Former politician and one of Scotland's richest landowners, the Earl of Mansfield, has died at the age of 85.

William David Mungo James Murray, the 8th Earl of Mansfield, owned the Scone Palace estate and was a personal friend and regular host to the late Queen Mother and other members of the Royal Family.

He died peacefully on Wednesday 21 October 21 at Logie House, Logiealmond in Perthshire.

The funeral will take place at St John's Kirk in Perth on 30 October and will be followed by a memorial service at Scone Palace.

Born on 7 July 1930, William, Lord Mansfield, was the only son of Mungo Murray, 7th Earl of Mansfield, and his wife Dorothea. Then Viscount Stormont, he was educated at Eton College and afterwards read Law at Christ Church, Oxford.

Between 1949 and 1950, the peer served his national service with the Scots Guards in Malaya. After this he was called to the bar, Inner Temple, in 1958. As an English barrister, the Earl developed an extensive common law practice from 1958 until 1971.

On his father's death in 1971, William succeeded as Earl of Mansfield and shortly thereafter took up the first of several political roles.

With his wife Pamela, he had three children; Alexander, Viscount Stormont, 59, who will succeed him to the title, Lady Georgina Bullough and the Hon James Murray.

The Earl was a keen observer of Scone Palace's rich history and its role as the former crowning seat of Scottish kings.