Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (William Henry; 25 November 1743 – 25 August 1805) was a member of the British Royal Family
, a grandson of George II
and a younger brother of George III.
, London
. His father was The Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales
, eldest son of George II
and Caroline of Ansbach
. His mother was The Princess of Wales (née Augusta of Saxe-Gotha). He was christened at Leicester House eleven days later. His godparents were his paternal uncle by marriage, The Prince of Orange
(for whom someone stood proxy); his paternal uncle, The Duke of Cumberland; and his paternal aunt, The Princess Amelia. As a grandchild of the sovereign, he was styled His Royal Highness Prince William at birth. He was fourth in the line of succession
at birth.
Prince William later joined the British Army
. His father died in 1751, leaving the Prince's elder brother, Prince George
, heir-apparent to the throne. He succeeded as George III on 25 October 1760, and created William Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
and Earl of Connaught on 19 November 1764. He had been made a Knight of the Garter
on 27 May 1762, and invested on 22 September of that year.
Forest and resided at Cranbourne Lodge
. He was most known for his secret marriage 1766 to Maria Walpole, the Dowager Countess of Waldegrave
, an illegitimate granddaughter of Sir Robert Walpole
, from nearby Frogmore House
. This marriage and that of his brother prompted the passing of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
. They lived at St Leonard's Hill in Clewer
, near Windsor, and had three children:
Princess Caroline died aged nine months following a smallpox
inoculation, intended to protect her from the disease. She had been christened privately on 22 July 1774 - her godparents were The Duchess of Gloucester (her mother), The Hereditary Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg (her paternal aunt) and The Hereditary Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
(her uncle by marriage). As great-grandchildren in the male line of George II
, Prince William's children were styled Highness from birth and used the territorial designation of Gloucester in conjunction with their princely styles. After William Frederick
married his cousin Princess Mary
, he and his surviving sister Sophia
received the style of Royal Highness
.
The Duke also had an illegitimate daughter by his mistress Lady Almeria Carpenter, a daughter of the Earl of Tyrconnell
.
of the 13th Regiment of Foot, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, and 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, and he became a Field Marshal
on 12 October 1793.
He served as the thirteenth Chancellor of Trinity College, Dublin
from 1771 to 1805.
He died at Gloucester House
in London.
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
, a grandson of George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
and a younger brother of George III.
Early life
Prince William was born at Leicester HouseLeicester House
There have been two mansions in London, England called Leicester House:*A house in the Strand near the Temple: Leicester House, Strand. This existed in the Tudor period, and possibly earlier ....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His father was The Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales was a member of the House of Hanover and therefore of the Hanoverian and later British Royal Family, the eldest son of George II and father of George III, as well as the great-grandfather of Queen Victoria...
, eldest son of George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
and Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
. His mother was The Princess of Wales (née Augusta of Saxe-Gotha). He was christened at Leicester House eleven days later. His godparents were his paternal uncle by marriage, The Prince of Orange
William IV, Prince of Orange
William IV, Prince of Orange-Nassau , born Willem Karel Hendrik Friso, was the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands.-Early life:...
(for whom someone stood proxy); his paternal uncle, The Duke of Cumberland; and his paternal aunt, The Princess Amelia. As a grandchild of the sovereign, he was styled His Royal Highness Prince William at birth. He was fourth in the line of succession
Line of succession to the British Throne
The line of succession to the British throne is the ordered sequence of those people eligible to succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom and the other 15 Commonwealth realms. By the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701, the succession is limited to the descendants of the Electress Sophia of...
at birth.
Prince William later joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. His father died in 1751, leaving the Prince's elder brother, Prince George
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
, heir-apparent to the throne. He succeeded as George III on 25 October 1760, and created William Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Duke of Gloucester
Duke of Gloucester is a British royal title , often conferred on one of the sons of the reigning monarch. The first four creations were in the Peerage of England, the next in the Peerage of Great Britain, and the last in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; this current creation carries with it the...
and Earl of Connaught on 19 November 1764. He had been made a Knight of the Garter
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...
on 27 May 1762, and invested on 22 September of that year.
Marriage
The Duke was Warden of WindsorWindsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
Forest and resided at Cranbourne Lodge
Cranbourne Lodge
Cranbourne Lodge was a keeper's lodge for the royal hunting grounds of Cranbourne Chase, once adjoining but now part of Windsor Great Park in the English county of Berkshire...
. He was most known for his secret marriage 1766 to Maria Walpole, the Dowager Countess of Waldegrave
Maria, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Maria Walpole , the Countess Waldegrave and Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, was a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh...
, an illegitimate granddaughter of Sir Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, from nearby Frogmore House
Frogmore House
Frogmore House is a 17th-century country house standing at the centre of the Frogmore Estate, amongst beautiful gardens, about a half a mile south of Windsor Castle in the Home Park at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is a Grade I listed building.-Early tenants:The original house on...
. This marriage and that of his brother prompted the passing of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
Royal Marriages Act 1772
The Royal Marriages Act 1772 is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which prescribes the conditions under which members of the British Royal Family may contract a valid marriage, in order to guard against marriages that could diminish the status of the Royal House...
. They lived at St Leonard's Hill in Clewer
Clewer
Clewer is an ecclesiastical parish and region of Windsor making up three wards of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire.-History:...
, near Windsor, and had three children:
- HRH Princess Sophia of GloucesterPrincess Sophia of GloucesterPrincess Sophia of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, a great granddaughter of George II and niece of George III.-Early life:...
(Sophia Matilda; 29 May 1773 – 29 November 1844) - HH Princess Caroline of Gloucester (Caroline Augusta Maria; 24 June 1774 – 14 March 1775)
- HRH Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and EdinburghPrince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and EdinburghPrince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, a great-grandson of George II and nephew of George III.-Early life:...
(15 January 1776 – 30 November 1834)
Princess Caroline died aged nine months following a smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
inoculation, intended to protect her from the disease. She had been christened privately on 22 July 1774 - her godparents were The Duchess of Gloucester (her mother), The Hereditary Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg (her paternal aunt) and The Hereditary Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick
Charles William Ferdinand , Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, was a sovereign prince of the Holy Roman Empire, and a professional soldier who served as a Generalfeldmarschall of the Kingdom of Prussia...
(her uncle by marriage). As great-grandchildren in the male line of George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, Prince William's children were styled Highness from birth and used the territorial designation of Gloucester in conjunction with their princely styles. After William Frederick
Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, a great-grandson of George II and nephew of George III.-Early life:...
married his cousin Princess Mary
Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh
The Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, the eleventh child and fourth daughter of George III....
, he and his surviving sister Sophia
Princess Sophia of Gloucester
Princess Sophia of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, a great granddaughter of George II and niece of George III.-Early life:...
received the style of Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
.
Illegitimate issue
George Carpenter, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell
George Carpenter, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell , known as The Lord Carpenter between 1749 and 1761, was a British peer and politician.-Background:...
.
- Louisa Maria La Coast (6 January 1782 EsherEsherEsher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole. It is a very prosperous part of the Greater London Urban Area, largely suburban in character, and is situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross....
, SurreySurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
– 10 February 1835 BossallBossallBossall is a village in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England....
, YorkshireYorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
), who was married on 29 December 1803 in NorwichNorwichNorwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, NorfolkNorfolkNorfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
to Godfrey Macdonald, 11th Baronet Macdonald of Slate, later the 3rd Baron Macdonald of SlateGodfrey Macdonald, 3rd Baron Macdonald of SlateLt.-General Sir Godfrey Bosville Macdonald, 3rd Baron Macdonald of Slate was the second son of Alexander Macdonald, 1st Baron Macdonald and Elizabeth Diana Bosville...
. They had three children born before their marriage (legitimized by Scottish law, but not by Irish law) and ten children born after their marriage. (A previous marriage in Scotland was considered of doubtful validity). These children and their posterity are the only descendants of Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh.
Later life
The Duke was appointed (in an honorary fashion) to ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 13th Regiment of Foot, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, and 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, and he became a Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
on 12 October 1793.
He served as the thirteenth Chancellor of Trinity College, Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
from 1771 to 1805.
He died at Gloucester House
Gloucester House
Gloucester House is a former royal residence in the seaside resort of Weymouth on the south coast of England. It was the summer residence of Prince William Henry Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh , fourth son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and brother of King George III...
in London.
Titles and styles
- 14 November 1743–19 November 1764: His Royal Highness Prince William
- 19 November 1764–25 August 1805: His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Honours
- 27 May 1762: Knight of the GarterOrder of the GarterThe 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...
(KG) - Privy Counsellor (PC)
- Royal Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
Arms
William was granted use of the arms of the kingdom, differenced by a label argent of five points, the centre bearing a fleur-de-lys azure, the other points each bearing a cross gules.Ancestors
External links
- Wikiquotes of Edward Gibbon, for the Duke's remark on The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman EmpireThe History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman EmpireThe History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is a non-fiction history book written by English historian Edward Gibbon and published in six volumes. Volume I was published in 1776, and went through six printings. Volumes II and III were published in 1781; volumes IV, V, VI in 1788–89...
- Royal Berkshire History: Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester