William Alexander Louis Stephen Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton, 9th Duke of Brandon, 2nd Duke of Châtellerault KT (12 March 1845 – 16 May 1895), styled Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale until 1863, was a Scottish nobleman.
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Early life and education
Hamilton was born at Connaught Place, London, the second but first surviving son of William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton and Princess Marie of Baden, the adoptive granddaughter of Napoleon Bonaparte. Through his mother, Hamilton was related to numerous European royal families. Among his first cousins were King Carol I of Romania and Queen Stephanie of Portugal (children of his aunt Princess Josephine) and Queen Carola of Saxony (daughter of his aunt Princess Louise Amelie of Baden).
Although his name was listed on the registrar at Eton College, he never attended and was educated privately. He spent much of his childhood at his mother's home in Baden-Baden, Villa Stephanie, while he spent summers in Paris. Thus he was fluent in German and French.
At age 18, he went to Christ Church, Oxford. A description of Hamilton pertaining to this period in his life has this description of him to offer: