William Bentinck, 2nd Duke Of Portland

William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland, was born on 1 March 1709. He was initially styled as Viscount Woodstock from 1709 until 1716 and as Marquess of Titchfield from 1716 until 1726. He was a member of the British peerage and engaged in political activities during his lifetime.

He was the son of Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland, and Elizabeth Noel, daughter of Wriothesley Baptist Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough. William Bentinck succeeded his father to the dukedom in 1726, at the age of 17.

Throughout his life, the duke was involved with charitable work, including serving as an original governor of the Foundling Hospital in London, established in 1739. In 1741, he was appointed a Knight of the Garter, a royal order of chivalry.

There is no record indicating that he held any public office. His primary residence was at Bulstrode Park, where he focused on his family life. In 1749, he was identified as one of the individuals involved in The Great Bottle Hoax, an event where a large crowd was attracted to a London theatre under pretenses related to a theatrical trick involving a "quart bottle."

William Bentinck married Lady Margaret Harley on 11 June 1734. Lady Margaret was the daughter of Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer. The couple had six children:

- Lady Elizabeth Bentinck (27 June 1735 – 25 December 1825), who married Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath (1734–1796).

- Lady Henrietta Bentinck (8 February 1737 – 4 June 1827), who married George Grey, 5th Earl of Stamford (1737–1819).

- William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (14 April 1738 – 30 October 1809), who married Lady Dorothy Cavendish (1750–1794), daughter of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire.

- Lady Margaret Bentinck (26 July 1739 – 28 April 1756).

- Lady Frances Bentinck (9 April 1741 – March 1743).

- Lord Edward Charles Cavendish-Bentinck (3 March 1744 – 8 October 1819), who married Elizabeth Cumberland (d. 1837).

William Bentinck died in May 1762 at the age of 53. He was buried at Westminster Abbey. His eldest son, William, succeeded him as the 3rd Duke of Portland and later served as Prime Minister of Great Britain. The duchess, Lady Margaret Harley, died in 1785.