Robert Fulke Greville

For his son, the politician, soldier and landowner, see Robert Fulke Greville (landowner).

Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. Robert Fulke Greville FRS (3 February 1751 – 27 April 1824) was a British Army officer, courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1774 and 1807.

Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Fulke Greville FRS
The Hon. Robert Fulke Greville 1800
Member of the Great Britain Parliament for Warwick
In office 1774–1780
Member of Parliament for New Windsor
In office 1796–1800
Member of Parliament for New Windsor
In office 1801–1806
Personal details
Born	3 February 1751
Died	April 27, 1824(1824-04-27) (aged 73)
Spouse	Louisa Murray, 2nd Countess of Mansfield ​ ​ (m. 1797)​
Children	Georgiana, Lady Cathcart Lady Louisa Finch-Hatton The Hon. Robert Fulke Greville
Parents	Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick Elizabeth Hamilton

Life

 

Portrait of Robert Fulke Greville (1751–1824), British Army officer, courtier and politician.

The son of Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick, and his wife, the former Elizabeth Hamilton, he was a younger brother of George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick, and of Charles Francis Greville. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh. He was commissioned as a cornet in the 10th Dragoons in 1768, and promoted to lieutenant in 1772;^[1] he transferred to the 1st Foot Guards in April 1775^[2] and became captain the same year, then lieutenant-colonel in 1777.^[3] He saw little or no active service and perhaps the most notable aspect of his army career was as an equerry to King George III from 1781 to 1797. This included the king's first bout of physical and mental illness, then known as madness, for which Greville's diaries are a valuable primary source.^[4][5] Some incidents from them were incorporated into the play The Madness of George III and its film adaptation - a fictionalised Greville appears in both of them, played in the film by Rupert Graves.

Greville's duties as an equerry did not prevent him starting a parliamentary career, initially as Member of Parliament for Warwick from 1774 to 1780, supporting the Tory government of Lord North.^[6][7] He went with the king's household on its 1794 season in Weymouth, again recording it in his diary in considerable detail. 1794 also saw Greville elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.^[8]

In 1796, a year before leaving his post as equerry, he was elected Member of Parliament for New Windsor, holding the constituency for ten years.^[9] On 19 October 1797, he married his 1st cousin Louisa Murray (née Cathcart), Countess of Mansfield - she was the widow of David Murray and daughter of Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart and Jane Hamilton. He returned to the royal household as Groom of the Bedchamber from 1800 to 1818 (from 1812 at Windsor Castle after the final onset of George III's illness). His diaries recounting the period are now held in the Royal Collection.^[10]

Fanny Burney referred to Greville as "Colonel Wellbred"^[3] and he was a favourite at court. Emma, Lady Hamilton, who had been the mistress of his brother Charles and wife of their uncle Sir William Hamilton, wrote to Robert on several occasions, seeking financial assistance.^[11]

Greville died on 27 April 1824. His brother Charles Francis had founded the port of Milford Haven and Robert's son and namesake attempted to make improvements to it.^[12]

References

1. "No. 112611". The London Gazette. 30 June 1772. p. 1. 10th Regiment of Dragoons, Cornet Robert Fulke Greville is appointed to be Lieutenant, vice George Poyntz Ricketts, by Purchase.
2. "No. 11552". The London Gazette. 11 April 1775. p. 2. 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, ... Lieutenant Robert Fulke Greville, of the 10th Regiment of Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, vice Thomas Turton; by Purchase.
3. Mary M. Drummond. "GREVILLE, Hon. Robert Fulke (1751-1824)". History of Parliament. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
4. "ROBERT FULKE GREVILLE (1751-1824), Journal of His Majesty's Most Serious and Afflicting Illness. 1788-89.". Royal Collections Trust. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
5. F. McKno Bladon (ed.), The Diaries of Colonel The Hon. Robert Fulke Greville, Equerry to His Majesty George III (London: The Bodley Head, 1930).
6. Lewis Namier & John Brooke, The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754-1790 (London: HMSO, 1964)
7. "No. 11513". The London Gazette. 29 November 1774. p. 1. Members returned for the ensuing Parliament ... Borough of Warwick. The Honourable Charles Francis Greville, Esq; The Honourable Robert Fulke Greville, Esq
8. "Fellow details". Royal Society. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
9. "GREVILLE, Hon. Robert Fulke (1751-1824), of Richmond Park, Surr". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
10. "Journal of His Majesty's Most Serious and Afflicting Illness. 1788-89". Royal Collection. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
11. Flora Fraser (11 March 2012). Beloved Emma: The Life of Emma, Lady Hamilton. A&C Black. pp. 45–. ISBN 978-1-4088-3256-1.
12. "Charles Francis Greville". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 27 October 2021.

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Charles Greville Paul Methuen	Member of Parliament for Warwick 1774–1780 With: Charles Greville	Succeeded by Charles Greville Robert Ladbroke
Preceded by The Earl of Mornington William Grant	Member of Parliament for New Windsor 1796–1800 With: Henry Isherwood 1796–1797 Sir William Johnston 1797–1800	Succeeded by Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Parliament of Great Britain	Member of Parliament for New Windsor 1801–1806 With: Sir William Johnston 1801-02 John Williams 1802-04 Arthur Vansittart 1804-06	Succeeded by Edward Disbrowe Richard Ramsbottom