Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke Of Grafton

Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (28 September 1735 – 14 March 1811), was a British statesman during the Georgian era. He was styled Earl of Euston from 1747 to 1757. Grafton served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1768 to 1770, becoming one of the few dukes to hold the office. He was appointed at age 33 and initially led the supporters of William Pitt the Elder, making him the youngest Prime Minister until William Pitt the Younger was appointed 15 years later.

Born on 28 September 1735, FitzRoy was the son of Lord Augustus FitzRoy, a Royal Navy captain, and Elizabeth Cosby, daughter of Colonel William Cosby, colonial Governor of New York. His paternal grandfather was the 2nd Duke of Grafton, and his maternal grandfather was William Cosby. FitzRoy was a great-grandson of King Charles II and the 1st Duchess of Cleveland through illegitimate descent, with the surname FitzRoy originating from this illegitimacy. His younger brother was the 1st Baron Southampton.

Following the death of his uncle in 1747, he was styled Earl of Euston and resided at Wakefield. His early education included attendance at Newcome's School in Hackney and Westminster School. He completed his education at Peterhouse, Cambridge, and undertook the Grand Tour across Europe, returning to England in 1754.

In 1756, FitzRoy entered Parliament as a Member of Parliament for Boroughbridge, a pocket borough. He subsequently represented Bury St Edmunds, a constituency controlled by his family. The same year, his grandfather died, and he succeeded as the 3rd Duke of Grafton, transitioning to the House of Lords. He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, serving from 1757 to 1763 and again from 1769 to 1790. He held the position of lord of the bedchamber to the Prince of Wales briefly between 1756 and 1758.

Grafton opposed Lord Bute's government, aligning with the Duke of Newcastle. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1765. During William Pitt the Elder's time as Northern Secretary, Grafton was involved in the coalition government of Lord Rockingham, serving as First Lord of the Treasury when Pitt, then Lord Chatham, was Premier. After Chatham's illness and withdrawal, Grafton assumed leadership of the government in 1767 and became Prime Minister in 1768, a role he held until 1770. He was appointed Knight of the Garter in September 1769. His tenure was marked by difficulties in addressing Britain's post-war challenges, including the Corsican crisis, which led to his resignation.

He was also Chancellor of the University of Cambridge beginning in 1768. Grafton served again as Lord Privy Seal from 1771 to 1775, advocating for conciliatory policies toward the American colonies. He held the same office during the Rockingham and Shelburne ministries of 1782–1783.

Grafton supported militia reforms during the Seven Years' War; he commanded the West Suffolk Militia as colonel. His militia service included raising two regiments in 1759 and participating in the large Coxheath Camp during the American Revolutionary War. He resigned his military commission in 1780 due to health issues, succeeded by his son George, Earl of Euston.

In later years, Grafton was involved with Unitarianism and theological studies. He supported religious reforms and wrote works reflecting his rational Christian beliefs, including "Hints Submitted to the Serious Attention of the Clergy, Nobility and Gentry" (1789) and "Serious Reflections of a Rational Christian" (1788–1797). Additionally, he supported biblical textual scholarship and funded the printing of Griesbach's Greek New Testament edition.

Grafton had interests in horse racing, racing in sky blue colors. Several geographic locations, including Grafton County in New Hampshire and Grafton in New South Wales, Australia, are named after him. The Grafton Centre Shopping Mall in Cambridge and Cape Grafton in Queensland are also named in his honor. He held the record for the longest post-premiership tenure of any British Prime Minister, serving over 41 years after leaving office.

He married The Hon. Anne Liddell on 29 January 1756, with whom he had three children: Lady Georgiana FitzRoy, George Henry FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton, and General Lord Charles FitzRoy. His descendants included notable figures such as Sir Charles FitzRoy, governor of New South Wales, and Robert FitzRoy, renowned hydrographer.

In 1764, FitzRoy was involved in a public affair with Nancy Parsons, a courtesan, which was widely criticized due to societal standards.