2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
(1797 - 1861)
As extravagant as his father, with whom he never got on, the culmination of the 2nd Duke's reign was the visit by the young Queen and her consort in early 1845. The visit was not a particularly pleasant one for either the Duke or the Queen - she made derogatory comments regarding the costliness of the interiors - and they were unable to see the Gardens, for which Stowe was famed, due to the heavy snow. The unsuccessful sale of the contents of the estate in 1848 and a divorce from his wife in 1850 led him to live in Grace and Favour apartments at Hampton Court until his death. In the meantime, the estate laid empty.