[2] When the Liberals came to power in 1905 under Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Granard was appointed a Lord-in-waiting to Edward VII (government whip in the House of Lords)[3] and Assistant Postmaster-General, posts he held until 1907[4] and 1909 respectively.

He was made a knight of several orders in different countries:[9] He was also an assistant Postmaster General of the United Kingdom, a Lord-in-Waiting, and Master of the Horse to King Edward VII, between 1905 and 1910, and to King George V.[9] In 1896, Granard was commissioned into the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, but on 29 November 1899 he transferred to a regular commission as a second lieutenant in the Scots Guards.

Following the outbreak of the Second Boer War in late 1899, he was with the 2nd Battalion of his regiment as it left Southampton for South Africa on the SS Britannic in March 1900.

[10] He served with the 1st Battalion in South Africa from 1900 to 1902, taking part in the Battle of Belfast (August 1900) and operations at Komatipoort.

[12][13] Following the end of the war, Lord Granard left Cape Town for England on the SS Simla in late July 1902.