His father, Charles Arbuthnot, was a prominent Tory politician, diplomat and confidant of the Duke of Wellington.
He was returned to Parliament from the rotten borough of Tregony in 1831, but resigned the seat in the following year by becoming Steward of the Manor of East Hundred.
When Sir Robert Peel became Prime Minister, Queen Victoria asked Charles to become her Equerry in Ordinary (a senior aide).
Arbuthnot was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Northamptonshire, on 21 January 1861, and became colonel of the 91st Regiment on 4 July 1864.
[4] Promoted general on 25 November 1865, he was appointed to command the 72nd Regiment on 27 August 1870, he died shortly thereafter, on 21 October 1870.