Although the duke no longer lives at Lennoxlove - the house is owned by Lennoxlove House Ltd
and is supported by a charitable organisation called Lennoxlove Trust -
he has spent the past decade looking for ways to help fund renovation.

In 2001, he sold an oil painting of one of his ancestors, the eighth Duke of Hamilton,
to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery for more than £1m - which was used to fund major work
at the estate, such as installing disabled access.

"We’re in a position where we can sell paintings to help fund this sort of work," adds the Duke.
"My father originally bought this house for £4000, but now the restoration work is running into millions.

"However, if we do have to sell some more, I hope that they will be able to go to somewhere like
the Scottish National Portrait Gallery where people can enjoy them."

The Duke says no decision on which paintings would be sold has been made, although they would
be portraits of the estate’s former owners.
And he says it would be a price well worth paying in order to restore Lennoxlove.

He adds: "We’ve wanted to do the work for quite some time now. And now we are at the point
where we really have to do it."

"It’s a very interesting house indeed and if it is properly restored it will be better for everyone.
Historically speaking, it’s almost certain that Mary Queen of Scots visited the estate,
as her secretary of state lived there for many years.
We have her death mask, casket and ring on display in the house at the moment,
so it’s important to properly restore the estate."