Politician. He was recognized as a member of British nobility, who was active in late 18th-century politics. Born one of eight children, George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham was the second son of George Grenville, Prime Minister of Great Britain. His oldest brother died in childhood and his younger brother was William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville. Educated at Eton College and Christ Church at Oxford, he started his political career after being appointed a Teller of the Exchequer in 1764, and ten years later was returned to Parliament as one of the Members for Buckinghamshire. In the House of Commons, he was a sharp critic of the American policy of Lord North. In September of 1779 he succeeded his uncle as 3rd Earl Temple, changing his name from Temple-Grenville to Nugent-Temple-Grenville; in 1782 was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire; and in July of the same year became a member of the Privy Council and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the Ministry of Lord Shelburne. On his advice the Renunciation Act of 1783 was passed, which supplemented the legislative independence granted to Ireland in 1782. By Royal Warrant he created the Order of St Patrick in February 1783, with himself as the first Grand Master. Lord Temple left Ireland in 1783, and again turned his attention to English politics. He enjoyed the confidence of King George III, and having opposed Fox's East India Bill, he was authorized by the King to say that "whoever voted for the India Bill was not only not his friend, but would be considered by him as an enemy", a message which ensured the defeat of the bill. He was appointed the Secretary of State when the Younger William Pitt, Prime Minister of Great Britain, formed his Ministry in December of 1783, but resigned two days later. In December of 1784 he was created Marquess of Buckingham. In November of 1787 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland under Pitt, yet his second tenure of this office was hardly as successful as the first. He was denounced by the Irish patriot, Henry Grattan, for extravagance; was censured by the Irish Houses of Parliament for refusing to transmit to England an address calling upon the Prince of Wales to assume the regency; and he could only maintain his position by resorting to bribery on a large scale. Having become very unpopular he resigned his office in September of 1789 and subsequently took very little part in politics, although he spoke in favor of the union with Ireland. He died at his residence, Stowe in Buckinghamshire and was buried at his ancestral home at Wotton. Located on the North Aisle at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin is a marble statue of the Marquess of Buckingham in the robes of a Knight of the Order of St Patrick. Donned in various noble robes, he has at least 33 portraits at the National Gallery in London. He married Lady Mary Nugent, daughter and heiress of the Irish nobleman Robert Craggs-Nugent, 1st Earl Nugent.