Richard Hardinge
Encyclopedia
Richard Hardinge was Groom to the Bedchamber
to the then Prince of Wales
(later King Charles II of England
).
, Wiltshire
. He was the son of John Hardinge of Pewsey and Salisbury
and Honora Estcourt. Honora was the daughter of Giles Estcourt, Member of Parliament for Salisbury and Recorder for the town of Poole
.
.
and is buried at Loosdiijnen.
There is a portrait of Richard still existing and is in the possession of the current Earl of Clarendon, a direct descendant of Edward Hyde, the 1st Earl of Clarendon. The portrait was painted by Cornelius Jansen of the Flemish school c. 1640.
It was once part of the collection belonging to the 1st Earl at his seat, Clarendon Park, Oxfordshire. He left the collection to his son Henry, the 3rd Earl, who in turn left it to his sister, the Duchess of Queensbury. She took it to Amesbury Park, Wilts., and on her death in 1777, left it to her husband. Later the 4th Duke of Queensbury removed it to Richmond where it was seen by Horace Walpole. Upon the 4th Duke's death, the collection was taken to Bothwell Castle, Scotland and it remained there until the 7th Duke sold some back to the 4th Earl of Clarendon, in whose family it has remained ever since.
Groom of the Chamber
Groom of the Chamber and Groom of the Privy Chamber were positions in the Royal Household of the English monarchy, the latter considerably more elevated. Other Ancien Régime royal establishments in Europe had comparable officers, often with similar titles...
to the then Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
(later King Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
).
Background
Richard Hardinge was born at PewseyPewsey
Pewsey is a large village, often considered a small town, at the centre of the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire about west of London. It is well connected to London, the West Country and Wales being close to the M4 motorway and the A303. Also, the village is served by Pewsey railway station on the...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. He was the son of John Hardinge of Pewsey and Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
and Honora Estcourt. Honora was the daughter of Giles Estcourt, Member of Parliament for Salisbury and Recorder for the town of Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
.
Education
Hardinge matriculated at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University on 20 October 1609, but left two years later without a degree. In 1611 he was admitted to Lincoln's InnLincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
.
English Civil War
In August 1644 Hardinge was the bearer of King Charles II's (whilst Prince of Wales) message to the Parliamentarian General and Lord Beauchamp. Essex refused to make peace with the King and therefore the mission did not succeed. He was a friend of Essex.Further service in Royal Household
Hardinge accompanied the Prince to Jersey and France and back to England. He spent eight years in exile.Death
He is thought to have died at BrugesBruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
and is buried at Loosdiijnen.
There is a portrait of Richard still existing and is in the possession of the current Earl of Clarendon, a direct descendant of Edward Hyde, the 1st Earl of Clarendon. The portrait was painted by Cornelius Jansen of the Flemish school c. 1640.
It was once part of the collection belonging to the 1st Earl at his seat, Clarendon Park, Oxfordshire. He left the collection to his son Henry, the 3rd Earl, who in turn left it to his sister, the Duchess of Queensbury. She took it to Amesbury Park, Wilts., and on her death in 1777, left it to her husband. Later the 4th Duke of Queensbury removed it to Richmond where it was seen by Horace Walpole. Upon the 4th Duke's death, the collection was taken to Bothwell Castle, Scotland and it remained there until the 7th Duke sold some back to the 4th Earl of Clarendon, in whose family it has remained ever since.