George Clavering-Cowper, 3rd Earl Cowper

The Right Honourable The Earl Cowper
The Earl Cowper by Zoffany.
Member of Parliament for Hertford
In office 1759–1761
Preceded by	George Harrison
Succeeded by	Timothy Caswall John Calvert
Personal details
Born	1738
Died	1789
Resting place	Hertford
Nationality	English
Spouse(s)	Hannah Clavering-Cowper née Gore
Relations	William Clavering-Cowper, 2nd Earl (father) Henrietta Nassau d'Auverquerque (mother) Lady Caroline Cowper (sister)
Children	George Augustus Clavering-Cowper, 4th Earl Peter Leopold Louis Francis Nassau Cowper, 5th Earl The Hon. Edward Spencer Cowper
Residence	Villa Palmieri

George Nassau Clavering-Cowper, 3rd Earl Cowper (1738–1789) was an English peer who went on the grand tour as a young man, but actually emigrated. Despite becoming a Member of Parliament and inheriting lands and the title of Earl Cowper in England, he remained in Italy. He amassed a valuable art collection and became a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. He was a patron of the arts and science.

George Nassau Clavering-Cowper was the son of the 2nd Earl Cowper and the godson of George II. He was educated at Eton College. His education was planned to be completed with a Grand Tour. This rite of passage for British aristocrats required that they tour the continent in the company of a tutor.

Clavering-Cowper was at the time known as Viscount Fordwich. Accompanied by his tutor, they travelled through France, the Netherlands, and Germany before Clavering-Cowper studied for two years in Switzerland. Unlike other grand tourers, Fordwich was independent of his parents as he had inherited a fortune from his maternal grandfather in 1754. The tourers arrived in Florence on 7 July 1759.

Fordwich's father was expectant of his return; he arranged for him to be elected as the Member of Parliament for Hertford in December 1759. However Fordwich was establishing himself in Florentine society. By the following year his tutor, Jean Chastellain, asked for and was given permission to abandon his charge. The 2nd Earl gave Chastellain leave to return to his home town of Vevey.