George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland KG (8 August 1786 – 22 February 1861), styled Viscount Trentham until 1803, Earl Gower between 1803 and 1833 and Marquess of Stafford in 1833, was a British peer, who had been a Whig MP.
Sutherland, who was born at Portland Place, London was the eldest son of George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland and his wife Elizabeth Gordon, de jure Countess of Sutherland.
He was educated at Harrow School between 1798 and 1803, then entered Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated BA in 1806 and MA in 1810. In 1841 he was made DCL by the same university.
His father died in 1833, only six months after being created Duke of Sutherland by William IV for his support of the Reform Act 1832, and so this new title devolved on his eldest son. His mother, who was 19th Countess of Sutherland in her own right, died in 1839, and so her ancient Scottish title passed to George, who also became 20th Earl of Sutherland. As a result, the two titles became united in the same person until 1963. It was the 2nd Duke who assumed the additional surname of Sutherland so that his family name became Sutherland-Leveson-Gower.
Between 1806 and 1808, Earl Gower travelled in Prussia and Russia. During the Prussian campaign against Napoleon's French forces, he spent time at the Prussians' general headquarters.
After returning from Europe, Earl Gower entered the Commons as MP for the Cornwall rotten borough of St Mawes in 1808. In 1812, he transferred to sit for the Staffordshire borough of Newcastle-Under-Lyme, until 1815, when he stood to become one of the county MPs for Staffordshire, sitting until 1820.
He was also Lord Lieutenant for the County of Sutherland from 1831 until his death, was appointed High Steward of the Borough of Stafford in 1833, and was Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire from 1839 to 1845.
He was made KG in 1841.
Sutherland took part in a first-class cricket match in 1816, playing for EH Budd's XI and totalling 4 runs with a highest score of 4.
He was a keen book collector and was one of the founder members of the Roxburghe Club in 1812.
He was a trustee of the National Gallery from 1835 and of the British Museum from 1841 to his death, as well as appointed a Fine Arts Commissioner in 1841.
Sutherland was partially deaf and therefore decided not to play a very active part in politics which was the path well worn by his contemporary peers. Instead he expended his energies by spending some of his vast wealth which he inherited from his father on improving his homes. In 1845 he employed Sir Charles Barry to make vast alterations to DunrobinCastle. Barry transformed the place into the 189 room ducal palace which we see today. In addition to Dunrobin, the Duke also had Barry completely remodel his Staffordshire seat of Trentham Hall, Cliveden House in Buckinghamshire, and the family's London townhouse, Stafford House, which was the most valuable private home in the whole of London.
The Duke died, aged seventy-five, at Trentham Hall, Staffordshire, one of his English mansions. He is buried at St George's Church Cemetery, Telford, Shropshire.
Sutherland married Lady Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard (1806 – 27 October 1868), daughter of George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle, on 28 May 1823. They had eleven children, seven daughters and four sons.