Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon

Herbert was the son of Major-General the Honourable William Herbert (c. 1696 – 31 March 1757), fifth son of Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke. His mother was Catherine Elizabeth Tewes (d. 28 August 1770). Educated at Eton and Magdalene College, Cambridge,[1] he inherited Highclere Castle from his uncle the Honourable Robert Sawyer Herbert in 1769.

Herbert sat in the House of Commons as one of two representatives for Wilton from 1768 to 1780. The latter year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Porchester, of Highclere in the County of Southampton.[2] In 1793 he was further honoured when he was made Earl of the Town and County of Carnarvon, in the Principality of Wales.[3] He later served as Master of the Horse from 1806[4] to 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents headed by Lord Grenville and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1806.[5]

Arms of 1st Earl of Carnarvon, four quarters (Herbert, Talbot, de Vere, Sawyer of Highclere: Azure, a fess chequy sable and or between three sea-pies (proper?)) impaling Wyndham. Brushford Church, Somerset, above the effigy of his great-great grandson Hon. Aubrey Herbert (1880-1923), of Pixton Park, Somerset, second son of the 4th Earl

On 15 July 1771 Lord Carnarvon married Lady Elizabeth Alicia Maria Wyndham (d. 1826)[6] a daughter of Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont, by whom he had five sons and one daughter:

• Henry George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon (1772–1833), eldest son and heir.
• Capt. Hon. Charles Herbert (1774–1808).
• Very Rev. Hon. William Herbert (1778–1847).
• Lady Frances Herbert (c. 1782–1830),[7] who married Thomas Moreton, 1st Earl of Ducie and had issue.
• Rev. Hon. George Herbert (1789–1825),[8] vicar of Tibenham, Norfolk.
• Hon. Algernon Herbert (1792–1855), antiquary.

Carnarvon died in June 1811, aged 69.

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Carnarvon