Earl Grey is a title in the

peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great B ...

. It was created in 1806 for General Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey. In 1801, he was given the title Baron Grey of Howick in the County of Northumberland, and in 1806 he was created Viscount Howick in the County of Northumberland, at the same time as he was given the earldom. A member of the prominent Grey family of Northumberland, Earl Grey was the third son of Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet of Howick (see below).

History

The first Earl Grey was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles, 2nd Earl Grey. The second Earl was a prominent Whig politician and served as

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister Advice (constitutional law), advises the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign on the exercise of much of the Royal prerogative ...

from 1830 to 1834, which tenure saw the passing of the

Reform Act 1832 The Representation of the People Act 1832 (also known as the Reform Act 1832, Great Reform Act or First Reform Act) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (indexed as 2 & 3 Will. 4. c. 45), enacted by the Whig government of Pri ...

and the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1833. In 1808, he also succeeded his uncle as third Baronet, of Howick. The second Earl was succeeded by his second (but eldest surviving) son, Henry, 3rd Earl Grey. The third Earl was also a Whig politician and served under

Lord John Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (18 August 1792 – 28 May 1878), known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was a British Whig and Liberal statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1852 and again from 1865 to 186 ...

Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet-level position responsible for the army and the British colonies (other than India). The Secretary was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. Hist ...

from 1846 to 1852. On his death, the titles passed to his nephew, Albert, 4th Earl Grey, who was the son of General the Hon. Charles Grey, third son of the second Earl. Lord Grey was

governor general of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...

between 1904 and 1911. His son, Charles, 5th Earl Grey, was a major in the Army. He died without male issue and was succeeded by his second cousin once removed, Richard, 6th Earl Grey. He was the great-great-grandson of Admiral the Hon. George Grey, fourth son of the second earl. The 6th Earl died in September 2013 and was succeeded by his brother Philip, 7th Earl Grey. The Grey baronetcy, of Howick in the County of Northumberland, was created in the

Baronetage of Great Britain Baronets are hereditary titles awarded by the Crown. The current baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier, existing baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland and Great Britain. To be recognised as a baronet, it is necessary ...

in 1746 for Henry Grey,

High Sheriff of Northumberland This is a list of the high sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland. The high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries ...

in 1738. A member of an old Northumberland family, he was eighth in descent from Sir Thomas Grey, of Heton, elder brother of John Grey, 1st Earl of Tankerville (see the

Earl of Tankerville Earl of Tankerville is a noble title drawn from Tancarville in Normandy. The title has been created three times: twice in the Peerage of England, and once (in 1714) in the Peerage of Great Britain for Charles Bennet, 2nd Baron Ossulston. His ...

, 1418 creation), and fifth in descent from Sir Edward Grey, of Howick, uncle of William Grey, 1st

Baron Grey of Warke Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knight, ...

. In 1720 he married Hannah, daughter of Thomas Wood of Fallodon near

Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish border, inland from the North Sea ...

in Northumberland. Grey was succeeded by his eldest son, the second baronet. He represented

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

. He died unmarried and was succeeded by his nephew, the second Earl Grey. For further history of the baronetcy, see above. Several other members of this branch of the Grey family have gained distinction. The Hon. George Grey (1767–1828), second son of the first Earl Grey, was created a baronet, of Fallodon in the County of Northumberland, in 1814 (see

Grey baronets There have been three baronetcies created for members of the Grey family, one in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Two of the creations are extant as of {{currentyear ...

) and was the father of

Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet, PC (11 May 1799 – 9 September 1882) was a British Whig politician and a scion of the noble House of Grey. He held office under four Prime Ministers, Lord Melbourne, Lord John Russell, Lord Aberdeen, and Lord ...

, and the great-grandfather of

Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon (25 April 1862 – 7 September 1933), better known as Sir Edward Grey, was a British statesman and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician who was the main force behind British foreign policy i ...

. The Right Reverend the Hon. Edward Grey (1782–1837), fifth son of the first Earl, was

Bishop of Hereford The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury. Until 1534, the Diocese of Hereford was in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church and two of its bishop ...

from 1832 to 1837. His fourth son

Sir William Grey Sir William Grey (1818 – 15 May 1878) was an English administrator who worked with the East India Company in India and served as lieutenant-governor of Bengal from 1867 when he succeeded Sir Cecil Beadon and later as governor of Jamaica. Biog ...

(1818–1878) served as

Governor of Bengal In 1644, Gabriel Boughton procured privileges for the East India Company which permitted them to build a factory at Hooghly district, Hughli, without fortifications. Various chief agents, Governors and presidents were appointed to look after co ...

from 1866 to 1871 and as

governor of Jamaica This is a list of viceroys in Jamaica from its initial occupation by Spain in 1509, to its independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. For a list of viceroys after independence, see Governor-General of Jamaica. For context, see History of Jama ...

from 1874 to 1877. His daughter Sybil Frances Grey (d. 1945) was the mother of Prime Minister

Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon (12 June 1897 – 14 January 1977) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1955 until his resignation in 1957. Achi ...

. Sir Paul Francis Grey, British Ambassador to Czechoslovakia from 1957 to 1960 and to

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

from 1960 to 1964, was the grandson of Francis Douglas Grey, a son from the second marriage of the Right Reverend the Hon. Edward Grey, Bishop of Hereford. The aforementioned the Hon. Charles Grey, third son of the second Earl, was a general in the Army. The aforementioned the Hon. George Grey (1809–1891), fourth son of the second Earl, was an

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

in the Royal Navy. The family seats were

Howick Hall Howick Hall, a Grade II* listed building in the village of Howick, Northumberland, England, is the ancestral seat of the Earls Grey. It was the home of the Prime Minister Charles, 2nd Earl Grey (1764–1845), after whom Earl Grey tea is ...

and Fallodon Hall in

. The traditional burial place of the Earls Grey is St Michael and All Angels Church, Howick.

Legacy

Earl Grey tea Earl Grey tea is a Tea blending and additives, tea blend which has been flavoured with Bergamot essential oil, oil of bergamot. The rind's fragrant oil is added to black tea to give Earl Grey its unique taste. However, many, if not most, Earl Gr ...

is named after the second Earl Grey.

Grey College, Durham Grey College is a Colleges of Durham University, college of Durham University in England, founded in 1959 as part of the university's expansion of its student population. The college is named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, who was Prime Mi ...

is named after the second Earl Grey, commemorating his support for the Durham University Act 1832 that established the university during his term as prime minister. The

Grey Cup The Grey Cup () is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested between the winners ...

, the championship trophy for the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

, is named after the 4th Earl, in 1909; at the time, Lord Grey was serving as

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...

. A column topped with a statue of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (referred to locally as

Grey's Monument Grey's Monument is a Listed building, Grade I-listed monument in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was built in 1838 in recognition of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834. In particular ...

), has a prominent location in the city of

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

Grey County Grey County is a county in the province of Ontario. The county is located in the Southwestern Ontario region, and is a part of the Georgian Triangle. At the time of the 2021 Canadian census the population of the county was 100,905. Owen Sound is ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Canada is named after the 2nd Earl Grey. The Gateshead fiddler James Hill (b. 1811 d. 1856) composed the tune "Earl Gray" in the Scottish Strathspey style, possibly to commemorate the opening of Grey's Monument in 1838. It still remains part of the traditional music repertoire of Scotland and Northumberland. Earl Grey Street in Edinburgh was named after the 2nd Earl after his visit to the city in 1834.

Grey baronets, of Howick (1746)

Earls Grey (1806)

Present peer

Alexander Edward Grey, 8th Earl Grey (born 20 December 1968) is the son of Philip Kent Grey, 7th Earl Grey and his wife Ann Catherine Applegate. In October 1995, he married Ursula C. Boult, and they have a daughter, Alice Ursula Grey, born 1996.''

Burke's Peerage Burke's Peerage Limited is a British genealogical publisher, considered an authority on the order of precedence of noble families and information on the lesser nobility of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1826, when the Anglo-Irish genea ...

'', volume 2 (2003), page 1664. The

heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...

is Christopher John Grey (born 1946), a first cousin of the present Earl's father.

Line of succession

* ''

Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, (circa 23 October 1729 – 14 November 1807) was a British Army officer. He was a distinguished soldier in a generation of exceptionally capable military personnel, serving crucially in the Seven Years' War (1756– ...

(1729–1807)'' ** ''

Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (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. As prime minister, Grey w ...

(1764–1845)'' ***''Admiral Hon. George Grey (1809–1891)'' ****''Francis William Grey (1860–1939)'' *****''George Archibald Grey (1886–1952)'' ******''Albert Harry Grey (1912–1942)'' ******* '' Philip Kent Grey, 7th Earl Grey'' (1940–2023) ******** Alexander Edward Grey, 8th Earl Grey (born 1968) ******''Rodney York de Charmoy Grey (1921–2017)'' *******(1). Christopher John Grey (born 1946) ********(2). Duncan Colin Grey (born 1974) *******(3). David York Grey (born 1947) ********(4). Michael Colin Grey (born 1982) *********(5). Charles David Grey (born 2017) *******(6). Simon Alexander Grey (born 1958) *******(7). Marcus Edward Grey (born 1960) **''

Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet, (10 October 1767 – 3 October 1828) was a British Royal Navy officer, who served as Master and Commander of the Mediterranean Fleet. He joined the Royal Navy at the age of 14 and was on active service from 1781 to ...

(1767–1828)'' ***''Charles Samuel Grey (1811–1860)'' ****''Edward George Grey (1858–1935)'' *****''Sir Robin Edward Dysart Grey, 6th Baronet (1886–1974)'' ******''Edward Elton Grey (1920–1962)'' *******(8). Sir Anthony Dysart Grey, 7th Baronet (born 1949) ********(9). Thomas Jasper Grey (born 1998) **''Rt. Rev. Hon. Edward Grey (1782–1837)''

Notes

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grey Earldoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Noble titles created in 1806 1806 establishments in the United Kingdom