The 10th Earl of Huntingdon.

Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon PC (13 March 1729 – 2 October 1789) was a British peer and politician.

He was 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.

[edit] References

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