Charles Douglas, 2nd Earl of Selkirk, (born Lord Charles Hamilton; 3 February 1663 – 13 March 1739) was a Scottish aristocrat and courtier.
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Early life
Hamilton was born 3 February 1663. He was the third, but second surviving, son of William Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton (formerly known as William Douglas, Earl of Selkirk) and Anne Hamilton, suo jure Duchess of Hamilton. Among his siblings were James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton, Catherine Murray, Duchess of Atholl, John Hamilton, 1st Earl of Ruglen and 3rd Earl of Selkirk, George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney, Susan Hay, Marchioness of Tweeddale, Margaret Maule, Countess of Panmure, Lord Basil Hamilton and Lord Archibald Hamilton.
His mother was the daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton and Lady Mary Feilding (a daughter of the 1st Earl of Denbigh and the former Lady Susan Villiers, sister to the 1st Duke of Buckingham). His father was the eldest son of the 1st Marquess of Douglas by his second wife, Lady Mary Gordon (a daughter of the 1st Marquess of Huntly).
In 1682, he was sent with a tutor to France, where he was joined two years later by his elder brother James, Earl of Arran, whom he accompanied to the army of the king of France then besieging Luxembourg.