George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge |
| NOBLEMAN, SOLDIER (ENGLAND) |
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BORN 26 Mar 1819, Hannover, Niedersachsen - DIED 17 Mar 1904, London: Gloucester House BIRTH NAME George Frederick William Charles CAUSE OF DEATH haemorrhage of the stomach GRAVE LOCATION London: Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road, Kensal Green (153/Round Square (28625)) |
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Son of Adolphus Duke of Cambridge and Augusta of Hessen-Kassel, both descendants of George II. In 1847 he privately married the actress Sarah Fairbrother, thus defying the Royal Marriages Act of 1772. At the time of the marriage they already had two children and she had two further children by other men. She didn't receive any title and was known as Mrs. FitzGeorge. Queen Victoria ignored her. In 1837 the Duke had met Mrs. Louisa Beauclerk and from 1849 (or earlier) until her death on 28 Dec 1882 she was his mistress. In 1854 he became lieutenant-general. He faught during the Crimean War at different locations but illness forced him to return home before the war was over. In 1856 he became commander-in-chief of the British Army and he held this position until 1895. In 1862 he was promoted to field marshall. As early as 1849 he had decided that he wanted to be buried near his mistress Louisa Beauclerk. When his wife died in 1890 she was buried sixty feet from Mrs. Beauclerk's grave at Kensal Green Cemetery in London. After his death in 1904 he was buried there as well. Family • Wife: Fairbrother, Sarah Louise (1847-1890, London: St. John's Church, Clerkenwell) |
| Images |
 The mausoleum of George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge at Kensal Green Cemetery, London. Picture by Androom (26 Jun 2009) |
Sources • Paths of Glory, The Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery, London, 1997 • Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1909), 1909 • Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1980) • Prince George - Wikipedia (EN) |
