He was born in Bückeburg the son of Philipp II, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe and his second wife Princess Juliane of Hesse-Philippsthal (1761–1799). He succeeded his father as Count of Schaumburg-Lippe on 13 February 1787, but due to his age his mother Princess Juliane acted as regent.
However Landgrave William IX of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) occupied all of Schaumburg-Lippe except for Wilhelmstein, after invading it to enforce his claim to Schaumburg-Lippe based on Princess Juliane"s supposed morganatic ancestry. The Imperial Court in Vienna however ruled in favour of Georg Wilhelm and ordered Landgrave William IX to withdraw, which he did after a two-month occupation. Schaumburg-Lippe joined the Confederation of the Rhine on 15 December 1807 and was raised to a principality: Georg Wilhelm became the first Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe.
In 1815 Schaumburg-Lippe joined the German Confederation.
