William Bentinck

William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland: Dutchman to Englishman

Hans Willem Bentinck was born on July 20, 1649, Diepenheim, in what was then the Dutch Republic. He came from a well-to-do family of barons from the Guelders region.

As a boy, he was appointed a page of honour and chamberlain to William, Prince of Orange, who was approximately the same age as him.

When Prince William became ill with smallpox in 1675, it was suggested by his doctors that he share his bedroom with one of his pages so they would "absorb the pox from him". Hans Willem was chosen and he helped nurse the Prince back to health, and the two became close friends, William having been extremely grateful that Hans Willem had become so devoted to him that he would risk his own health.

In 1677, Prince William sent Hans Willem to England, to ask on his behalf for the hand in marriage of The Lady Mary, niece of King Charles II. He was successful and William and Mary wed on November 4, 1677.

When Prince William was preparing to overthrow his father-in-law, King James II of England, in 1689, Hans Willem helped organise the effort, by lobbying German princes for support, and overseeing the fundraising and propaganda of the mission.

The revolution was successful and Prince William became King William III of England, co-ruling with Mary (now Queen Mary II).

To thank him for his loyal service and friendship since childhood, King William created Hans Willem Earl of Portland, Baron Cirencester, and Viscount Woodstock. He also began to be known by the English name William Bentinck, anglicising his middle name and dropping his first.

He continued to serve King William, mainly in a diplomatic capacity. However, as time passed, King William seemed to be drifting towards a new favourite, another Dutchman, Arnold van Keppel. He resigned from his post in the Royal Household in 1699.

This did not diminish the King's friendly affection for him, and he still gave him gifts and asked him to do work for him.

He died on November 23, 1709, at the age of 60. He had risen from minor Dutch nobility to English peer and one of the King's closest and most-trusted confidantes.

A couple of centuries later in 1923, his descendant, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, daughter of Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck, would marry Prince Albert, Duke of York- they later becoming King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

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