He served as Secretary for Scotland in William Ewart Gladstone's short-lived 1886 administration.

He was the eldest son of Admiral George Ramsay, 12th Earl of Dalhousie, and Sarah Frances, daughter of William Robertson of Logan House.

Dalhousie was elected Liberal Member of Parliament for Liverpool in March 1880, but was forced to resign in July 1880 after succeeding his father in the earldom.

[4] After taking his seat in the House of Lords he was appointed a Lord-in-waiting in September 1880 by William Ewart Gladstone, a position he held until the government fell in 1885.

[7] She appeared in 'The World's Beauties' trading card series by cigarette producers Allen & Ginter.