William Arden, 2nd Baron Alvanley

Who was William Arden, 2nd Baron Alvanley?

William Arden, 2nd Baron Alvanley was the son of Richard Arden, 1st Baron Alvanley. He was an officer in the Coldstream Guards, attaining the rank of Captain in the service of the 50th Regiment of Foot.

He was promoted from ensign to captain in the Coldstream Guards in March 1809. He later transferred to the 50th Regiment of Foot, and exchanged to the half-pay of the 100th Regiment of Foot on 1 September 1812.

Lord Alvanley was a Regency buck and member of the Prince Regent's circle, and was friends with Beau Brummell. He, Brummell, Henry Mildmay, and Henry Pierrepoint were considered the prime movers of Watier's, dubbed "the Dandy Club" by Byron. They were also the four hosts of the July 1813 masquerade ball at which the Prince Regent greeted Alvanley and Pierrepoint, but then "cut" Brummell and Mildmay by snubbing them, staring them in the face but not speaking to them. Brummell then said to Alvanley, "Alvanley, who's your fat friend?" The Prince Regent was not amused; this incident was the final and most public sign that Brummell was no longer favored by "Prinny".

Alvanley continued to support Brummell, sending money to his friend during Brummell's exile in France. In 1835, Alvanley fought a duel with Morgan O'Connell. According to a near contemporary report "[Alvanley] went through the business with the most perfect sang froid, but on his way to the field he whimsically intimated a singular alarm. Having descended a hollow, 'My Lord', said he to his second, 'you get me down well enough, but', alluding to his full size, 'should I fall, I do not know how the devil you will ever get me up again.'"