Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston

British statesman and prime minister (1784–1865)

Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865) was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century. He began his parliamentary career as a Tory and ended it as a Liberal.


The Viscount Palmerston

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office
6 February 1855 – 19 February 1858
12 June 1859 – 18 October 1865
Preceded byThe Earl of Aberdeen
The Earl of Derby
Succeeded byThe Earl of Derby
The Earl Russell
Personal details
Born(1784-10-20)20 October 1784
Broadlands, Hampshire
Died18 October 1865(1865-10-18) (aged 80)
Brocket, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Political partyLiberal

He is best remembered for his leading of British foreign policy in a period of time when the United Kingdom was at its strongest. He served as both Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister. Some of his actions, now sometimes called 'liberal interventionist', were disliked by the Queen and by many of his fellow politicians.