George Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury

The Most Honourable The Marquess of Ailesbury KG, PC, DL
Master of the Horse
In office 24 June 1859 – 26 June 1866
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Viscount Palmerston The Earl Russell
Preceded by	The Duke of Beaufort
Succeeded by	The Duke of Beaufort
In office 12 December 1868 – 17 February 1874
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	William Ewart Gladstone
Preceded by	The Duke of Beaufort
Succeeded by	The Earl of Bradford
Personal details
Born	20 November 1804 Lower Grosvenor Street, London
Died	6 January 1878 (aged 73) Lockeridge House, Savernake, Wiltshire
Nationality	British
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Lady Mary Herbert (1813–1892)
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford

George William Frederick Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury KG, PC, DL (20 November 1804 – 6 January 1878), styled Lord Bruce between 1814 and 1821 and Earl Bruce between 1821 and 1856, was a British peer, Liberal politician and courtier.

Background and education

Born in Lower Grosvenor Street, London, Bruce was the oldest son of Charles Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Marquess of Ailesbury, and his first wife the Hon. Henrietta Hill, oldest daughter of Noel Hill, 1st Baron Berwick.^[1] He was the brother of Ernest Brudenell-Bruce, 3rd Marquess of Ailesbury, and the half-brother of Lord Charles Brudenell-Bruce. He was baptised at St George's, Hanover Square, with King George III and Queen Charlotte as his godparents. He was educated at Eton College & Christ Church, Oxford.^[1] In 1856, he succeeded to his father's titles^[1] and, in 1868, to those of his distant cousin James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan.

Career

Bruce entered the British House of Commons in 1826, representing Marlborough as Member of Parliament (MP) until 1829.^[2][3] In 1838, he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's subsidiary title Baron Bruce.^[1][4] He was appointed Yeomanry Aide to Queen Victoria in 1857 and was invested as a Privy Counsellor in 1859.^[5] Ailesbury held political office under Lord Palmerston and Lord Russell as Master of the Horse between 1859 and 1866.^[2] Having previously been a Deputy Lieutenant, he became Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire in 1863.^[6] On 25 May 1864, he was invested as a Knight of the Garter.^[7] He was once again Master of the Horse, this time under William Ewart Gladstone, between 1868 and 1874.^[2]

Family

On 11 May 1837, Lord Ailesbury married Lady Mary Herbert,^[8] third daughter of George Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke, in the same church where he was baptised. Brudenell-Bruce died in 1878, aged 73, at Lockeridge House, Savernake, Wiltshire, and was buried there. Because he had no issue, his titles were inherited by his younger brother, Ernest Brudenell-Bruce. The Marchioness of Ailesbury died at 78 Pall Mall, London, in January 1892, aged 78.^[2]

References

1. Dod, Robert P. (1860). The Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Whitaker and Co. p. 85.
2. thepeerage.com Sir George William Frederick Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury
3. leighrayment.com House of Commons: Macclesfield to Marylebone West
4. The London Gazette: no. 19633. p. 1533. 6 July 1838.
5. The London Gazette: no. 22276. p. 2401. 18 June 1859.
6. The London Gazette: no. 22721. p. 1750. 27 March 1863.
7. The London Gazette: no. 22857. p. 2728. 24 May 1864.
8. "Mary Caroline (née Herbert), Marchioness of Ailesbury (1813–1892), Wife of 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury; daughter of 11th Earl of Pembroke". National Portrait Gallery, London.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Marquess of Ailesbury
• Portraits of George Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury at the National Portrait Gallery, London