Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon

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Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon PC (13 March 1729–2 October 1789) was a British peer; the son of the 9th Earl of Huntingdon and his wife, Selina. Hastings succeeded as Earl of Huntingdon and Baron Botreaux on his father's demise in 1746. The earl never married but did father an illegitimate son, Charles, by a Parisian girl whilst on his Grand Tour in 1747 (which was sponsored by the 4th Earl of Chesterfield). On his return from the continent, he did well at the Royal Court and was appointed Master of the Horse in 1760. He was a Bearer of the Third Sword at George III's coronation in 1761 and became Groom of the Stole that year. In 1762, he incorrectly announced to the King that his first born child, (Prince George), by the Queen, was a girl. The error was doubly unfortunate at the time, as the King had hoped for a male heir and he also promised £1,000 to the bearer of the news that he had a son and £500 that he had a girl (Huntingdon did not receive either). On his death in 1789, his earldom passed to a distant relative, Theophilus and his barony passed to his sister, Elizabeth.

Political offices
Preceded by The Earl Gower	Master of the Horse 1760–1761	Succeeded by The Duke of Rutland
Preceded by The Earl of Bute	Groom of the Stole 1761–1770	Succeeded by The Earl of Bristol
Preceded by The Marquess of Rockingham	Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire 1763–1765	Succeeded by The Marquess of Rockingham
Peerage of England
Preceded by Theophilus Hastings	Earl of Huntingdon 1746–1789	Succeeded by Theophilus Hastings
	Baron Botreaux 1746–1789	Succeeded by Elizabeth Rawdon

[edit] Sources

• Darrly Lundy
• Magazine Antiques
• David, Saul (1998), The Prince of Pleasure ISBN 0-316-64616-4