Prince Adolphus was born in February 1774 at Buckingham House, then known as the "Queen's House",[REF] in the City and Liberty of Westminster, now within Greater London.
He was tutored at home until summer 1786, when he was sent to the University of Göttingen in Germany, along with his brothers Prince Ernest (created Duke of Cumberland in 1799) and Prince Augustus (created Duke of Sussex in 1801) [REF].