Born at St George Hanover Square in 1852, he was the third but eldest-surviving son of James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose and his wife, the Hon.

He was educated at Eton College and succeeded his father as Duke of Montrose, in the Peerage of Scotland, in 1874.

[1] Montrose joined the Coldstream Guards in 1872, transferred to the 5th Royal Irish Lancers in 1874, and retired from active duty in 1878.

[2] From October 1881 to January 1903, he was Colonel commanding the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, stationed at Stirling.

[4] In 1876, Montrose married Violet Hermione Graham, daughter of Sir Frederick Graham, 3rd Baronet and his wife Lady Jane St Maur, daughter of Edward St Maur, 12th Duke of Somerset.