He was born to Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha in 1743 at Leicester House in London. In 1766, he married Maria Walpole, Countess of Waldegrave, and they had three children, the third of which would succeed to the title of Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (Prince William, 2nd Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh). He was appointed (in an honorary fashion) to colonel of the 13th Regiment of Foot, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, and 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, and he became a field marshal on October 12, 1793. He died at Gloucester House in London.