Duchess of Buccleuch dies, aged 68, after short illness
- Published
Lady Elizabeth Kerr died on Sunday morning
The Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry has died at the age of 68 after a short illness, her family has announced.
Lady Elizabeth Kerr married the Duke of Buccleuch, Richard Scott, in 1981.
The family owns four estates - in central Scotland, the Scottish Borders and rural Northamptonshire.
Benny Higgins, chairman of Buccleuch, which manages the family business, said: "Our hearts go out to the family as they come to terms with their loss."
There will be a private family funeral service in the Scottish Borders, with a memorial to celebrate her life to be announced at a later date.
The duchess achieved a bachelor's degree in sociology at the London School of Economics before going on to work on BBC Radio 4's Kaleidoscope programme.
She moved to BBC Radio Solway after marrying the duke.
Her main focus was in the arts, with the duchess founding the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.
The duchess served as the chairwoman of Scottish Ballet and the Heritage Education Trust as well as a trustee of the National Museums of Scotland and the British Museum.
She is survived by her husband, four children and 11 grandchildren.