John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford KG

Order of the Garter

The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...

, PC, LLD

Doctor of law

Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...

, FSA (6 July 1766 – 20 October 1839), known as Lord John Russell until 1802, was a British Whig

British Whig Party

The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...

 politician and notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...

 in the Ministry of All the Talents

Ministry of All the Talents

The Ministry of All the Talents was a national unity government formed by William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville on his appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 11 February 1806 after the death of William Pitt the Younger...

. He was the father of Prime Minister John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century....

.
Bedford was a younger son of Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock

Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock

Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock was a British politician and the eldest son of the 4th Duke of Bedford....

, eldest son and heir of John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford

John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford

John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford KG, PC, FRS was an 18th century British statesman. He was the fourth son of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Howland of Streatham, Surrey...

. His mother was Lady Elizabeth, youngest child of Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle

Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle

Lieutenant-General Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle KG, KCB, PC, ADC was a British diplomat and an American colonist....

 and Lady Anne Lennox. According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Russell was born on the 20th of September, 1766.