He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, on 2 May 1718 and was created a DCL on 6 June 1719.

[1] He succeeded to his father's title of Duke of Hamilton in 1712 following his death in the notorious Hamilton–Mohun duel in Hyde Park.

Hamilton married secondly to Elizabeth Strangways (an aunt of the Countess of Ilchester), but she died childless on 3 November 1729.

On 21 August 1737, Hamilton married for the third time, and the bride was Anne Spencer (an aunt of the Countess of Galloway and the Duchess of Manchester).

They had three children together: Hamilton died in 1743, aged 40 at Bath from jaundice and palsy.