George Villiers, 4th Earl Of Jersey

George Bussy Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey, was born on June 9, 1735, and died on August 22, 1805. He held the courtesy title of Viscount Villiers from 1742 until 1769. He was a member of the British aristocracy and served as a courtier and politician.

Early Life

He was the eldest surviving son of William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey, and Anne Russell, Duchess of Bedford. His birth name was Lady Anne Egerton, as his mother was previously married to Wriothesley Russell, 3rd Duke of Bedford, who died in 1732. Lady Anne Egerton married William Villiers in 1733. His elder brother, Frederick William Villiers, styled Viscount Villiers, died in childhood in 1742. At that time, George began to be styled Viscount Villiers. His paternal grandparents were William Villiers, 2nd Earl of Jersey, and Judith Herne, daughter of Frederick Herne. His maternal grandparents were Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater, and Lady Elizabeth Churchill, daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough.

Career

Between 1756 and 1769, prior to inheriting the earldom, he served as a Member of Parliament representing Tamworth in Staffordshire, Aldborough in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and Dover in Kent. During this period, he aligned politically with the Duke of Grafton, following his lead in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. He served as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1761 to 1763 and was sworn into the Privy Council on July 11, 1765. From 1765 to 1769, he held the position of Vice-Chamberlain. Upon his elevation to the peerage in 1769, he entered the House of Lords.

Following his peerage, he was appointed Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King George III, a role he held from 1769 to 1777. He also served as Master of the Buckhounds from 1782 to 1783 and was involved in various court positions until 1800. His courtly manners earned him the nickname "Prince of Maccaronies." In 1787, he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Personal Life

On March 26, 1770, Lord Jersey married Frances Twysden at her stepfather's residence in the parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Lady Jersey, who was seventeen years younger than her husband, became noted as a mistress of George IV when he was Prince of Wales in 1793. At that time, she was 40 years old and a grandmother. The couple had ten children:

- Lady Charlotte Anne Villiers (1771–1808), married Lord William Russell in 1789.

- Lady Anne Barbara Frances Villiers (1772–1832), married William Henry Lambton in 1791, and after his death in 1797, married Hon. Charles William Wyndham.

- George Child Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey (1773–1859), married Sarah Sophia Fane.

- Lady Caroline Elizabeth Villiers (1774–1835), married Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey; later married George Campbell, 6th Duke of Argyll.

- Lady Georgiana Villiers (1776–1776), died in infancy.

- Lady Sarah Villiers (1779–1852), married Charles Nathaniel Bayley.

- Hon. William Augustus Henry Villiers (1780–1813), died unmarried in America after adopting the surname Mansel.

- Lady Catherine Villiers (1782–1810), died unmarried.

- Lady Frances Elizabeth Villiers (1786–1866), married John Ponsonby, 1st Viscount Ponsonby.

- Lady Harriet Villiers (1788–1870), married Richard Bagot, Bishop of Oxford.

Death and Descendants

George Villiers died on August 22, 1805, in Tunbridge Wells. Through his daughter Lady Anne, he was the grandfather of John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham. Lady Caroline was an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her sons, William, Prince of Wales, and Harry, Duke of Sussex.

Ancestry

He was descended from notable British aristocratic families, including the Villiers, Russell, Egerton, Churchill, and Herne families.