The eighth earl was a spiritualist, a life-long bachelor, a soldier, diplomat, courtier, and a personal friend of Edward VII, with whom he travelled to the USA in 1860.
His invitation also brought th opera singer Dame Nellie Melba to stay at Hinchingbrooke.

In about 1885 he added a tank room to Blore's tower. In 1894-1896 he built a large western wing including an open cloister, formed a fine dining room out of the old servants' quarters in the western range, took down an internal wall and added the old drawing room to the library, and pulled down the billiard room in the inner court. In 1909 he roofed in the inner court and formed it into a hall. He also rebuilt the upper part of the laundry and brew-house, almost entirely rebuilt the stables, and made the well in the stable yard on the spot where a magnificent cedar-tree (uprooted in the storm of 25 March 1895) had formerly stood.

The portrait of the Eighth Earl (right) was painted to celebrate the visit by the King in 1906. The King officially planted a replacement cedar tree on this visit.
A photograph of his domestic staff at this time is here.