Prince William | |||||
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Duke of Cumberland | |||||
Portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1758
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Born |
New Style) Leicester House, London, England |
26 April 1721 (||||
Died | 31 October 1765 London, England |
(aged 44)||||
Burial | Westminster Abbey, London | ||||
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House | Hanover | ||||
Father | George II | ||||
Mother | Caroline of Ansbach |
Full name | |
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William Augustus |
Prince William Augustus KG KB FRS (26 April 1721 [N.S.] – 31 October 1765), was the third and youngest son of George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach, and Duke of Cumberland from 1726. He is best remembered for his role in putting down the Jacobite Rising at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, which made him immensely popular throughout Britain. He is often referred to by the nickname given to him by his English Tory opponents: 'Butcher' Cumberland. Despite his triumph at Culloden, he had a largely unsuccessful military career. Following the Convention of Klosterzeven in 1757, he never held active military command and switched his attentions to politics and horse racing.
William was born in Leicester House, in Leicester Fields (now Leicester Square), Westminster, London, where his parents had moved after his grandfather, George I, accepted the invitation to ascend the British throne. His godparents included the King and Queen in Prussia (his paternal aunt), but they apparently did not take part in person and were presumably represented by proxy. On 27 July 1726, at only five years old, he was created Duke of Cumberland, Marquess of Berkhamstead in the County of Hertford, Earl of Kennington in the County of Surrey, Viscount of Trematon in the County of Cornwall, and Baron of the Isle of Alderney.