In 1965, his paternal grandfather, Lord Dudley Gordon (second son of John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair and his wife, Ishbel), succeeded his childless elder brother, George, in the family titles.

[4] Alexander Gordon's father, Alastair, who was the youngest of four sons, did not expect he would ever inherit the titles; however, his two older brothers, the fourth and fifth marquesses, failed to produce heirs, and the third was killed in the Second World War.

[1] After Harrow, Gordon intended to study land management at the Polytechnic of Central London, but through an application error ended up in a quantity surveying course, which he enjoyed.

[1] According to The Times, "He followed a remarkable line of lairds of Haddo, who for two centuries had combined improvements to their estates with forward-looking and generous ways of helping local people."

His investment also created jobs, most visibly at Formartine's farm shop and restaurant which he, his wife and John Cooper, a local businessman, built on the edge of the estate.