Lord Settrington was the son of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond (at the time known as Earl of March, as his father, the 6th Duke was still alive) by his first wife, Amy Mary Ricardo (1849–1879), daughter of Percy Ricardo, of Bramley Park and Mathilde Hensley.

He was promoted to captain while in the service of the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment.

In December 1899 he was seconded as a staff officer,[1] and appointed an Aide-de-camp to Lord Roberts, Commander-in-Chief of the forces in South Africa during the early part of the Second Boer War.

[2][3] He was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel in command of the Sussex Yeomanry on 8 July 1914, just before the outbreak of World War I.

[4][5] Lord Settrington married Hilda Madeline Brassey (1872 – 29 December 1971) on 8 June 1893; they had five children: