Elizabeth Wyndham

Elizabeth Grenville (née Wyndham; 1719 – 5 December 1769) was an English artist and writer. She was married to George Grenville, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1763 to 1765. She was the daughter of Sir William Wyndham, a notable Tory politician, and Lady Catherine Seymour, daughter of Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset. Elizabeth was the mother of William Grenville, who served as Prime Minister from 1806 to 1807.

Born in 1719, Elizabeth Wyndham was baptized on 31 January 1719 in Westminster. She had two older brothers named Charles and Percy. Her father, Sir William Wyndham, was active in politics during the 1710s and 1720s, holding positions such as Chancellor of the Exchequer and leader of the Tory party. Her mother, Lady Catherine Seymour, died in 1731. In 1734, William Wyndham remarried Maria Catherina de Jonge. During her childhood, Elizabeth contracted smallpox, which resulted in facial scarring.

Elizabeth Wyndham maintained a collection of newspaper cuttings primarily concerning political issues and kept a diary documenting her husband's political career. She was also involved in amateur artwork, producing pastel works including a self-portrait, which was later sold as part of the 1848 sale of Wotton House.

On 16 May 1749, Elizabeth married George Grenville, then serving as a lord of the Treasury and Member of Parliament for Buckingham. Her grandfather, the Duke of Somerset, disapproved of the marriage and left her a small inheritance. The couple took residence at Wotton House in Buckinghamshire, where they raised their eight children:

- Richard Grenville (died 1759), who died young

- George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham (17 June 1753 – 11 February 1813)

- Charlotte Grenville (~1754 – 29 September 1830), married Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet, on 21 December 1771, with whom she had eight children, six reaching adulthood

- Thomas Grenville (31 December 1755 – 17 December 1846), a Member of Parliament and bibliophile, who died unmarried

- Elizabeth Grenville (24 October 1756 – 21 December 1842), who married John Proby, 1st Earl of Carysfort, in 1787, with whom she had three daughters

- William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville (25 October 1759 – 12 January 1834), who became Prime Minister

- Catherine Grenville (1761 – 6 November 1796), married Richard Neville-Aldworth, later Richard Griffin, 2nd Baron Braybrooke; they had four children

- Hester Grenville (before 1767 – 13 November 1847), who married Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Fortescue, and had nine children

George Grenville's tenure as Prime Minister began in 1763. Although his premiership lasted only two years, he remained influential in politics throughout the 1760s. Elizabeth died on 5 December 1769 and was interred in Wotton Underwood eight days later. Her husband was subsequently buried there following his death approximately one year later.