THE eyes of the world were on St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh two weeks ago.

And one famous Borderer had the best view of all.

A few feet from the front door stands the iconic bronze cast of Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch and 7th Duke of Queensberry wearing his Order of the Garter robe.

And it was fitting that his descendent, Richard 10th Duke of Buccleuch and 12th Duke of Queensberry, played such an important role in the proceedings as Lord Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale.

Such was the respect in which the duke was held by the people of Scotland that following his death on April 16, 1884, the statue was commissioned and paid for by a public subscription and was created by world famous sculptor Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm.

Walter Francis was born at Dalkeith Palace Midlothian on November 25, 1808 – the fifth child of seven, and second son of Charles Montagu Douglas Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch, and the Honourable Harriet Katherine Townshend.

When his older brother, George Henry, died at the age of 10 from measles; he became heir apparent to the family titles, and then, aged only 13, he succeeded his father to the Dukedoms of Buccleuch and Queensberry in minority.

The noted author Sir Walter Scott (no relation) who was a great friend of his father was appointed his guardian.

Three years later, the teenager hosted King George IV at Dalkeith Palace during his historic visit to Scotland, as the Palace of Holyroodhouse was uninhabitable at the time.

The visit was the first by a sovereign to Scotland for almost two centuries and the first occasion when the wearing of tartan, which had been banned, was not only permitted but required.

The King is reported to have spent £1,354 on his outfit which would be equivalent to more than £100,000 at today’s prices and he commissioned a full-length portrait by Sir David Wilkie which he gave as a gift to the young Duke.

Walter Francis was educated at Eton and Cambridge University then in 1829 he married Lady Charlotte Anne Thynne, daughter of the Marquess of Bath – a choice very much approved of by Sir Walter Scott.

Their marriage was to prove an extraordinary partnership which lasted 56 years and the couple were very much part of the court circle.

The Duchess was Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria and the Duke became a Conservative Member of Parliament, serving in the Peel government.

During their marriage, the pair set about expanding Bowhill House, near Selkirk, utilising the services of renowned architect William Burns and they collected numerous painting, tapestries and pieces of mainly French furniture which can still be seen in the building.

He was appointed a Knight of the Garter, a Privy Councillor and served as Lord Privy Seal from 1842 to 1846.

However after Peel’s fall, the Duke’s political career came to an end and he became Chancellor of the University of Glasgow – a position he was to hold until his death.

After leaving politics, he became a progressive manager of the traditional family landed estates, but this was the age of coal and railways, and he took advantage of both.

He was also commercially-minded enough to develop a new harbour with pier and breakwater at Granton in Edinburgh at a cost over half a million pounds, from where his coal was exported.

He was also responsible for creating significant employment throughout the country as well as building churches, houses and village halls.

In his later years, his habits were simple, and his appearance that of an Elder of the Kirk.

He always wore a dark grey cutaway coat, shepherd’s plaid trousers, and a cap with a large peak, and out of doors carried a plaid over his shoulder.

His manner was brusque, and he was describes as being ‘fond of a rough sort of chaff, but no one had a kinder heart’.

He died aged 77 at Bowhill House and was buried at St. Mary’s Chapel, Dalkeith, Scotland leaving more than £910,000 in his will.

His loving wife Charlotte Anne had become greatly influenced by Cardinal Newman and converted to Roman Catholicism which meant that she was not buried with her husband, but rather at nearby St David’s Roman Catholic Church in Dalkeith.