I went into some of the genealogy and family gossip on the first page--the family was certainly interesting.
The 4th Duke of Hamilton fought a celebrated duel with Charles Mohun, Lord Mohun in the Hyde Park, London in 1712. They were dueling over claims as to who would succeed as Earl of Macclesfield. Years of litigation followed and culminated in Mohun calling Hamilton out. Hamilton mortally wounded Mohun, but was himself killed by Mohun's second, George MacCartney. Both seconds MacCartney, and Hamilton's Colonel John Hamilton escaped to the continent and were tried in absentia for murder, but were both later pardoned.
The 11th Duke, Marie of Baden's father-in-law, had a strong interest in Egyptian mummies, and was so impressed with the work of mummy expert Thomas Pettigrew that he arranged for Pettigrew to mummify him after his death. When he died in 1852 at age 84, in accordance with his wishes, his body was mummified after his death and placed in a sarcophagus on his estate. He had earlier served as Ambassador to the court of St. Petersburg until 1807. His father-in-law, the novelist William Beckford, had his body laid in a sarcophagus which was placed on an artificial mound, as was the custom of Saxon kings from whom he claimed to be descended. Beckford had wished to be buried in the grounds of Landsdown Tower and eventually his daughter, the Duchess of Hamilton, was able to accomplish this. His self-designed tomb was a massive sarcophagus of pink polished granite with bronze armorial plaques. On one side of his tomb is a quotation from Vathek: "Enjoying humbly the most precious gift of heaven to man - Hope"; and on another these lines from his poem, "A Prayer": Eternal Power! Grant me, through obvious clouds one transient gleam Of thy bright essence in my dying hour." Goodridge designed a Byzantine entrance gateway to the cemetery, flanked by bronze railings.
The 14th Duke of Hamilton was a renowned aviator and was in charge of Scotland's air defenses during WW2. He had attended the Berlin Olympics in 1936, piloting some of the British audience over himself, and was acquainted with some of the Nazi hierarchy. In May 1941, Rudolf Hess parachuted into Scotland, the reason for his doing so was ostensibly to meet with the Duke and plot a secret peace treaty that would lead to the supremacy of Germany within Europe and the reinforcement of the British Empire without. Hess' Messerschmitt 110 crashed on Bonnyton Moor near to Hamilton's home at Dungavel House. Hess was captured by a local farmer, and assuming the false name "Albert Horn", he asked to be taken to the Duke. Hess however, was taken to hospital for injuries sustained during his descent. Hamilton was informed of the prisoner and visited him whereupon he revealed his true identity. Hamilton immediately contacted Sir Winston Churchill, and informed him of the Deputy Führer's arrival. Hamilton came under pressure from the press to explain his role in the affair, with suspicions being raised that he may have been in prior contact with Hess. He was exonerated, however, and his actions described as being in "every respect honourable and proper".
His brother Malcolm was another enthusiastic aviator. On a trip through Cameroon in 1964 he went missing with his son Niall and a passenger, in the heavy mountainous jungle of Cameroon. Following an exhaustive manhunt his remains were located in the jungle. Neither Niall Douglas-Hamilton nor the passenger were ever located. Another brother, David, was KIA in WW2 while flying. He is the grandfather of TV personality Saba Douglas-Hamilton.
As to other branches, Ira von Furstenberg was very close to Prince Rainier and was even mentioned as a possible 2nd marriage for the Prince.
One of the Hamilton's later married (and divorced) one of the the Queen Mother's Bowes-Lyon cousins.
