The Dukes of Hamilton sold Hamilton Palace's collections in 1882 and 1919, then demolished the palace over mining subsidence

Hamilton Palace near Glasgow was the seat of the Dukes of Hamilton. Through the 10th Duke's marriage to William Beckford's daughter it held Beckford's collection, including Velázquez's Philip IV in brown and silver. The 12th Duke owed large debts from racing^†. The Beckford and Hamilton collections and libraries were sold at Christie's from 17 June 1882 for about £786,847 in total^†. Public galleries bought. On 15 June 1882 an MP asked Gladstone to secure works for the nation. On 22 June the Treasury confirmed an extra grant to the National Gallery of Ireland for the sale. The National Gallery in London bought the Velázquez, lot 1142, for 6,000 guineas. The 12th Duke died in Algiers in 1895 with about £966,000 of debts on his estates^†. The dukedom passed to a fourth cousin, Alfred, a naval lieutenant^†. In 1889 the 12th Duke had leased the coal under the palace parks, and in 1915 the trustees allowed mining beneath the palace^†. On 12 June 1919 the Court of Session authorised the trustees to sell the contents and demolish the building^†. Christie's sold the main contents from 4 to 7 November 1919 for £232,847^†. Demolition began in November 1921 and ended in 1932^†. In 2026 the site is a sports ground inside Strathclyde Country Park^†. The Hamilton Mausoleum still stands. The 16th Duke's seat is Lennoxlove House, East Lothian, bought in 1946^†.