George Cambridge, 2nd Marquess of Cambridge
Encyclopedia
George Francis Hugh Cambridge, 2nd Marquess of Cambridge, GCVO
(11 October 1895 – 16 April 1981), known as Prince George of Teck until 1917 and as Earl of Eltham from 1917 to 1927, was a descendant of the British Royal Family
. He was the elder son of the 1st Marquess of Cambridge
, formerly the Duke of Teck
, and his wife, the former Lady Margaret Grosvenor
. He was a nephew of Queen Mary
, the consort of King George V
, and of the 1st Earl of Athlone
.
, the home of his maternal grandfather, the 1st Duke of Westminster
, he was styled His Serene Highness Prince George of Teck from birth. On his father's side, he was descended from King George III
and the Royal House
of Württemberg. In June 1917, at the request of George V, his father relinquished the titles, styles, and designations, "Highness", "Duke of Teck" and "of Teck" in the Kingdom of Württemberg and the German Empire, and assumed the surname Cambridge by Royal License and Warrant. The former Duke of Teck was subsequently created Marquess of Cambridge, Earl of Eltham and Viscount Northallerton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
. Prince George became George Cambridge and was styled Earl of Eltham as a courtesy title. He succeeded his father as 2nd Marquess of Cambridge on 24 October 1927. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in June 1927 and was promoted to Knight Grand Cross in June 1935.
and then at Magdalen College
, Oxford University. He joined the Reserve Regiment of the 1st Life Guards during World War I
and served as an aide-de-camp on the Personal Staff in 1918-1919. In 1929, he became a director of Coutts & Company, a banking firm. This made him the second member of the British royal family (albeit, a very minor one) to pursue a career in the City of London
. He remained with the firm until his retirement in 1951.
-1 April 1988), daughter of The Hon. Osmund William Toone Westenra Hastings, who was a younger son of the 13th Earl of Huntingdon
. The couple had one child, Lady Mary Cambridge
(24 September 1924-13 December 1999).
, and Elizabeth II
. For many years he served as Royal Trustee of the British Museum.
When Lord Cambridge died, on April 16, 1981 in Little Abington
, he was buried in the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore. His peerages became extinct. His brother, Lord Frederick Cambridge, had died while fighting in Belgium during World War II
.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(11 October 1895 – 16 April 1981), known as Prince George of Teck until 1917 and as Earl of Eltham from 1917 to 1927, was a descendant of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
. He was the elder son of the 1st Marquess of Cambridge
Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge
Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, GCB, GCVO, CMG , born Prince Adolphus of Teck and later The Duke of Teck , was a member of the British Royal Family and a younger brother of Queen Mary, the consort of King George V...
, formerly the Duke of Teck
Duke of Teck
Duke of Teck was, in medieval times, a title borne by the head of a principality named Teck in the Holy Roman Empire, centered around Teck castle in Germany. That territory was held by a branch line of the Zähringen dynasty from 1187 to 1439, known historically as the first House of Teck...
, and his wife, the former Lady Margaret Grosvenor
Margaret Cambridge, Marchioness of Cambridge
Margaret Evelyn Cambridge, Marchioness of Cambridge was the sixth child and third daughter of the 1st Duke of Westminster and the wife of the 1st Marquess of Cambridge...
. He was a nephew of Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
, the consort of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, and of the 1st Earl of Athlone
Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone
Major-General Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone , was a close relative of the shared British and Canadian royal family, as well as a British military commander and major-general who served as Governor-General of the Union of South Africa, the...
.
Early life
Born at Grosvenor HouseGrosvenor House
Grosvenor House was one of the largest private townhouses situated on London's exclusive Park Lane in the district of Mayfair. The house was the home of the Grosvenor family for more than a century...
, the home of his maternal grandfather, the 1st Duke of Westminster
Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster
Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster KG, PC, JP , styled Viscount Belgrave between 1831 and 1845 and Earl Grosvenor between 1845 and 1869 and known as the 3rd Marquess of Westminster between 1869 and 1874, was an English landowner, politician and racehorse owner.He inherited the estate of...
, he was styled His Serene Highness Prince George of Teck from birth. On his father's side, he was descended from King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
and the Royal House
Royal House
A royal house or royal dynasty consists of at least one, but usually more monarchs who are related to one another, as well as their non-reigning descendants and spouses. Monarchs of the same realm who are not related to one another are usually deemed to belong to different houses, and each house is...
of Württemberg. In June 1917, at the request of George V, his father relinquished the titles, styles, and designations, "Highness", "Duke of Teck" and "of Teck" in the Kingdom of Württemberg and the German Empire, and assumed the surname Cambridge by Royal License and Warrant. The former Duke of Teck was subsequently created Marquess of Cambridge, Earl of Eltham and Viscount Northallerton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. Prince George became George Cambridge and was styled Earl of Eltham as a courtesy title. He succeeded his father as 2nd Marquess of Cambridge on 24 October 1927. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in June 1927 and was promoted to Knight Grand Cross in June 1935.
Education and career
Prince George of Teck was educated at EtonEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and then at Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, Oxford University. He joined the Reserve Regiment of the 1st Life Guards during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and served as an aide-de-camp on the Personal Staff in 1918-1919. In 1929, he became a director of Coutts & Company, a banking firm. This made him the second member of the British royal family (albeit, a very minor one) to pursue a career in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. He remained with the firm until his retirement in 1951.
Marriage and Family
On April 10, 1923, he married Dorothy Isabel Westenra Hastings (18 May 1899 CirencesterCirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
-1 April 1988), daughter of The Hon. Osmund William Toone Westenra Hastings, who was a younger son of the 13th Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The title is associated with the ruling house of Scotland, and latterly with the Hastings family.-Early history:...
. The couple had one child, Lady Mary Cambridge
Lady Mary Whitley
The Lady Mary Whitley , née Cambridge was a descendant of the British Royal Family...
(24 September 1924-13 December 1999).
Personal information
Lord and Lady Cambridge regularly attended major royal occasions, although they did not carry out royal duties. Lord Cambridge participated in the coronations of George V, George VIGeorge VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, and Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. For many years he served as Royal Trustee of the British Museum.
When Lord Cambridge died, on April 16, 1981 in Little Abington
Abington, Cambridgeshire
The Abingtons are a community in South Cambridgeshire consisting of two villages: Little Abington and Great Abington, south east of Cambridge.-History:...
, he was buried in the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore. His peerages became extinct. His brother, Lord Frederick Cambridge, had died while fighting in Belgium during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Styles from birth to death
- His Serene Highness Prince George of Teck (1895–1917)
- George Cambridge, Esq. (1917-1917)
- Earl of Eltham (1917–1927)
- The Most Hon. The Marquess of Cambridge (1927–1981)