Born in 1936 in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), where his father had settled as a young man before inheriting his title and estate, he spent much of his childhood on a remote farm in South Africa.

His grandfather, a younger son of the 3rd Earl of Leicester, had been killed at Gallipoli a week after providing covering fire for the first troop landings, which took place a hundred years to the day before his grandson's death.

One of his last initiatives was to suggest a display (now in preparation) in the Hall about Magna Carta and the role played by his ancestor, the great 17th-century lawyer Sir Edward Coke, in preserving its values.

[4] Alongside overseeing the management of the estate, the Earl of Leicester found time to play an active role in public life.

Amongst the positions and offices he held were leader of the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk (1980–1985), chairman of the council's planning committee (1987–1991), an English Heritage Commissioner, trustee of the North Norfolk Historic Building Trust, founder trustee and chairman of the De Montfort University Global Education Trust, trustee of the Royal Anglian Regiment, chairman of the Country Landowners Association, deputy lieutenant of Norfolk, president of the Ancient Monuments Society and president of Wells RNLI.

[5] In October 2005, Lord Leicester retired from the active management of the estate and handed over control to his son, Thomas, Viscount Coke (who is now the 8th Earl).