The Hon Charles Fitzroy

This portrait is dated c1760 and shows the sitter in the uniform of 1st Foot Guards. He was born on 25th June 1737, the great grandson of Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton who was colonel of the regiment twice, in the 1680s. He joined the 1st Foot Guards as an ensign in 1753 rising to a lieutenant and captain in 1756. Within another two years he was captain and lieutenant-colonel. He was ADC to Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick in 1759 and at the battle of Minden carried the order for the advance of the cavalry which Lord George Sackville failed to carry out.
From 1760-62 he was Groom to the Bedchamber of the new King George III. In 1761 he was with his regiment at the battle of Kirch Dincker near Vellinghausen. He retired from the Guards in 1763 but became Colonel of the 14th Dragoons in 1765 until 1772 when he became colonel of the 3rd Dragoons. He was a Major-General in 1772.
Much of his time was devoted to politics, he was MP for Orford, Bury St Edmunds and Thetford. He became 1st Baron Southampton in 1780. He married Anne, daughter of Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Warren and had nine sons and seven daughters. He was lord of the Manor at Tottenham Court, Middlesex, and his principal seat was at Fitzroy Farm near Highgate. He died on 21st March 1797.

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