Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham

The Most Honourable The Marquess of Rockingham KG PC FRS
Detail of painting after Joshua Reynolds
Prime Minister of Great Britain
In office 27 March 1782 – 1 July 1782
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	Lord North
Succeeded by	The Earl of Shelburne
In office 13 July 1765 – 30 July 1766
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	George Grenville
Succeeded by	William Pitt the Elder
Personal details
Born	Charles Watson-Wentworth (1730-05-13)13 May 1730 Wentworth, Yorkshire, England
Died	1 July 1782(1782-07-01) (aged 52) Wimbledon, England
Resting place	York Minster, York, England
Political party	Whig
Spouse	Mary Bright ​ (m. 1752)​
Parents	Thomas Watson-Wentworth (father) Lady Mary Finch (mother)
Alma mater	St John's College, Cambridge
Signature

Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC, FRS (13 May 1730 – 1 July 1782; styled The Hon. Charles Watson-Wentworth before 1739, Viscount Higham between 1733 and 1746, Earl of Malton between 1746 and 1750 and The Marquess of Rockingham in 1750) was a British Whig statesman and magnate, most notable for his two terms as prime minister of Great Britain. He became the patron of many Whigs, known as the Rockingham Whigs, and served as a leading Whig grandee. He served in only two high offices during his lifetime (prime minister and Leader of the House of Lords) but was nonetheless very influential during his one and a half years of service.