George III entrusted to him the naval education of his son, Prince William Henry (later William IV). At the same time, Hood also took the young Horatio Nelson under his care, and so began an association that lasted until Nelson's death. Hood pursued a political career and was returned to parliament for Westminster in 1784. He continued in active service, including two more spells in Portsmouth as commander-in-chief, with 'Barfleur' as his flagship, and was promoted Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 24 September 1787. In July 1788, Hood was appointed to the Board of Admiralty. In 1793 his final active service was in command of the expedition that took Toulon at the start of the French Revolutionary War. In 1796 he was created Viscount Hood of Catherington, became an Elder Brother of Trinity House and Governor of Greenwich Hospital, in which role he received the body of Nelson when it was brought to lie in state in the Hospital's Painted Hall in December 1805. He died at the age of 92, still in post, on 27 January 1816 and was buried in the officers' Mausoleum of the old Hospital burial ground, beside the National Maritime Museum.