Charles Grey (British Army officer)

General The Right Honourable Sir Charles Grey
Private Secretary to the Sovereign
In office 1861–1870
Monarch	Queen Victoria
Preceded by	Albert, Prince Consort (unofficial)
Succeeded by	Sir Henry Ponsonby
Personal details
Nationality	British

General Sir Charles Grey (15 March 1804 – 31 March 1870) was a British army officer, member of the British House of Commons and political figure in Lower Canada. In later life, he served as private secretary to Prince Albert and later Queen Victoria.

He was born in Northumberland, England in 1804, the son of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey and younger brother of Henry, the 3rd Earl Grey.

Grey joined the British Army as a sub-lieutenant in 1820 and commanded the 73rd Regiment from 1833 to 1842. Grey represented Wycombe in the British House of Commons from 1832 to 1837, defeating Disraeli to win the seat .

In 1836, he married Caroline Eliza, daughter of Sir Thomas Harvie Farquhar, 2nd baronet. Their children included:

• Mary Caroline Grey (1858–1940), married the 4th Earl of Minto
• Albert, the 4th Earl Grey, served as Governor-General of Canada.
• Louisa Grey (1855–1949), married William McDonnell, 6th Earl of Antrim, and served as pro tempore Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria

Grey came to Canada with his brother-in-law, John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in 1838. Grey was named a member of the Executive Council and Special Council of Lower Canada in June of that year and served until 2 November. He returned to England with Lambton later in November. He was promoted to general in 1865. Grey served as secretary to Prince Albert from 1849 to 1861 and as secretary to the Queen from 1861 until his death in 1870.

External links

• "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. 

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Charles Grey