Background
Richmond was the son of Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, and the former Lady Charlotte Gordon.
Richmond was the son of Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, and the former Lady Charlotte Gordon.
He was educated at Westminster and Trinity College, Dublin.
Richmond (while Earl of March) served on Wellington"s staff in the Peninsular War, during which time he volunteered to join the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot"s advance storming party on the fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo. He formally joined the 52nd Foot in 1813, and took command of a company of 52nd soldiers at Orthez in 1814, where he was severely wounded. The musket-ball in his chest was never removed.
During the Battle of Waterloo he was Aide-de-Camp to the Prince of Orange, and following that man"s wounding, served as Aide-de-Camp to Wellington.
(There had only hitherto been a Waterloo Medal) He campaigned in Parliament and also enlisted the interest of Queen Victoria. The latter year he succeeded his father in the dukedom and entered the House of Lords.
Although a vigorous Conservative and Ultra-Tory for most of his career, Richmond"s anger with Wellington over Catholic Emancipation led him to lead the Ultra"s into joining Earl Grey"s reforming Whig government in 1830 (Language, 1999). He served under Grey as Postmaster General between 1830 and 1834.
He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1830.
Richmond was also Lord Lieutenant of Sussex between 1835 and 1860 and was appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1829. In 1836, on inheriting the estates of his mother"s brother, the fifth and last Duke of Gordon, he assumed the name of Gordon before that of Lennox. Richmond married Lady Caroline, daughter of Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey and Lady Caroline Villiers, on 10 April 1817.
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond (1818–1903)
Lady Caroline Amelia Gordon-Lennox (18 June 1819 – 30 April 1890), married John Ponsonby, 5th Earl of Bessborough
Fitzroy George Charles Gordon-Lennox (11 June 1820 – 1841), lost at sea aboard Steamship President
Rt.
Honorary Lord Henry Charles George Gordon-Lennox (2 November 1821 – 29 August 1886), married Amelia Brooman and left no issue
Captain Lord Alexander Francis Charles Gordon-Lennox (14 June 1825 – 22 January 1892), married Emily Towneley and left issue
Lady Augusta Catherine Gordon-Lennox (14 January 1827 – 3 April 1904), married Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar (1823–1902)
Lord George Charles Gordon-Lennox (22 October 1829 – 27 February 1877), married Minnie Palmer and left no issue
Lady Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox (13 April 1838 – 5 October 1910), married Charles Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan. They are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Richmond died at Portland Place, Marylebone, London, in October 1860, aged 69. The Duchess of Richmond died in March 1874, aged 77.
Royal Society; 5th United Kingdom Parliament. 6th United Kingdom Parliament]
Richmond sat as Member of Parliament for Chichester between 1812 and 1819.