Charles Courtenay, the 19th Earl of Devon, pictured outside his family seat of Powderham Castle in Devon, England. The Earl is one of the 92 remaining hereditary peers in the upper house of the U.K. Parliament, the House of Lords. Under new legislation, they are losing their right to inherit these seats. Susannah Ireland for NPR hide caption toggle caption Susannah Ireland for NPR POWDERHAM CASTLE, Devon, England — In his 20s, Charles Courtenay left the drizzly English countryside where he grew up, and moved to California. He met his first wife in a bar in Las Vegas, and didn't tell her much about his background. He just took her home to England, about two months into dating, and drove up the driveway of his family home — a 12th century castle . Beyond the moat, there's a sign at the entrance that reads, "Long Live the Earl" — as in, Courtenay. Because the man who learned to surf at L.A.'s Topanga Beach, and insists "just call me Charlie," is also the 19th Earl of Devon.…