The Englishman Stanhope was the son of the 4th earl of Stanhope, Philip, and the Honorable Catherine Stanhope. After completing his education at Christ Church, Oxford in 1827, he entered Parliament in 1830, remaining in the House of Commons until 1852. He is most notable for his cultural work, including helping to pass the Literary Copyright Act of 1842, proposing and organizing the foundation of the National Portrait Gallery in London in 1856, serving as president of the Society of Antiquaries, and ensuring the Historical Manuscripts Commission was created in the late 1860s.