David Lascelles, 8th Earl Of Harewood

David Henry George Lascelles, the 8th Earl of Harewood, was born on October 21, 1950, at 2 Orme Square in Bayswater, London. He is the eldest son of the 7th Earl of Harewood and Marion Stein, his first wife. His father was a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. Lascelles was baptised at All Saints' Church in Harewood. His godparents included The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Queen Elizabeth II), Queen Mary, Viscountess Boyne (Margaret Hamilton-Russell), Gerald Lascelles, and Benjamin Britten. At birth, he was 13th in the line of succession to the British throne, a position which as of 2025 has shifted to 65th.

He is a second cousin of King Charles III and a great-grandson of King George V. Lascelles succeeded to the Earldom of Harewood following the death of his father in July 2011.

Professionally, Lascelles is involved in film and television production. Notably, he produced nine episodes of the television detective series "Inspector Morse" during the 1990s. In 2007, he served as the executive producer of "Carnival Messiah," a theatrical project by Geraldine Connor staged at Harewood House, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. Harewood House, built in the 18th century, was financed through funds generated from slave trading. Following Connor's death in 2011, Lascelles organized a memorial concert at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and became a founder and patron of the Geraldine Connor Foundation, established in 2012 to promote arts and culture.

Lascelles maintains the tradition initiated by his father by serving as the honorary lifetime president of Leeds United Football Club, a position he has held since 1961. In April 2023, he co-founded "Heirs of Slavery," a group comprising descendants of individuals who profited from British transatlantic slavery. The group, which includes members such as Charles Gladstone and journalist Alex Renton, advocates for reparations and has called on the UK prime minister and King Charles III to issue a formal apology.

In recognition of his work, "Inspector Morse" received a BAFTA award in 1991, and the trophy is displayed at Harewood House.

Regarding his personal life, Lascelles married Margaret Rosalind Messenger, Viscountess Lascelles, on February 12, 1979, at St Mary's Church in Paddington, London. The marriage ended in divorce in 1989. They had children together, including:

- Emily Tsering Shard (born November 23, 1975), who is not entitled to the courtesy title due to her parents' unmarried status at her birth; she married Matthew Shard in 2008 and has three children: Isaac, Ida, and Otis.

- Benjamin George Lascelles (born September 19, 1978), a conservationist who married Colombian Carolina Vélez Robledo in 2009.

- Alexander Edgar Lascelles, Viscount Lascelles (born May 13, 1980), a chef and heir apparent to the earldom.

- The Hon. Edward David Lascelles (born November 19, 1982), who married Sophie Cartlidge in 2014; they have a son born in August 2020.

In 1990, he married artist Diane Howse, who is now known as the Countess of Harewood.

Lascelles holds several ancestries rooted in British nobility and historical connections, further detailed in genealogical records.