 On 23 January 1888 he was elected as an Irish representative peer and took his seat in the House of Lords.He was married twice, firstly on 23 March 1876 to Francesca Maria Chamberlayne (died 30 December 1877) by whom he had one son, and secondly, on 2 June 1880 to Fanny Catherine Wingfield, by whom he had two further sons, Cecil Mervyn Malcolm (18 November 1881–16 April 1882) and Hugh Melville (28 March 1883–17 February 1919).The 6th Earl died on 24 July 1891 and was succeeded by his eldest son from his first marriage, Ralph Howard (24 December 1877–11 October 1946.