Charles Courtenay, the 19th Earl of Devon, has lamented the loss of hereditary peerage in the House of Lords and criticised the continued favouring of male descendants in the laws of succession to hereditary peerage Instagram @powderhamcastleThe Earl of Devon has spoken out against the laws of succession to hereditary peerages, saying they are ‘unfair’ and ‘inappropriate’. Current rules state that only a male heir can inherit a family seat or title, meaning that older daughters are passed over in favour of their younger brothers. Now she’s the breakout star of Off Campus, with a legion of global fans obsessing over every scene online. Similarly, his daughter Lady Joscelyn, 19, stands to lose out to her 16-year-old brother, Lord Courtenay. ‘I’m the Earl because I’m the only male,’ he said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.