Thomas Edward Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester (born 6 July 1965), is the son of Edward Coke, 7th Earl of Leicester, and Valeria Phyllis Potter. He is the current

Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. History Earl ...

. From 1994 to 2015, when he succeeded into the earldom, he was styled Viscount Coke.Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 2, page 2287. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.

Education and career

Lord Leicester was educated at Beeston Hall School and

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

. Between 1979 and 1981, he was the

Page of Honour A Page of Honour is a ceremonial position in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It requires attendance on state occasions, but does not now involve the daily duties which were once attached to the office of page. The only ...

to Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

. He graduated from the

University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The University of Manchester is c ...

with a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in the History of Art. In 1987, he was commissioned into the

Scots Guards The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot guards#United Kingdom, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642 in the Ki ...

. Between 1991 and 1993, he served as

Equerry An equerry (; from French language, French 'stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attend ...

to the

Duke of Kent Duke of Kent is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of Great Britain and the United Kingdom, most recently as a royal dukedom for the fourth son of King George V. Since 1942, the title has been held by Prince Edwa ...

. He now runs the family estate at

Holkham Hall Holkham Hall ( or ) is an 18th-century English country house, country house near the village of Holkham, Norfolk, England, constructed in the Neo-Palladian style for Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (fifth creation), Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of ...

. In 2021, he won a by-election to the House of Lords as a member of the Conservative Party, taking the oath on 20 July 2021.

Marriage and family

Lord Leicester was married on 21 December 1996 to Polly Maria Whately (born 1967), youngest daughter of the financier David Whately and his wife Belinda Bellville, of the designers Bellville Sassoon. Lady Leicester, through her mother, is a first cousin of the interior designer

Cath Kidston Catherine Isabel Audrey Kidston (born 6 November 1958) is an English fashion designer, businesswoman and author whose company, Cath Kidston Limited, sold home furnishings and related goods online, through franchises and by mail order. She is p ...

. She is a milliner by profession. They have a son and three daughters together: * Lady Hermione Belinda Coke (born 29 December 1998) * Lady Juno Carey Coke (born 21 October 2000) * Edward Horatio Coke, Viscount Coke (born 11 June 2003) * Lady Elizabeth Coke (born 7 January 2006)

Notes and sources

1965 births Living people People educated at Eton College People educated at Beeston Hall School 8th Earl of Leicester Thomas Coke Scots Guards officers Equerries People from Holkham Hereditary peers elected under the House of Lords Act 1999 {{UK-earl-stub