Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince William Henry |
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| Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh | |
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Prince William Henry, c. 1800
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| Born | 25 November 1743 Leicester House, Westminster |
| Died | 25 August 1805 (aged 61) Gloucester House, Westminster |
| Burial | 4 September 1805 St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
| Spouse |
Maria Walpole
(m. 1766) |
| Issue | Princess Sophia Princess Caroline Prince William Frederick |
| House | Hanover |
| Father | Frederick, Prince of Wales |
| Mother | Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1766–1805 |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Commands held | GOC Northern District |
Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (born November 25, 1743 – died August 25, 1805) was a royal prince. He was the grandson of King George II and the younger brother of King George III.
Contents
About Prince William Henry
Early Life and Royal Connections
Prince William Henry was born in London at Leicester House, Westminster. His parents were Frederick, Prince of Wales and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. His father, Frederick, was the oldest son of King George II.
William Henry was baptized shortly after his birth. His godparents included his uncle, the Duke of Cumberland, and his aunt, Princess Amelia. When he was born, he was fourth in line to become the British king.
His father passed away in 1751. This meant William Henry's older brother, Prince George, became the next in line for the throne. Prince George became King George III in 1760. In 1764, King George III made William Henry the Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh. He was also made a Knight of the Garter in 1762.
Marriage and Family Life
In 1764, Prince William Henry began to spend time with Maria Walpole. She was the Dowager Countess of Waldegrave and a granddaughter of Sir Robert Walpole.
In 1766, William Henry and Maria secretly got married at his home in London. The King only found out about their marriage after a new law, the Royal Marriages Act 1772, was passed. This law meant that members of the royal family needed the King's permission to marry.
The Duke and Maria lived in Clewer, near Windsor. They had three children together. All their children were known as Highness and used the title Gloucester.
Their first child, Princess Sophia, was born in 1773. Their second child, Princess Caroline, was born in 1774. Sadly, Princess Caroline died when she was only nine months old. She had received a smallpox inoculation, which was meant to protect her from the disease. Their third child, Prince William Frederick, was born in 1776.
Military Career and Later Years
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Prince William Henry wanted to serve in the military. However, his health was not strong enough for active duty. Instead, he was made a colonel in the army in 1766. In 1767, he was promoted to major-general. He also became the Warden of Windsor Forest, which gave him a special home called Cranbourne Lodge.
He became the head of the University of Dublin in 1771 and held this position until 1805.
When the American War of Independence began, the Duke hoped to lead troops. But King George III did not allow it. He later became a field marshal in 1793. From 1796 to 1802, he was the General Officer Commanding the Northern District.
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Prince William Henry passed away in London in 1805. His son, William Frederick, became the next Duke of Gloucester. He was buried at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Titles and Honours
Titles and Styles
- From 1743 to 1764: His Royal Highness Prince William
- From 1764 to 1805: His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Honours
- 1762: Royal Knight of the Garter (KG)
- Privy Counsellor (PC)
- Royal Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
Images for kids
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The Duke's coat of arms
