Family and Education

b. 28 Apr. 1718, 3rd s. of James, 1st Earl Waldegrave, by Mary, da. of Sir John Webb, 3rd Bt., of Hatherop, Glos. m. 7 May 1751, Lady Elizabeth Leveson Gower, da. of John, 1st Earl Gower, sis. of Granville Leveson Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford, and Gertrude, Duchess of Bedford, 3s. 5da. suc. bro. as 3rd Earl 28 Apr. 1763.

Offices Held

Ensign 1 Ft. Gds. 1735, lt. and capt. 1739; capt. and lt.-col. 3 Ft. Gds. 1743, 2nd maj. 1748, 1st maj. 1749; a.-d.-c. to Duke of Cumberland 1747; col. army 1748; col. 9 Ft. 1751-5, 8 Drags. 1755-8; maj.-gen. 1757; col. 5 Drag. Gds. 1758-9; lt.-gen. 1759; col. 2 Drag. Gds. 1759-73; gov. Plymouth 1761-d.; gen. 1772; col. 2 Ft. Gds. 1773-d.

Groom of the bedchamber 1747-63; master of the horse to the Queen 1770-d.; ld. lt. Essex 1781-d.

Biography

Brought in by the Government for Orford in 1747, Waldegrave was made a lord of the bedchamber, no doubt through the influence of his brother, Lord Waldegrave, ‘a personal favourite of the King’. In 1751 he married the sister of the Duchess of Bedford without the consent of her father, Lord Gower, who was so much incensed with Lord Sandwich for allowing the marriage to be performed at his apartments in the Admiralty that he broke with him and did not resign with the Duke of Bedford when Sandwich was dismissed a month later. At the beginning of 1752 Bedford is reported to have come to town ‘resolved to make use of the remains of the King’s favour to ask a pension for ... Lady Elizabeth Waldegrave’,1 which however was not granted till some years later.

Waldegrave died 22 Oct. 1784.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

• 1. Walpole, Mems. Geo. II, i. 92, 188, 242.