He was the eldest son of John Egerton, 2nd Earl of Bridgewater and his wife Elizabeth Cavendish. On 17 November 1664, he married Lady Elizabeth Cranfield, daughter of the cavalier, 2nd Earl of Middlesex. He married his second wife on 2 April 1673, Lady Jane Powlett, eldest daughter of the Duke of Bolton.
She gave birth to a son, but died in childbirth. He also served as Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire following his father"s death in 1686 but was dismissed after his first period in office by King James II for refusing to produce a list of Roman Catholics to serve as officers of the militia. He was later reinstated to the position when William III came to the throne and James II was forced into exile.
He served as First Lord of the Board of Trade in Convention Parliament, 1690-1691.
He was promoted to the cabinet as First Lord of the Admiralty by the Whigs in 1699 until March 1700/1. He was chosen as a Speaker for the House of Lords in 1697 and then again for 1701.
He was first married to Elizabeth Cranfield, a daughter of James Cranfield, 2nd Earl of Middlesex and Anne Bourchier. They had only one known child who survived birth:
John Cranfield (11 January 1668 – 31 March 1670).
Mary was eldest illegitimate daughter of Emanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland and his mistress Martha Jones.
She became her father"s co-heiress when a brother died childless. They had eight children:
Charles Egerton, Viscount Brackley (7 May 1675 – April, 1687)
Mary Egerton (14 May 1676 – 11 April 1704). Married William Byron, 4th Baron Byron
Thomas Egerton (15 August 1679 – April 1687)
Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater (11 August 1681 – 11 January 1744/5)
William Egerton (1684-1732), Member of Parliament and soldier
Henry Egerton, Bishop of Hereford (d 1 April 1746).
Charles Egerton (d7 November 1725).
Married Catherine Greville. Elizabeth Egerton. Married Thomas Catesby Paget.
John Egerton.
Egerton served as a Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire as a Whig for Buckinghamshire from 1685 to 1686.
