He was succeeded by his son, William, the aforementioned fourth Lord, who was created Earl of Gowrie in 1581 (see above).

[1] He was succeeded by his eldest son, Walter, the tenth Lord and former major general in the British Army.

Alexander Hore-Ruthven had been elevated to the Peerage of the United Kingdom as Baron Gowrie, of Canberra in the Commonwealth of Australia and of Dirleton in the County of East Lothian, in December 1935.

[2] In January 1945 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Ruthven of Canberra, of Dirleton in the County of East Lothian, and Earl of Gowrie in the Peerage of the United Kingdom,[3] a revival of the earldom created for his kinsman in the 16th century.

Alexander Ruthven, third son of the first Earl of the first creation, took part in the Gowrie conspiracy of 1600, was condemned for treason and hanged, drawn and quartered.

Sir John Ruthven, nephew of the Earl of Brentford, was a Major-General in the Swedish Army.

The Honourable Malise Ruthven, younger brother of the second Earl of Gowrie of the second creation, is a writer and historian.

The coat of arms of the Earl of Gowrie (1945 creation) is: "Paly of six argent and gules.