Charles Cavendish-Bentinck

Charles William Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck (8 November 1817 – 17 August 1865) was a priest of the Church of England who held livings in Bedfordshire. He was also the maternal grandfather of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and a great-grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II.

Bentinck often gave his names as William Charles Cavendish Bentinck, resulting in his "W. C. C. Bentinck" signature. He rarely used the Cavendish-Bentinck surname.

Life and career Born at Kensington, Bentinck was the elder son of Lieutenant Colonel Lord Charles Bentinck and of Anne Wellesley, formerly Lady Abdy. He had a younger brother, Arthur Cavendish Bentinck, and two sisters, Anne and Emily. He was frequently addressed as William or William-Charles to distinguish him from his father. Later in life, he presented his name as William Charles Cavendish Bentinck, resulting in his "W. C. C. Bentinck" signature. He rarely used the double-barreled Cavendish-Bentinck surname.

Bentinck's paternal grandparents were William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, prime minister of Great Britain, and Dorothy Cavendish, a daughter of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, another prime minister, by his marriage to Lady Charlotte Boyle, a daughter of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington.

After taking his degree, Bentinck confirmed his plan of becoming a Church of England clergyman and was appointed as Vicar of Husborne Crawley, Bedfordshire, a benefice in the gift of Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford. On 23 November 1849, the Duke also appointed him as vicar of Ridgmont, Bedfordshire. In both parishes, he was known as William Charles Cavendish Bentinck.

The likelihood of Bentinck becoming Duke of Portland increased when his uncle William Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland died on 27 March 1854, with all four of his sons then dead or unmarried. The eldest, William, Marquess of Titchfield, had died in 1824, and Lord George in 1848. The eccentric Lord William (who succeeded his father as the 5th Duke of Portland) and the youngest son, Lord Henry, both remained unmarried. Bentinck stated his address as Brook Street, while Sinetta gave hers as Southwick Street, Paddington. They soon had two sons, but both died in infancy: Charles William Cavendish Bentinck, born 1840, who died at 19 days old. Charles Cavendish Bentinck, born 1841, died 1842. The cause of death for both children was "convulsions", and both were buried at All Souls, Kensal Green Cemetery.

Sinetta died at Ampthill on 19 February 1850.

On 13 December 1859, Bentinck married for a second time. His bride was Caroline Louisa Burnaby, a daughter of Edwyn Burnaby, a scion of the landed gentry, and of Anne Caroline Salisbury. They had three daughters: Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne (1862–1938) Ann Violet Cavendish-Bentinck (1864 – 5 May 1932) Hyacinth Sinetta Cavendish-Bentinck (1864 – 9 December 1916), who married Augustus Edward Jessop

In 1881, Bentinck's daughter Cecilia Nina married Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and was the mother of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900–2002) and the grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022).

Ancestors