He was the eldest of nine children born to Montagu Bertie, 6th Earl of Abingdon (1808–1884) and Elizabeth Lavinia (née Vernon-Harcourt)
hiː wʌzðɪ ˈɛldɪst ʌv nˈaɪn tʃˈɪldɹən bˈɔːɹn tə mɔntˈɑːɡuː bˈɜːɾi, sˈɪksθ ˈɜːl ʌv ˈæbɪŋdən wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪt wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈoːɹ ænd ᵻlˈɪzəbəθ lævˈɪniə nˈeɪ vˈɜːnənhˈɑːɹkoːɹt