Title 2nd Earl of Harrington Tenure 1756-1779 Name William 2nd | Nationality British Role British Politician Residence Elvaston Castle Died April 1, 1779 | |
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Born William Stanhope
18 December 1719 ( 1719-12-18 ) Other titles Viscount Petersham
Baron Harrington Spouse Lady Caroline FitzRoy (m. 1746) Parents William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington Children Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington Grandchildren Leicester Stanhope, 5th Earl of Harrington Grandparents Dorothy Agard, John Stanhope | ||
Wars and battles Battle of Fontenoy | ||
General William Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Harrington (18 December 1719 – 1 April 1779) was a British politician and soldier.
The son of William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington, he took up a military career and joined the Foot Guards in 1741, and was also returned for Aylesbury. He was wounded at the battle of Fontenoy and shortly thereafter (5 June 1745) was appointed colonel of the Second Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards, an appointment he held for the remainder of his life.
He married Lady Caroline FitzRoy (1722–1784), daughter of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, on 11 August 1746. They had seven children:
In 1747, he became MP for Bury St Edmunds, and in 1755, was promoted major-general. He succeeded to the earldom in 1756, and was promoted lieutenant-general in 1758 and general in 1770.
He was known to society as "the goat of quality" for the dissipation of his personal life: he visited the brothel of Sarah Prendergast in King's Place, St James's, London, four times a week. His wife Lady Harrington formed "The New Female Coterie", a group of demimondaines which met in the same house.