The title was first created in the Peerage of Scotland on 9 March 1675 for Lord George Douglas, son of the Marquess of Douglas and younger brother of the Earl of Selkirk, for services fighting in the Franco-Dutch War.

He was married to Anne Douglas (née Wheatley), the first Countess of Dumbarton, who was the sister of Catherine Fitzroy, Duchess of Northumberland.

Following the death of their only son, the unmarried second Earl, both titles became extinct on 7 January 1749.

[1][4] On 16 July 2018, the title was recreated in the Peerage of the United Kingdom by Queen Elizabeth II as one of the two subsidiary titles for her grandson Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, on the occasion of his wedding, when he was also created Baron Kilkeel.

[5][2] The heir to the earldom is his son, Prince Archie of Sussex.