Frederick Blomberg

Frederick William (or George-Frederick) Blomberg (1761–1847) was the adopted son and alleged illegitimate child of George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland. Conversely, he was rumoured to have been the illegitimate child of George's brother, Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany.

Blomberg was known for his close friendship with King George IV to whom he was Chaplain in 1793 when the latter was Prince of Wales and then Clerk of the Closet from 1808. He was later Chaplain to Queen Victoria.

Blomberg was descended from Royal physician Charles Blomberg and Livonian nobleman Baron Karl Johann von Blomberg and was related by marriage to Royal physician Edmund Dickinson.

Life and work Frederick William Blomberg was baptised in Rochester, Kent, on 22 September 1761, with Lieutenant Frederick and Melissa Blomberg named as parents. According to Frederick's contemporary, T.S. Whalley, following the news of the death of his parents he was sent for by George III and brought up with the King's children.

Blomberg enrolled at St John's College, Cambridge University on 7 October 1777 at age 16. He was awarded a BA in 1782, MA in 1785 and D.D. in 1822.

Blomberg's appointments were seen as being enabled by his Royal connections.

Blomberg died at Cripplegate on 23 March 1847 at age 85. Other sources have suggested Blomberg was the King's nephew, an illegitimate child of Edward, Duke of York.

In popular culture The Blomberg family were the subjects of one of the best-known ghost stories in Britain during Frederick's lifetime, appearing in 1823 in Accredited Ghost Stories as Apparition of Major Blomberg to the Governor.

In 2025 historical fiction book Prince George & Master Frederick by Rosalind Freeborn told Frederick Blomberg's story. The book received media coverage focused on Blomberg's connections to George III.