Louisa Petty, Marchioness of Lansdowne (; later Petty Fitzmaurice; 1755 – 7 August 1789), known as the Countess of Shelburne from 1779–84, was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat from the Mac Giolla Phádraig dynasty. She was the wife of

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne William Petty Fitzmaurice, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (2 May 17377 May 1805), known as the Earl of Shelburne between 1761 and 1784, by which title he is generally known to history, was an Anglo-Irish Whig (British political party), Whig states ...

Biography

The Marchioness was the youngest daughter of John FitzPatrick, 1st Earl of Upper Ossory, and his wife, Lady Evelyn (''née'' Leveson-Gower; daughter of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower). Her eldest brother was John FitzPatrick, 2nd Earl of Upper Ossory. She had a younger brother

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...

, who also became a noted statesman and soldier, and an elder sister, Lady Mary Fox (Baroness Holland), the subject of paintings by

Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough (; 14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter, draughtsman, and printmaker. Along with his rival Sir Joshua Reynolds, he is considered one of the most important British artists o ...

, Sir

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...

, and

Pompeo Batoni Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (25 January 1708 – 4 February 1787) was an Italian painter who displayed a solid technical knowledge in his portrait work and in his numerous Allegory, allegorical and mythological pictures. The high number of foreign vis ...

. She married, as his second wife,

, who served as

for 10 months in 1782–83, and was afterwards created Marquess of Lansdowne. The couple were married on 8 July 1779 * Lady Louisa Fitzmaurice Petty, died young * Lord Henry Petty (1780–1863), who succeeded his elder half-brother as 3rd Marquess She died on 7 August 1789.

References

* 1755 births 1789 deaths 18th-century Irish nobility 18th-century Irish women FitzPatrick dynasty Spouses of prime ministers of Great Britain British marchionesses Daughters of Irish earls Wives of knights William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne {{UK-noble-stub