Longest-Serving Hereditary Peer David Trefgarne Reflects on End of an Era in the House of Lords
David Trefgarne, 2nd Baron Trefgarne, aged 84, is recognized as the longest-serving hereditary peer in the House of Lords, having served for 64 years since June 1962. His tenure is set to end following a forthcoming reform bill to abolish hereditary peers, expected to receive royal assent in spring 2026.
His departure marks the conclusion of a long historical era in the Lords, with roots tracing back to medieval times including the era of King John. The Trefgarne title was established in 1947, and David Trefgarne inherited his seat after the death of his father, George Garro-Jones, who had been a Liberal-turned-Labour MP.
Trefgarne entered the Lords at age 21 and initially had a career as a commercial pilot, notable for a 1963 flight delivering a plane from England to Australia. Later, he served as a whip under Margaret Thatcher and as a junior Foreign Office minister in 1982, playing a role in government ahead of the Falklands War.
He has publicly praised figures such as Peter Carington and Margaret Thatcher but expressed less favorable views of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Remaining active on committees until 2022, Trefgarne continued to vote and speak in the chamber, although his participation declined after the passing of his wife.
In 2016, he helped block a bill to abolish internal Lords by-elections for retiring or deceased hereditary peers but now regards reform as inevitable, especially in light of the Labour manifesto. As he anticipates retirement, he acknowledges he will miss the chamber but accepts the necessity of moving on to the real world.
