Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield
Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield, was a British peer, courtier and Liberal politician. A close friend of Edward VII, he served as a Lord of the Bedchamber and Lord-in-waiting to the King. He also held political office as Master of the Buckhounds under William Gladstone between February and July 1886.
Background and education
Harbord was a son of Edward Harbord, 3rd Baron Suffield. He was educated at King's College School. His father died in 1835 and in 1853, his childless, elder half-brother died and Harbord inherited the title. He served for a few years as an officer in the 7th Hussars.Political career
Lord Suffield was appointed a Lord-in-waiting in 1868 in William Gladstone's first administration, a post he held until 1872. The latter year he was appointed Lord of the Bedchamber to the Prince of Wales, to whom he was a close friend. He was chief of staff to the Prince of Wales during the Prince's expedition to India in 1875–1876. He did not serve in Gladstone's second administration but was briefly Master of the Buckhounds from February to July 1886 in Gladstone's third administration. He was sworn of the Privy Council in February 1886. He remained Lord of the Bedchamber until 1901, when on the Prince of Wales's accession to the throne, Suffield was made a Lord-in-Waiting-in-Ordinary to the King. He was Master of the Robes at the coronation of Edward VII and Alexandra in 1902.Harbord served as President of Marylebone Cricket Club in 1863, and was the first President of the newly-formed Norfolk County Cricket Club in 1876. On 9 May 1866 he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the Norfolk Artillery Militia in which two of his younger brothers were already serving. In 1872 the Prince of Wales became the unit's Honorary Colonel and three years later it became the 'Prince of Wales's Own Norfolk Artillery Militia'. It became a socially exclusive unit in which a number of the prince's connections served.
Family
Lord Suffield married firstly Cecilia Annetta Baring, daughter of Henry Baring, on 4 May 1854. They had two sons and nine daughters:- Charles Harbord, 6th Baron Suffield.
- Hon. Cecilia Margaret Harbord, married Charles Wynn-Carington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire, and had issue.
- Hon. Alice Marion Harbord, married Charles Mills, 2nd Baron Hillingdon, and had issue.
- Hon. Mabel Harbord.
- Hon. Elizabeth Evelyn Harbord, married George Astley, 20th Baron Hastings.
- Assheton Edward Harbord married aeronaut May Constance Blackwood
- Hon. Judith Harbord.
- Hon. Winifred Harbord, married in 1889 Captain Geoffry Carr Glyn.
- Hon. Eleanor Harbord, married in 1895 Sir Richard George Musgrave, 12th Baronet.
- Hon. Bridget Louisa Harbord, married Sir Derek Keppel.