Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester

Thomas Edward Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester (born 6 July 1965), is the son of the late Edward Coke, 7th Earl of Leicester, and Valeria Phyllis Potter. He is the current Earl of Leicester. From 1994 to 2015, when he succeeded into the Earldom, he was styled Viscount Coke.^[1]

Education and career

Lord Leicester was educated at Beeston Hall School and Eton College.^[1] Between 1979 and 1981, he was Page of Honour to Queen Elizabeth II.^[2][3] He graduated from University of Manchester with a Bachelor of Arts.^[1] In 1987, he was commissioned into the Scots Guards.^[1] Between 1991 and 1993, he served as Equerry to the Duke of Kent.^[1] He now runs the family estate at Holkham Hall.^[4]

Marriage and family

Lord Leicester was married ^[1] on 21 December 1996 to Polly M Whateley, youngest daughter of the financier David Whateley and his wife Belinda Belville, of the designers Bellville Sassoon. Lady Leicester, through her mother, is a first cousin of the interior designer Cath Kidston.^[5] She is a milliner by profession.

They have a son and three daughters together:^[4][6][7]

• 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

1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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.
2. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 47734. p. 71. 2 January 1979. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
3. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 48481. p. 77. 2 January 1981. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
4. 1 2 "Welcome to Holkham". Holkham Hall. 
5. ↑ Belinda Belville s gowns on display at Holkham
6. ↑
7. ↑ The Peerage, entry for 8th Earl of Leicester

• thePeerage.com Thomas Edward Coke, Viscount Coke