Scottish clan gets first chief in 337 years, after genealogist keeps promise to find the rightful heir

For centuries millions of men and women around the world have waited patiently for the rightful chief of their ancient Scottish clan to be found.

But for the last 337 years no-one has been able to verify a claim to the title. That was until a genealogist promised his grandmother he would solve the mystery before he died.

Now a millionaire landowner has been announced as the chief of Clan Buchanan which has been without a head since 1681 after the 15th chief John Buchanan died, leaving no male heir or arrangements for his title to be passed on.

John Michael Baillie-Hamilton Buchanan, 60, who owns Cambusmore Estate near Callander, has been accepted as head of the clan thanks to the work of genealogist Hugh Peskett.

The 85-year-old, who famously traced President Ronald Reagan’s Irish ancestry in the 1980s, became a genealogist 50 years ago after his grandmother who was a Buchanan clanswoman herself urged him to find the rightful chief.

Decades of genealogical work has allowed Mr Baillie-Hamilton Buchanan, now known as The Buchanan, to verify the claim of chief.