Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey KG PC (13 March 1764 – 17 July 1845), known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was a British Whig politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834. He was a descendant of the House of Grey and the namesake of Earl Grey tea. Grey was a long-time leader of multiple reform movements. During his time as prime minister, his government brought about two notable reforms. The Reform Act 1832 enacted parliamentary reform, greatly increasing the electorate of the House of Commons.
The Right Honourable The Earl Grey KG PC | |
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Portrait by Thomas Phillips, c. 1820 | |
| Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |
| In office 22 November 1830 – 9 July 1834 | |
| Monarch | William IV |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Wellington |
| Succeeded by | The Viscount Melbourne |
| Leader of the House of Lords | |
| In office 22 November 1830 – 9 July 1834 | |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Wellington |
| Succeeded by | The Viscount Melbourne |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 24 September 1806 – 25 March 1807 | |
| Preceded by | Charles James Fox |
| Succeeded by | George Canning |
| Leader of the House of Commons | |
| In office 24 September 1806 – 31 March 1807 | |
| Preceded by | Charles James Fox |
| Succeeded by | Spencer Perceval |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | |
| In office 11 February 1806 – 24 September 1806 | |
| Preceded by | The Lord Barham |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Grenville |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
Lord Temporal | |
| Hereditary peerage 15 November 1807 – 17 July 1845 | |
| Preceded by | The 1st Earl Grey |
| Succeeded by | The 3rd Earl Grey |
| Member of Parliament for Northumberland | |
| In office 14 September 1786 – 14 November 1807 | |
| Preceded by | Lord Algernon Percy |
| Succeeded by | Earl Percy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 March 1764 Fallodon, Northumberland, England |
| Died | 17 July 1845 (aged 81) Howick, Northumberland, England |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouse |
Mary Ponsonby (m. 1794) |
| Children | 16, including Henry, Charles, Frederick, and Eliza Courtney (illegitimate) |
| Parent |
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| Relatives | House of Grey (family) |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
| Signature | |
The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 led to the abolition of slavery in most of the British Empire via a programme of compensated emancipation. Grey was a strong opponent of the foreign and domestic policies of William Pitt the Younger in the 1790s. In 1807, he resigned as foreign secretary to protest against George III's uncompromising rejection of Catholic emancipation. Grey finally resigned as prime minister in 1834 over disagreements in his cabinet regarding Ireland, and retired from politics. Scholars rank him highly among British prime ministers, believing that he averted much civil strife and enabled Victorian progress.