He currently sits as a Liberal Democrat peer in the House of Lords.

He was educated at Ludgrove School and then Eton College, where he was elected a member of Pop.

In 1960, he served in the Royal Naval Reserve, receiving the rank of sub-lieutenant.

He subsequently worked as an assistant director in films and as a television documentary producer, he founded Kelburn Country Centre in 1977.

He succeeded to his father's titles in 1984, and became a deputy lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran in 1995.