In May 1804, King George III intended to confer the titles of Earl of Banbury, Viscount Wallingford and Baron Reading on the outgoing Prime Minister Henry Addington.

However, Addington refused the honour and chose to remain in the Commons until 1805, when he joined Pitt's government as Lord President of the Council with the lesser title of Viscount Sidmouth.

The first Earl of Banbury had two sons, Edward and Nicholas; however neither was mentioned in his will, prompting credible questions raised as to their paternity.

Nicholas's son Charles, the 4th earl, had not been summoned to parliament when in 1692 he killed Captain Philip Lawson in a duel.

The House of Lords declared that he was not a peer and therefore not entitled to have his case heard by them, but the Court of King's Bench released him from his imprisonment on the ground that he was the Earl of Banbury rather than a commoner.