5th Duke of Buccleuch

His Grace The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry KG PC
The Duke of Buccleuch photographed by H. J. Whitlock c. 1860s
Lord Privy Seal
In office 2 February 1842 – 21 January 1846
Prime Minister	Sir Robert Peel, Bt
Preceded by	The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
Succeeded by	The Earl of Haddington
Lord President of the Council
In office 21 January 1846 – 6 July 1846
Prime Minister	Sir Robert Peel, Bt
Preceded by	The Lord Wharncliffe
Succeeded by	The Marquess of Lansdowne
Personal details
Born	25 November 1806 Palace of Dalkeith
Died	16 April 1884 (aged 77) Bowhill, Selkirkshire
Nationality	Scottish
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Lady Charlotte Thynne
Alma mater	University of Cambridge

Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, 7th Duke of Queensberry KG, PC (25 November 1806 – 16 April 1884), styled The Honourable Charles Montagu-Scott between 1806 and 1808, Lord Eskdail between 1808 and 1812 and Earl of Dalkeith between 1812 and 1819, was a British politician and nobleman.

Buccleuch was born at Dalkeith House, Midlothian, Scotland, the fifth child of seven, and second son of Charles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch, and the Honourable Harriet Katherine Townshend, daughter of Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney and Elizabeth Powys. When his older brother, George Henry, died at the age of 10 from measles, Walter became heir apparent to the Dukedoms of Buccleuch and Queensberry. He was only thirteen when he succeeded his father to the Dukedoms of Buccleuch and Queensberry in 1819. Through his grandmother, the 3rd Duchess, he also inherited the ancient northern English lordship of Bowland at this time. However, on his grandmother's death in 1827, the 5th Duke entailed the title upon his uncle, Henry James Montagu-Scott, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton. He was educated at Eton and St John's College, Cambridge (M.A., 1827). In June 1833 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.

A great Scottish land magnate, Buccleuch was a Conservative in politics, and was appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1835 and a Privy Counsellor in 1842. He served as Lord Privy Seal from 1842 to 1846 and as Lord President of the Council from January to July 1846 in Peel's government, when he reluctantly supported Peel's decision to repeal the Corn Laws. After Peel's fall, the Duke's political career largely came to an end. In 1878 he became Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, a post he held until his death in 1884.