Montague Eliot, 8th Earl of St Germans

Montague Charles Eliot, 8th Earl of St Germans KCVO OBE (13 May 1870 – 19 September 1960), styled The Honourable Montague Eliot from 1923 to 1942, was a British peer and courtier.

Eliot was born in Pimlico, Middlesex to Charles George Cornwallis Eliot (16 October 1839 – 22 May 1901) and his wife Constance Rhiannon Guest (November 1844 – 1916). He was educated at Castleden Hall School, (Farnborough, Hampshire), Charterhouse and Exeter College, Oxford, taking a BA in 1893. By 1895, he was a Barrister-at-law at the Inner Temple.

From 1901–1906, he was appointed a Gentleman Usher to Edward VII, and from 1908–1910 a Groom-in-Waiting. From 1910–1936, he was a Gentleman Usher to George V. During the First World War, Montague was a Lieutenant-Commander with the RNVR. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1919, and became Groom of the Robes from 1920–1936.

In 1923, he was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO), and from 1924–1936 he became Extra Groom-in-Waiting to King George V. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1928; Knight Commander (KCVO) in 1934. In 1936 he became Extra Groom-in-Waiting to Edward VIII, and, from 1937 to 1952, Extra Groom-in-Waiting to George VI. From 1952–1960, he was Extra Groom-in-Waiting to Elizabeth II. He had been awarded the cross of Officer of the Order of Leopold (Belgium).

On 22 November 1942 Eliot succeeded his older brother Granville Eliot, 7th Earl of St Germans to become the 8th Earl of St Germans.

Family

He married on 22 June 1910 Helen Agnes Post (d. 1 September 1962), daughter of Arthur Post of New York, by his wife Elizabeth Wadsworth, daughter of American General James Wadsworth. They had a daughter and two sons:

• Lady Germaine Elizabeth Olive Eliot (11 April 1911 – 1991)
• Nicholas Richard Michael Eliot, 9th Earl of St Germans (1914–1988)
• Hon. (Montague) Robert Vere Eliot (29 October 1923 – 16 May 1994), contested Mansfield as a Conservative in the 1959 general election.

Eliot died on 19 September 1960 and his titles passed to his elder son, Nicholas Richard Michael Eliot.

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