Portrait of James, 3rd Earl of Hopetoun (1741-1817), three-quarter-length, in a cream suit, seated at a desk reading; and Portrait of his wife, Lady Elizabeth Carnegie, Countess of Hopetoun (d. 1793), three-quarter-length, in a blue dress, seated with a baby on her lap

James, 3rd Earl of Hopetoun was the eldest son of John, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun, by his wife, Anne, daughter of James, 5th Earl of Findlater and Seafield. On the death of his father in 1781 he succeeded to his title and estates. He also inherited on the death of his grand-uncle George, Marquess of Annandale in 1792, the estates and titles of Annandale. Although he did not assume the latter, he did add the family name, Johnstone to that of Hope. An unremarkable character, James, was nominated Lord-Lieutenant and hereditary Sheriff of co. Linlithgow and hereditary Keeper of Lochmaben Castle. He married on 16 August 1766, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of George, 6th Earl of Northesk, by whom he had issue.