In a statement released before a vote on his readmission, the former senior member of the Royal Household said he hoped to “contribute constructively” to debates in Parliament.
Peers will vote later on today whether he should be allowed to return as a sitting member of the chamber after objections were raised by three members of the House.
The Earl recently stepped down from a senior royal role. He said this had allowed him to seek a more active role in public debate again.
In his statement, he said relations between the House of Commons and the House of Lords had become “more fractured” in recent months, especially over the Lords’ role in checking government legislation.
He said the upper chamber continued to play an important role in improving laws through “scrutiny and expertise”, but accepted that reform of the House of Lords was “necessary and inevitable”.
The Earl also said he wanted to speak more about the state of modern media and public discussion. Referring to his involvement in a recently restarted media company, he said he felt “compelled” to comment on the future of the sector.
He acknowledged that not all peers would support his return, saying he had not always enjoyed “harmonious relations” with colleagues in the chamber.
However, he said he hoped members would recognise the seriousness with which he had approached public service during his years in Parliament.
The Earl said his decision to seek readmission was “not motivated by nostalgia or personal ego” but by a belief that he could still make a useful contribution to public life.
View his full letter here.