William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

Rare card · No. 42434

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (15 March 1779 – 24 November 1848), was a British Whig statesman who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, first in 1834 and again from 1835 to 1841. He also held senior cabinet roles including Home Secretary (1830–1834) and Chief Secretary for Ireland (1827–1828), and led the House of Lords and the Opposition during key transitions in the early Victorian era. Melbourne's first premiership ended when he was dismissed by King William IV in November 1834—the last time a British monarch removed a sitting prime minister. He returned to office five months later and remained in power for six years, guiding Queen Victoria through her early reign and acting as a trusted advisor during her political initiation. His tenure was marked by personal influence rather than legislative innovation. Though not associated with major reforms or foreign conflicts, Melbourne played a central role in the Bedchamber Crisis and other court-related controversies...

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