[1] In addition to his service in the House of Lords, where he served as Chairman of the Food and Agriculture Subcommittee from 1989 to 1992, he was a veteran of World War II.

[2] In 1940 Willoughby received a commission to join the newly formed 5th Battalion of the Coldstream Guards assigned as a platoon commander of the 3rd Company under Captain A. R. G.

While facing this danger he evacuated the wounded, reorganized the forces and navigated through the darkness to save his men and preserve the mission.

[1] Promoted to Major, Willoughby would continue to serve with the 5th Battalion as Commander of the 2nd Company and participating in Operation Market Garden in support of the 82nd Airborne, then later the crossing of the Rhine.

While in the Lords he was a member of the Conservative Party, chairing a sub-committee on agriculture and food from 1989 to 1992, and the select committee on European Communities from 1985 to 1997.

Willoughby argued that a ban on such sports "would have a serious effect on horse breeding, and the prosperity of its allied trades and professions, including country practices of veterinary surgeons."

He again raised the same issue in 1983, noting "the threat to countryside sports, saying that a ban would mean the loss of 45,000 jobs which was equivalent to one quarter of the British agricultural labour force.

He saw this as a vindictive and ill-thought-out assault on an institution which did its job well – but declined to put himself forward for one of the remaining hereditary places, preferring to make way for a younger generation.