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Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh facts for kids

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Prince William Frederick
Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
2ndDukeOfGloucester.jpg
The Duke of Gloucester, c. 1810s
Born Prince William Frederick of Gloucester
(1776-01-15)15 January 1776
Teodoli Palace, Rome, Papal States
Died 30 November 1834(1834-11-30) (aged 58)
Bagshot Park, Surrey, England
Burial 11 December 1834
St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
Spouse
House Hanover
Father Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Mother Maria Walpole

Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (born 15 January 1776 – died 30 November 1834) was an important member of the British Royal Family. He was a great-grandson of King George II and the nephew and son-in-law of King George III. Prince William married Princess Mary, who was the fourth daughter of King George III.

Early Life of Prince William Frederick

2ndDukeOfGloucester1826
The Duke of Gloucester in an engraving from 1826

Prince William Frederick was born in Rome on 15 January 1776. His father was Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, who was the third son of the Prince of Wales. His mother was Maria Walpole.

When he was born, Prince William was known as a Prince of Great Britain. He was given the title His Highness. He was baptized in Rome on 12 February 1776. His godparents included the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, and the Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.

William started studying at the University of Cambridge (Trinity College) in 1787. He earned his Master of Arts degree in 1790. His home in London was at 31 Upper Grosvenor Street in Mayfair.

In 1805, Prince William's father passed away. William then inherited the titles Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh and Earl of Connaught. From 1811 until his death, William was the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. In 1812, some Swedish nobles wanted him to become the King of Sweden. However, the British government did not allow this. Instead, a French marshal named Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte became King Charles XIV John.

Military Career

Prince William Frederick had a long military career. When war with France began in 1793, he joined the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards as a captain. He was also a lieutenant-colonel in the Army.

He was promoted to colonel in 1794. He served in the Flanders campaign from March to May of that year. In 1795, he became a major-general. From September to October 1799, he led a group of Foot Guards in the Helder Expedition. He was praised for his actions there.

He continued to rise through the ranks. In 1799, he was promoted to lieutenant-general. He became a general in 1808. His highest military rank was field marshal, which he achieved in 1816. He was also the colonel of several regiments during his life.

Marriage

On 22 July 1816, Prince William married his first cousin, Princess Mary. She was the fourth daughter of King George III. Their wedding took place at St. James's Palace in London. On their wedding day, the Prince Regent gave the Duke the special title of His Royal Highness.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester lived at Bagshot Park in Surrey. They did not have any children together. They were both 40 years old when they got married.

Later Life

Richenda Gurney - Earlham Hall South - undated
Prince William often visited Earlham Hall, home of the Gurney family. Like William, they worked to end slavery.

Prince William was involved in many different activities. In 1822, he led the first meeting of London's new United University Club. In politics, the Duke usually supported the Whigs. The Whigs were a political group that believed in certain reforms.

He was a strong supporter of the abolition of slavery. This meant he wanted to end slavery completely. He also supported Caroline of Brunswick and Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, against King George IV. William and his friends, John Opie and his wife Amelia Opie, often visited Earlham Hall. This was the home of the Gurney family. The Gurneys, like the Duke and the Opies, were Whigs and also worked to end slavery.

The Duke of Gloucester passed away on 30 November 1834 at Bagshot Park. He was buried in St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Several places in London, like Connaught Place, Connaught Street, and Connaught Square, are named after his title, the Earl of Connaught. These areas were built in the 1820s.

Honours

Arms

Prince William Frederick Arms
Arms of Prince William Frederick

Prince William was allowed to use his father's coat of arms. This was the royal coat of arms, but with special differences to show it belonged to him.

See also

  • List of British princes

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