One of his Labour Party opponents, Norman Hogg, dubbed him "the last of the decent Tories". Monro was a president of the Scottish Rugby Union, and he was honorary president of Langholm RFC for over 20 years. He managed the 1970 rugby union tour to Australia but had to return home to fight the 1970 General Election. He was a long-serving member of the Nature Conservancy Council, and active in the National Farmers Union of Scotland. He was a member of the Royal Company of Archers, a deputy lieutenant of Dumfriesshire, and enjoyed vintage cars and country sports.