Lady Charlotte Finch | |
|---|---|
_by_John_Robinson.jpg) Lady Charlotte Finch, painting after John Robinson c.1745 | |
| Full name | Charlotte Fermor |
| Born | 14 February 1725 |
| Died | 11 July 1813 (aged 88) St James's Palace |
| Buried | Ravenstone, Buckinghamshire |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Issue | George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea Sophia Fielding |
| Father | Thomas Fermor, 1st Earl of Pomfret |
| Mother | Henrietta Louisa Jeffreys |
| Occupation | Royal governess |
Lady Charlotte Finch (née Fermor; 14 February 1725 – 11 July 1813) was a British royal governess. She was governess to the children of King George III and Queen Charlotte for over thirty years, holding the position from 1762 to 1793. Her parents were courtiers Thomas Fermor, 1st Earl of Pomfret, and Henrietta Louisa Jeffreys. The couple were educated and frequently travelled with their growing brood of children to the continent. Charlotte, like her sisters, was well educated; in 1746, she married the Hon. William Finch and had issue including George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea.
An accomplished woman, Finch gained her appointment as royal governess in August 1762 upon the birth of George, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of King George and Queen Charlotte. Finch's duties included oversight of the royal nursery and all the staff employed therein, as well as organising lessons for the children. Finch oversaw the princes' education until they became old enough to live in their own households under the watch of governors, while the six princesses remained under her supervision until they turned 21. Finch retired from her role in 1793, though she continued to correspond with members of the royal family and receive gifts from them.