Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover
(1771-1851), Son of George IIIRegency Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 85 portraits
Fifth son of George III, Ernest Augustus served in the English and Hanoverian armies during the war with France. He was created Duke of Cumberland in 1799. He entered the House of Lords as an ardent Tory who opposed Catholic emancipation and the Reform Act. His repressive politics and private influence over the Prince Regent, made the Duke the subject of much popular resentment. In 1810, amid rumours of incest and the murder of his valet, he suffered an assassination attempt. When William IV died in 1837, Cumberland succeeded as Ernest I of Hanover under Salic law which excluded Queen Victoria as a woman.
Related People
- Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (mother)
- Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Duchess of Cumberland and Queen of Hanover (wife)
- King George III (father)
- King George IV (brother)
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