Georg Adam received his education in Vienna conducted under the auspices of his mother and his greatuncle, Austrian minister of finance Gundaker Thomas von Starhemberg.

In 1748, he was appointed 'Aulic Councillor of the Empire' (Reichshofrat) and became chamberlain (Kammerherr) of Archduke Joseph, the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa.

The following years he travelled as an envoy to Lisbon, Trieste, Madrid and Paris where he met Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz.

In Paris, Starhemberg also successfully negotiated the marriage between the Habsburg Archduchess Maria Antonia and the Duke of Berry, the future king Louis XVI of France.

Starhemberg remained the next 13 years in Brussels where he successfully stimulated the development of the provinces in the Austrian Netherlands in spite of the fact that Joseph had limited his powers.

However, his duties in this function had a more representative character without significant political influence except the period after the death of Joseph II from 1790 until 1797.

In the following year Maria Franziska gave birth to 2 sons : He was decorated with the title 'Ambassador to the Emperor' for his diplomatic achievements in the relationship with France.