Sir Charles Grey, Private Secretary to Queen Victoria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Sir Charles Grey, by Maull & Polyblank, albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s. source: National Portrait Gallery, NPG Ax68094

General The Hon. Sir Charles Grey was Private Secretary to Queen Victoria from 1861 until 1870. Queen Victoria did not have an official Private Secretary until she appointed General Charles Grey to the office in 1861. Lord Melbourne informally served as Private Secretary while he was Prime Minister from 1837 – 1840. Prince Albert then informally served as Private Secretary from 1840 until his death in 1861. The official position of Private Secretary came about because it was realized that the monarch was in need of advice and support because the growth of the government had caused the government ministers to have insufficient time to provide daily advice and support. It was traditional for Queen Victoria’s Private Secretaries to be provided with homes at her various residences including apartments in the Norman Tower at Windsor Castle, apartments in St. James’s Palace in London, and Osborne Cottage on the grounds of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

Sir Charle Grey was born at Howick Hall in Howick, Northumberland, England on March 15, 1804, to Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey and The Hon. Mary Ponsonby. His father would later serve as Prime Minister from 1830-1834, and is the person for whom ‘Earl Grey Tea’ is named. Charles had fourteen siblings:

  • Lady Louisa Grey (1797) – married John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, had issue
  • Lady Elizabeth Grey (1798) – married John Crocker Bulteel, had issue
  • Lady Caroline Grey (1799) – married Captain George Barrington, had issue
  • Lady Georgiana Grey (1801) – unmarried
  • Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey (1802) – married Maria Copley, no issue
  • Admiral Sir Frederick Grey (1805) – married Barbarina Sullivan, no issue
  • Lady Mary Grey (1807) – married Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax, had issue
  • The Hon. William Grey (1808) – died in childhood
  • Admiral The Hon. George Grey (1809) – married Jane Stuart, had issue
  • The Hon. Thomas Grey (1810) – died in childhood
  • Rev. John Grey (1812) – married (1) Lady Georgiana Hervey, had issue; (2) Helen Spalding, no issue
  • Rev. Francis Grey (1813) – married Lady Elizabeth Howard, no issue
  • Captain The Hon. Henry Grey (1814) – unmarried
  • The Hon. William Grey (1819) – married Theresa Stedink, no issue

Charles also had a half-sister, Eliza Courtney (born February 1792), who was the daughter of his father and Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), The Duchess of Devonshire, who was married. Charles’s father and the Duchess had an affair prior to his marriage, and she became pregnant. The Duchess traveled to France to give birth and returned to England in September 1793. Upon returning, Eliza was raised by her paternal grandparents as though she was one of their own children. She never learned of her true parentage until after the death of the Duchess of Devonshire in 1806. Eliza is an ancestress of Sarah, Duchess of York.

In addition to his father’s service in the government, several of Charles’s family members also served in the royal household. His sister Caroline served as a Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria from 1837-1875, as well as being Lady Superintendent (Governess) to The Queen’s daughters.  His niece, Mary Bulteel, was a Maid of Honour to Queen Victoria from 1853-1861 before marrying Sir Henry Ponsonby (who would later succeed Charles as Private Secretary to Queen Victoria). Another niece, Alice, Countess of Morton, was an Extra Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Alexandra from 1901-1907.

After receiving a private education, Charles joined the British Army in 1820, and over the next 45 years, quickly rose through the ranks, reaching the rank of General in 1865. He also served as a Member of Parliament from 1832 until 1837, when he retired following Queen Victoria’s accession.

Caroline Eliza Grey (née Farquhar), by Elliott & Fry, albumen carte-de-visite, 1876. source: National Portrait Gallery, NPG x196260

On July 26, 1836, Charles married Caroline Eliza Farquhar, the daughter of Sir Thomas Farquhar, 2nd Baronet, and Sybella Rockcliffe. Caroline would later serve as an Extra Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria from 1870-1890. The couple had six children:

John Lambton, 1st Earl of Dunham, Charles’s brother-in-law. source: Wikipedia

In 1837, he was appointed as an Equerry to The Queen, serving in that role until 1867. The following year, in 1838, Charles accompanied his brother-in-law, The Earl of Durham, to Canada where the Earl was appointed Governor-General. Charles was named a member of the Executive Council and Special Council for Lower Canada, serving from June to November 1838. After returning to Britain, he continued with his military service.

Charles Grey (far right) in a group photo taken at Balmoral, September 1858. Pictured l-r: Colonel Robert Bruce, Mr. Frederick Gibbs, Major Christopher Teesdale, HRH The Prince of Wales, Dr. Ernst Becker, Colonel Henry Ponsonby, General Charles Grey. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2906725

In October 1849, Charles was appointed Private Secretary to Prince Albert. He was given apartments at St. James’s Palace and lived in the Norman Tower at Windsor Castle, and at Osborne Cottage at Osborne House, and his children grew up as playmates of some of Victoria and Albert’s children. Over the next twelve years, he became an influential member of the royal household and a close confidante and advisor to Prince Albert. Following Albert’s death in 1861, Charles seamlessly moved into the position of Private Secretary to The Queen – a role which had largely been filled by Prince Albert since he and Victoria married in 1840. He was aided in his duties as Private Secretary by Sir Charles Phipps until Phipps’ death in 1866. During the nine years Charles served as Private Secretary, he would become a great source of support to The Queen, particularly in her darkest days of mourning in the weeks and months following Albert’s death.  In addition, from 1866-1867, Charles served with Col. Thomas Myddelton-Biddulph as Keeper of the Privy Purse.

General The Hon. Sir Charles Grey died on March 31, 1870. He is buried in St. Michael and All Angels Churchyard at Howick Hall in Howick, Northumberland, England.

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Recommended Book – Serving Queen Victoria: Life in the Royal Household by Kate Hubbard