George Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield

George Henry Lee I, 2nd Earl of Lichfield (1690–1743) was a younger son of Edward Henry Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield and his wife Charlotte Fitzroy, an illegitimate daughter of Charles II by his mistress, the celebrated courtesan Barbara Villiers. On 14 July 1716 George Henry Lee succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Lichfield.

Birth and origins George was born on 12 March 1690 in St. James Park, London. He was one of the ten children and the fourth of the sons of Edward Henry Lee and his wife Charlotte Fitzroy. His father was created Viscount Quarendon and Earl of Lichfield just before his marriage. George's mother was a natural daughter of Charles II and Barbara Villiers.

George listed among his brothersHe appears below among his brothers as the fourth son: Edward Henry (1681–1713), became the colonel of the Royal Regiment of Guards, predeceased his father and never married; James (died 1711), became a captain in the Royal Navy and married Sarah, daughter of John Bagshaw, but the marriage stayed childless and he predeceased his father; Charles (died 1708), predeceased his father and never married; George Henry (died 1742), the subject of this article; Fitzroy Henry Lee (1699–1750), became a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy; and Robert Lee (1706–1776), became the 4th and last Earl.

George's sistersCharlotte (1678–1721), married Benedict Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore; Anne, died young; Elizabeth, married first Colonel Lee and secondly the Reverend Dr. Edward Young; and Barbara, married Sir Charles, 2nd Baronet Browne of Kiddington.

Early life George became heir apparent and was given the corresponding courtesy title of Viscount Quarendon when his eldest brother, Edward Henry, died in 1713. On 14 July 1716 his father died and he succeeded as the 2nd Earl of Lichfield.

Marriage and children In about 1717 Lord Lichfield, as he was now, married Frances Hales (died 3 February 1769), daughter of Sir John Hales, 4th Baronet of Hackington, of Woodchurch in Kent.

George and Frances had three sons: George Henry (1718–1772), his successor Edward Henry (died 1742) Charles Henry (died 1740)

—and five daughters: Charlotte, married to Henry Dillon, 11th Viscount Dillon Mary, married to Cosmas Neville, Esquire Frances, married Henry Hyde, 5th Baron Hyde Henrietta or Harriet, married to John Bellew, 4th Baron Bellew of Duleek Anne, married to Hugh Clifford, 4th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh

Later life, death, and succession In 1719 Lord Lichfield was one of main subscribers in the Royal Academy of Music (1719), a corporation that produced baroque opera on stage. In 1722 he built the Oxfordshire Stately home, Ditchley, designed by James Gibbs. Lichfield was educated at St John's College, Oxford and created a D.C.L. of Oxford on 19 August 1732. On 7 August 1739 he was made Custos Brevium in the Court of Common Pleas, as well as a governor of the Foundling Hospital.

Lichfield died on 15 February 1743 and was buried in Spelsbury. He was succeeded by his son and namesake, George Henry Lee II.

TimelineAgeDateEvent01690, 12 MarBorn, in London. 1702, 8 MarAccession of Queen Anne, succeeding King William III1713Became heir apparent on his brother's death and gained the courtesy title of Viscount Quarendon. 1714, 1 AugAccession of King George I, succeeding Queen Anne1716, 14 JulSucceeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Lichfield.1717, aboutMarried Frances Hales. 1727, 11 JunAccession of King George II, succeeding King George I1743, 15 FebDied and was buried at Spelsbury.