Stanhope was the son of William Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Harrington and Lady Caroline Fitzroy, daughter of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton and Lady Henrietta Somerset, daughter of Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester and Rebecca Child.
He was educated at Eton.
Stanhope is sometimes confused with an exact contemporary of his, the 3rd Earl Stanhope. Stanhope was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 1769. During the Saratoga campaign of the American Revolutionary War as Viscount Petersham, Charles Stanhope commanded the 29th Regiment of Foot"s Grenadier company and as an aide-de-camp to General John Burgoyne.
Viscount Petersham can be seen in the famous painting "The Burial of General Fraser at Saratoga" standing above Simon Fraser.
1753-1756: The Honorary Charles Stanhope
1756-1774: Viscount Petersham
1774: Viscount Petersham Member of Parliament
1774-1776: Viscount Petersham
1776-1779: Viscount Petersham Member of Parliament
1779-1798: The Rt Honorary The Third Earl of Harrington
1798-1806: The Rt Honorary The Third Earl of Harrington Personal Computer
1806-1816: The Rt Honorary The Third Earl of Harrington Personal Computer Personal Computer (I)
1816-1829: The Rt Honorary The Third Earl of Harrington GCH Personal Computer Personal Computer (I)
Lord Harrington was married to Jane Fleming, daughter of Sir John Fleming, 1st Baronet. She was a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Charlotte.
Lord and Lady Harrington had eleven children:
Charles Stanhope, 4th Earl of Harrington (8 April 1780 – 3 March 1851). Major-General Honorary Lincoln Edwin Robert Stanhope (26 November 1781 – 29 February 1840).
Anna Maria Stanhope, Duchess of Bedford (3 September 1783 – 3 July 1857).
Leicester Fitzgerald Charles Stanhope, 5th Earl of Harrington (2 September 1784 – 7 September 1862). Review Honorary FitzRoy Henry Richard Stanhope (24 April 1787 – 11 April 1864). Dean of Street Buryan, Cornwall and Anglican Rector of Catton and of Wressle in Yorkshire.
Charles Wyndham.
Major Honorary Sir Francis Charles Stanhope (29 September 1788 – 9 October 1862). He had three children by Hannah Wilson, daughter of James Wilson of Parsonstown Manor, County Meath.
Review Honorary Henry William Stanhope (2 August 1790 – 21 June 1872).
Anglican Rector of Gawsworth. Lady Caroline Anne Stanhope (20 November 1791 – 25 November 1853).
Lady Charlotte Augusta Stanhope (15 February 1793 – 15 February 1859). Honorary Augustus Henry Edward Stanhope (25 March 1794 – 8 December 1831).
The marriage was annulled in 1822 by reason of undue publication of banns (26 Geo 2 c33).
14th Parliament of Great Britain]
He was briefly Member of Parliament for Thetford and then for Westminster.
