William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire Knight of the Order of the Garter, Personal Computer, styled Marquess of Hartington until 1811, was a British peer, courtier and Whig politician.
Background
Born in Paris, France, Devonshire was the son of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, and Lady Georgiana, daughter of John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer. His mother died in 1806 and in 1811, aged 21, he succeeded his father in the dukedom.
Education
He was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge.
Career
Known as the "Bachelor Duke", he was Lord Chamberlain of the Household between 1827 and 1828 and again between 1830 and 1834. Along with the title he inherited eight stately homes and 200,000 acres (809 km² or 80,900 ha) of land. He went on to improve his houses and gardens (including the rebuilding of the village of Edensor) and travelled extensively.
Politically Devonshire followed in the Whig family tradition.
He supported Catholic emancipation and the abolition of slavery and reduced factory working hours. He held office as Lord Chamberlain of the Household under George Canning and Lord Goderich between 1827 and 1828 and under Lord Grey and Lord Melbourne between 1830 and 1834.
In 1827 he was sworn of the Privy Council and made a Knight of the Garter. He was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary to the Russian Empire on the coronation of Czar Nicholas I in 1826.
Devonshire was also Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire between 1811 and 1858 and carried the Orb at the coronation of George IV in 1821.
However, increasing deafness from an early age prevented him from taking an even greater part in public life.