Hector Naismith MacDonald

Hector Naismith MacDonald, MC, is a fictional character in the BBC TV series Monarch of the Glen. Hector is played by English actor Richard Briers.

Plot

Hector is the husband of Molly MacDonald and father of Archie MacDonald, Paul Bowman, Lizzie MacDonald, and Jamie MacDonald. The eccentric Hector is an old eccentric patriotic former Laird of Glenbogle. He is constantly getting in to trouble with his sidekick, and often arch-rival Lord Kilwillie. Hector is always keen for Archie to marry, and often gets in trouble with Archie for trying to marry him off without him knowing! Hector is ultimately responsible for Glenbogle's debt and near demise. Hector cannot stand Stella Moon who is sent to Glenbogle by Lascelles Bank to take over the day-to-day running of the estate. After Archie announces his engagement to housekeeper and chef - Lexie MacDonald, an annoyed Hector goes to sulk whilst fishing. After finding no trout in the loch, Hector finds a pike and decides to put explosives on a plastic boat in the loch in order to blow up the pike. However, once the explosives are lit, and in the loch, Hector's puppy 'Useless' goes in to the loch and brings back the explosives, Hector stands there unable to run quick enough, and is blown up, causing his death. Hector returned to Glenbogle as a ghost in Archie's dream on the day of Archie's wedding to Lexie. In series 7, it is revealed Molly has been speaking to the ghost of Hector throughout the series. When Molly tries to get the blessing of Hector for her marriage to someone (presumably Golly), Hector refuses to give his blessing to any man except his friend and neighbour Kilwillie.

Hector's other children

*Paul Bowman is Hector's illegitimate son. When Hector and Molly temporarily split up, Hector went to Edinburgh and met a woman called Meg, and accidentally had a son with her - Paul.
*After a diary was found saying 'H' at the Big House was the father of Katrina Finlay, it was presumed that Hector was 'H' and the real father of Katrina. Molly left Hector after he would not reveal whether he was the father of Katrina or not, but she returned when it was revealed that Katrina's father was a friend of Hector's - Harold Xavier, who was staying at Glenbogle at the time, and who's nickname was 'H'.

Compton Mackenzie Book

In the novel "The Monarch of the Glen", which inspired the series, Hector MacDonald is the eldest son of the Laird of Glenbogle, Donald MacDonald, and shares the name with three notable ancestors.

The only other characters in the TV series who have clear parallels in the book are Molly and Lord Kilwillie.

Family Details

*Wife - Molly MacDonald
*Father - Hamish MacDonald
*Mother - Martha MacDonald
*Sons - Archie MacDonald, Jamie MacDonald, Paul Bowman (illegitimate))
*Daughter - Lizzie MacDonald
*Grandfather - Albert 'Bertie' MacDonald

Series Length

Series 1-3, 7

*Series 1-3: all episodes
*Series 7: episode 6