Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, was the 28th chief of Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan Castle in Skye is the 800-year-old MacLeod family seat. Flora Louisa Cecilia MacLeod was born at 10 Downing Street, London, in 1878, the home of her grandfather Sir Stafford Northcote, who was then Chancellor of the Exchequer. Her mother was Lady Agnes Mary Cecilia Northcote and her father, Sir Reginald MacLeod, became chief of the Clan MacLeod in 1929. She was elected President of the clan's society and went to live with her father at Dunvegan Castle in Skye, where she became a county councillor for Bracadale. In 1901, she married Hubert Walter, a journalist at The Times, with whom she had two daughters, Joan, Wolrige-Gordon, and Alice MacLeod. Hubert Walter died in 1933. Upon the death of her father in 1935, Flora MacLeod of MacLeod inherited the estate and was recognised as 28th Clan Chief. Years later, to raise income, she opened Dunvegan Castle to tourists, turning it into a popular tourist attraction. Following World War II she travelled widely, establishing Clan MacLeod Societies throughout the British Commonwealth. She was created a in 1953. She lived at Dunvegan Castle until 1973 before moving to Ythan Lodge in Aberdeenshire, where she died in 1976, aged 98. She is buried in the traditional Clan MacLeod burial ground at Kilmuir, near Dunvegan. Her grandson John MacLeod of MacLeod succeeded her. His son, Hugh MacLeod of MacLeod is now the 30th Chief of the clan. The Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod Trophy for Open Piobaireachd has been presented, since 1969, to the bestbagpiper at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina, USA.
Ancestry
Coat of arms
Her coat of arms are described thus: ;Shield: I and IV azure a castle triple towered and embattled argent masoned sable windowed and porched gules and II and III gules three legs in armour proper garnished and spurred Or flexed and conjoined in triangle at the upper part of the thigh. ;Crest and mantle: Upon a torse Or and azure, A bull's head cabossed sable horned Or between two flags gules staves sable, the mantling azure double Or. ;Supporters: Two lions reguardant gules armed and langued azure each holding a dagger proper
