is the present holder's son, William Henry Leicester Stanhope, Viscount Petersham (born 1967). Lady Petersham (Candida Bond) is a Deputy Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire.
The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son, the Hon. Augustus Stanhope (born 2005).
Title succession chart
Title succession chart, Barons Harrington and Earls of Harrington.