Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton
A wealthy Whig duke whose troubled premiership was eclipsed by his passion for classical scholarship and private life.
1735–1811 (age 76)·Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1768 to 1770·Birthday: September 28
Biography
Augustus FitzRoy, the 3rd Duke of Grafton, inherited immense privilege but found the demands of high office less to his taste. Becoming Prime Minister in 1768 at the height of tensions with the American colonies, his government was weak and divided, struggling to enforce unpopular policies like the Townshend Acts. His tenure is often remembered for its ineffectiveness and for his notorious personal life—he openly lived with his mistress while his wife was elsewhere, a scandal that fueled his critics. Resigning in 1770, he found greater satisfaction in his later role as Lord Privy Seal and, more personally, in his deep study of the New Testament. A collector of classical texts and a committed Unitarian, Grafton was a complex figure: a political leader who failed to lead, but a private intellectual who pursued his convictions with quiet dedication.
#1 When Augustus Was Born
The biggest hits of 1735
Augustus's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1735Born
1740Started school
1748Became a teenager
1751Could drive
1753Could vote
1756Turned 21
1765Turned 30
1775Turned 40
1785Turned 50
1795Turned 60
1805Turned 70
1811Died at 76
Key Achievements
- Served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1768 to 1770 during rising American colonial unrest.
- Held the role of Lord Privy Seal in two subsequent administrations for a total of over a decade.
- Was a prominent patron of religion and scholarship, publishing his own 'Hints Submitted to the Serious Attention of the Clergy.'
Did You Know?
He is the ancestor of both Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York.
Grafton County in New Hampshire is named after him.
He was a devoted Unitarian and financed the building of the first Unitarian chapel in London.
His portrait by Joshua Reynolds shows him in Garter robes, but he was a notably reluctant public figure.
“The business of the nation must proceed, despite the clamor.”
