Category Archives: British Royals

Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St. Albans, Illegitimate Son of King Charles II of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St. Albans; Credit –  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7211580

Despite fathering many illegitimate children with his mistresses, King Charles II of England had no children with his wife Catherine of Braganza. Charles II is an ancestor through his mistresses of many British aristocrats and of several women who married into the British Royal Family. Lucy Walter and Charles II are ancestors of Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York. Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St. Albans was born on May 8, 1670, at his mother’s house in Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London, England, the illegitimate son of King Charles II of England and his mistress Nell Gwyn. Charles II acknowledged Nell’s son right away.

The surname Beauclerk derives from King Henry I of England, who reigned 1100 – 1135. King Henry I received a good education, learning to read and write in Latin and studying English law. He also studied English, which was unusual for the time. As a younger son, his destiny probably was to enter the Church. He earned the nickname Beauclerc, Anglo-Norman for fine scholar.

Charles’ mother Nell Gwyn; By Simon Pietersz Verelst – https://www.apollo-magazine.com/highlights-of-masterpiece-london/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=108376921

Charles’ mother Nell Gwyn has uncertain beginnings. Generally, her birth is given as February 2, 1650. Nell’s father was thought to be Thomas Gwyn, an army captain who died or disappeared. Nell’s mother was born Helena Smith, known as Madam Gwyn, in the civil parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, England, and lived there all her life. Nell’s mother worked as a tapwoman at the Rose Tavern on Russell Street and it can be assumed that she also worked as a prostitute and that Nell probably worked as a child prostitute. Nell and her older sister Rose worked as orange girls selling fruit and sweetmeats to the patrons of a new playhouse, the Theatre in Bridges Street, which was later rebuilt and renamed the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The orange-girls were exposed to aspects of theater life and London’s higher society. The actors at the theater were the King’s Company and King Charles II frequently attended performances.

King Charles II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Less than a year after becoming an orange girl, fourteen-year-old Nell became an actress with the King’s Company. Nell could not read or write and had to learn her lines by having them read to her. The affair between Nell and King Charles II began in April 1668 when Nell was attending a performance at Lincoln’s Inn Fields Theater. Charles II was in the next box and was more interested in flirting with Nell than watching the play. Charles II invited Nell and her escort to supper, along with his brother the Duke of York (the future King James II). After supper, so the story goes, Charles II discovered that he had no money on him and neither did his brother, resulting in Nell having to cover the cost of the supper. “Od’s fish!” she exclaimed, in imitation of Charles II’s manner of speaking, “but this is the poorest company I ever was in!”

Charles holding a coronet – he was already Earl of Burford (on the right) and James (on the left), the two sons of King Charles II of England and Nell Gwyn, in a 1679 engraving; Credit – Wikipedia

Besides Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St. Albans, Nell had one other son with King Charles II:

  • Lord James Beauclerk (1671 – 1680), died in childhood

In 1676, King Charles II created six-year-old Charles Earl of Burford and Baron Heddington. In 1684, Charles was created 1st Duke of St. Albans. Since then, all the Dukes of St. Albans have been his descendants. King Charles II also granted his son an allowance of £1,000 a year and the offices of Chief Ranger of Enfield Chace and Master of the Hawks. Charles served as Colonel in the Regiment of Horse and fought with Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor at the Siege of Belgrade in 1688. When Charles’ 36-year-old mother Nell Gwyn died in 1687, she left her estate including Burford House, near Windsor Castle to her son Charles.

In 1688, Charles supported his first cousin William III, Prince of Orange (also William III, Prince of Orange) in overthrowing their uncle King James II in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, resulting in his first cousins, husband and wife William III, Prince of Orange and Princess Mary of England, the elder of the two daughters of King James II, reigning England jointly as King William III and Queen Mary II. Charles held several important appointments under King William III and Queen Mary II and under King George I including Captain of the Band of Gentlemen Pensioners, Lord of the Bedchamber, and Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire.

Charles’ wife Lady Diana de Vere By Godfrey Kneller – https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/404722/diana-de-vere-duchess-of-st-albans-d-1742, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73191575

On April 17, 1694, Charles married Lady Diana de Vere, daughter of Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford and one of the Hampton Court Beauties, a series of eight portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller (one of the portraits is above), commissioned by Queen Mary II of England, depicting the most glamorous ladies from the court of William III and Mary III. From 1714 to 1717, Diana was Mistress of the Robes to Caroline of Ansbach, Princess of Wales, the wife of the future King George II of Great Britain.

Charles and Diana had twelve children:

A view of the Chapel of St. John the Evangelist at Westminster Abbey; Credit – Wikipedia

Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St. Albans died on May 10, 1726, aged 56, in Bath, England. He was buried at Westminster Abbey in the Chapel of St. John the Evangelist but he has no monument or marker. His wife Diana survived him by sixteen years, dying, aged 63, on January 15, 1742, at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, and was buried in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Beauclerk Family. Westminster Abbey. (n.d.). https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/beauclerk-family
  • Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St. Albans. geni_family_tree. (2022). https://www.geni.com/people/Charles-Beauclerk-1st-Duke-of-St-Albans/6000000000769939369
  • Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans. (2024). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Beauclerk,_1st_Duke_of_St_Albans
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Nell Gwyn, Mistress of King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/nell-gwyn-mistress-of-king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2016). King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Fraser, Antonia. (2002). King Charles II. Phoenix.
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.

 

Lady Barbara Fitzroy, Illegitimate Daughter of King Charles II of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland and her daughter Lady Barbara Fitzroy; Credit – Attributed to Thomas Pooley – http://www.galleryofthemasters.com/p-folder/pooley-thomas-john-stearne.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95769829

Despite fathering many illegitimate children with his mistresses, King Charles II of England had no children with his wife Catherine of Braganza. Charles II is an ancestor through his mistresses of many British aristocrats and of several women who married into the British Royal Family. Lucy Walter and Charles II are ancestors of Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York. Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

Born July 16, 1672, at her mother’s home, Cleveland House in London, England, Lady Barbara Fitzroy was the illegitimate daughter of Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland in her own right. Around the time of Lady Barbara’s birth, Louise de Kérouaille was replacing her mother as King Charles II’s primary mistress. There are questions about Lady Barbara’s paternity. Barbara Palmer had several lovers before Lady Barbara’s conception. Her mother claimed that she was King Charles II’s daughter but possibly she was the daughter of her mother’s second cousin and lover John Churchill, later the 1st Duke of Marlborough. Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield, who Lady Barbara resembled, was also a lover of Barbara Palmer. Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine, the husband of Lady Barbara’s mother, believed her to be his daughter, and left his estate to her. King Charles II informally recognized Lady Barbara by giving her the surname Fitzroy. The surname Fitzroy comes from the Anglo-Norman Fitz, meaning “son of” and Roy, meaning “king”, implying the original bearer of the surname was a child of a king.

Lady Barbara’s mother Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland; Credit – Wikipedia

Lady Barbara’s mother was born in 1640 as Barbara Villiers, the only child of William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning. In 1643, Barbara’s father died in the First English Civil War, leaving his 18-year-old widow and his three-year-old daughter in financial difficulty. Barbara’s mother soon married Charles Villiers, 2nd Earl of Anglesey, her late husband’s cousin. The marriage was childless and Barbara’s stepfather died from smallpox in 1661. Barbara Villiers was considered one of the most beautiful of the young Royalist women but her lack of a dowry did not help her marriage prospects. In 1659, she married the Roman Catholic Roger Palmer, later 1st Earl of Castlemaine, against his family’s wishes. In 1660, Barbara became Charles’ mistress.

King Charles II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Besides her namesake, Barbara gave birth to five other children and it is surmised that they were all the children of King Charles II. Through their children, Barbara Palmer and King Charles II are the ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York, and their children Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie. As a reward for Barbara’s services, Charles II created Roger Palmer Earl of Castlemaine in 1661.

The children of Barbara Palmer, probably the children of King Charles II, and therefore, probably the full siblings of Lady Barbara, if she was his child. At the very least, they are her half-siblings.

On November 22, 1689, 17-year-old Lady Barbara became a novice at the Benedictine English Priory of St. Nicholas in Pontoise, Normandy, France, taking the name Sister Benedicta. On April 2, 1691, Lady Barbara professed her final vows as a nun. In 1721, Lady Barbara became prioress of the convent. On May 6, 1737, Lady Barbara, aged sixty-five, died at the Benedictine English Priory and was buried in the church there. There are claims that Lady Barbara had an illegitimate son with James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton. However, many historians find it unlikely because the supposed child, Sir Charles Hamilton, was born in 1691, two years after Lady Barbara entered the English Priory of St. Nicholas in Pontoise, France as a novice.

Memorial to Lady Barbara at the Cathédrale Saint-Maclou de Pontoise in Pontoise, France; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Mistress of King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/barbara-palmer-1st-duchess-of-cleveland-mistress-of-king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2016). King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Fraser, Antonia. (2002). King Charles II. Phoenix.
  • Lady Barbara FitzRoy. (2024, June 2). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Barbara_FitzRoy
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.

George Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, Illegitimate Son of King Charles II of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

George Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Northumberland; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite fathering many illegitimate children with his mistresses, King Charles II of England had no children with his wife Catherine of Braganza. Charles II is an ancestor through his mistresses of many British aristocrats and of several women who married into the British Royal Family. Lucy Walter and Charles II are ancestors of Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York. Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

King Charles II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on December 28, 1665, in a Fellow’s chamber (a Fellow is a member of the teaching staff) at Merton College, University of Oxford in Oxford, England, George Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Northumberland was the illegitimate son of King Charles II of England and one of his mistresses, Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland in her own right. The surname FitzRoy comes from the Anglo-Norman Fitz, meaning “son of” and Roy, meaning “king”, implying the original bearer of the surname was a child of a king. George’s paternal grandparents were King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France (the daughter of King Henri IV of France and his second wife Marie de’ Medici). His maternal grandparents were William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning.

George’s mother Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland; Credit – Wikipedia

George’s mother was born in 1640 as Barbara Villiers, the only child of William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning. In 1643, Barbara’s father died in the First English Civil War, leaving his 18-year-old widow and his three-year-old daughter in financial difficulty. Barbara’s mother soon married Charles Villiers, 2nd Earl of Anglesey, her late husband’s cousin. The marriage was childless and Barbara’s stepfather died from smallpox in 1661. Barbara was considered one of the most beautiful of the young Royalist women but her lack of a dowry did not help her marriage prospects. In 1659, Barbara married the Roman Catholic Roger Palmer, later 1st Earl of Castlemaine, against his family’s wishes. In 1660, Barbara became King Charles II’s mistress.

Besides George, Barbara gave birth to five other children and it is surmised that they were all the children of King Charles II. Through their children, Barbara Palmer and King Charles II are the ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York, and their children Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie. As a reward for Barbara’s services, Charles II created Roger Palmer Earl of Castlemaine in 1661.

The children of Barbara Palmer, probably the children of King Charles II, and therefore, probably the full siblings of George:

On October 1, 1674, nine-year-old George was officially recognized by his father King Charles II, and was created Earl of Northumberland, Baron of Pontefract, and Viscount Falmouth. The following year, he was created Duke of Northumberland. In 1684, Henry fought on the side of the French in the Siege of Luxembourg, when the French successfully laid siege to the Spanish-controlled Fortress of Luxembourg. That same year, George was created a Knight of the Order of the Garter. The diarist John Evelyn wrote of George, he was “the most accomplished and worth owning of Charles II’s children, and a young gentleman of good capacity, well bred, civil, and modest…extraordinarily handsome and well shaped and skilled in horsemanship.”

On February 2, 1685, King Charles II suffered an apparent stroke and died four days later at the age of 54. Modern analysis of his symptoms seems to indicate he may have died from uremia, a symptom of kidney failure. Charles knew his death would affect his illegitimate children. While on his deathbed, he implored his brother and successor, the soon-to-be King James II, to “be kind to George, as I am sure he will be honest and loyal.”

In March 1686, George secretly married Catherine Wheatley, the daughter of Robert Wheatley of Bracknell and the widow of Thomas Lucy, a captain in the Royal Horse Guards. George’s paternal uncle King James II was quite angry as he had just negotiated a marriage for George with a daughter of Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle. George and his brother Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton attempted to repair the situation with their uncle by secretly placing Catherine in an English convent in Ghent, Belgium. When King James II realized the injustice done to George’s wife Catherine, he ordered George’s brother Henry to bring her back to England immediately. Although George and Catherine remained married, he refused to live with her. Instead, he lived with his mistress Mary Dutton who would eventually become his second wife.

George’s paternal uncle King James II; Credit – Wikipedia

Unlike his brother Henry, George remained loyal to his uncle King James II, and he did not plot to replace him with James II’s elder daughter Mary, and her husband and first cousin William III, Prince of Orange (the future King William III and Queen Mary II). In 1688, during the Glorious Revolution, when William and Mary overthrew King James II and reigned jointly, George refused to join them. However, in 1689, when his royal pensions had not been paid, he was forced to make peace with his first cousins William and Mary. However, George did not receive any positions during the reign of William and Mary (Mary died in 1694 and William died in 1702) until the year before William’s death – William considered him “a great blockhead – when he was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle.

As William and Mary’s marriage was childless, Mary’s younger sister Anne succeeded to the throne when William died in 1702. George had more luck in obtaining positions during the reign of his first cousin Queen Anne. However, when Queen Anne died in 1714, leaving no heirs from the House of Stuart, George, Elector of Hanover, succeeded to the throne as King George I and George was dismissed from all the posts listed below.

1703: Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Horse
1710: Lieutenant-General
1710: Lord Lieutenant of Surrey
1712: Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire
1713: Member of the Privy Council and Chief Butler of England

Frogmore House as it would have looked when George lived there

In 1714, George’s wife-in-name-only Catherine Wheatley died and he married his long-time mistress Mary Dutton. George and Mary had lived for years at Frogmore House, on the grounds of the Home Park in Windsor, England, near Windsor Castle. George was the first (quasi) royal resident of Frogmore House. On June 28, 1716, fifty-year-old George Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Northumberland died suddenly at Frogmore House. He was buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England, in the Duke of Albemarle’s Vault in the north aisle of the Henry VII Chapel. After his death, George’s wife Mary continued to live at Frogmore House until she died in 1738. Both George’s wives were buried in the Duke of Albemarle’s Vault in Westminster Abbey. A stone with the names of those buried in the vault was added in 1869. The names of George and his first wife Catherine Wheatley are on the stone but not the name of his second wife Mary Dutton.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Mistress of King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/barbara-palmer-1st-duchess-of-cleveland-mistress-of-king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2016). King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Fraser, Antonia. (2002). King Charles II. Phoenix.
  • George FitzRoy, Duke of Northumberland. (2024). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_FitzRoy,_Duke_of_Northumberland
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.

National Service of Remembrance – November – United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

2010 National Service of Remembrance; Photo: Sgt Dan Harmer, RLC/MOD, OGL v1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26910545

Members of the British Royal Family attend the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday on the second Sunday in November or the Sunday nearest to November 11, the anniversary of the Armistice,  the end of hostilities in World War I on November 11, 1918. Remembrance Sunday commemorates the contribution of British and Commonwealth military men and women in World War I, World War II, and later conflicts. Many countries changed the name from Armistice Day, with member states of the Commonwealth of Nations adopting Remembrance Day and the United States opting for Veterans Day.

What is the Cenotaph?

The Cenotaph on Whitehall in London, England; By Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32768399

A cenotaph is a monument erected in memory of a deceased person whose body is buried elsewhere. The word comes from the Greek kenotaphion, kenos “empty” + taphos “tomb”. The Cenotaph is a war memorial on Whitehall in London, England. Whitehall is the street recognized as the center of the Government of the United Kingdom. Along Whitehall are many government departments and ministries, including the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office.

The temporary Cenotaph in an etching by William Monk, published in 1920; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1919, British architect Edwin Landseer Lutyens was approached by Prime Minister David Lloyd George and Sir Alfred Mond, First Commissioner of Works, to design a temporary cenotaph that would stand on Whitehall to be part of Peace Day celebrations in July 1919. Although the temporary cenotaph was intended to stand for only one week, it was so popular that Lutyens was asked to design a permanent one.

The Cenotaph is made from Portland stone. The design guides the eye upwards, in a back-and-forth motion, from the plinth to the words “The Glorious Dead” (referring to those who lost their lives in World War I and World War II and later conflicts), the flags on the sides, the dates of the wars, and the laurel wreaths (carved by the sculptor Francis Derwent Wood) and finally to the empty tomb on top. The Cenotaph is 35 feet/11 meters high and 15 by 9 feet/4.5 by 2.7 meters at the base.

The unveiling of The Cenotaph on November 11, 1920. The gun carriage bearing the casket of The Unknown Warrior can be seen on the left.

The Cenotaph was unveiled on November 11, 1920, the same day The Unknown Warrior was given a full state funeral and interred in the Nave of Westminster Abbey, only a few feet from the entrance. The casket of The Unknown Warrior was placed on a gun carriage and drawn by six black horses through the streets of London lined with large and silent crowds. When the gun carriage reached Whitehall, it stopped at The Cenotaph, which was then unveiled by King George V. The gun carriage was then followed by King George V, members of the Royal Family, and the government ministers to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral of The Unknown Warrior.

What happens at the National Service of Remembrance?

A military band at the 2023 Service of Remembrance

The ceremony begins at 10:36 AM with a music program that has remained unchanged since 1930.

  • Rule, Britannia! by Thomas Arne – A patriotic song, originating from the poem “Rule, Britannia” by James Thomson
  • Heart of Oak by William Boyce – Words by the 18th-century English actor David Garrick. It is the official march of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, and formerly the Royal Australian Navy.
  • The Minstrel Boy – Traditional Irish air – Words by Thomas Moore in remembrance of his friends from Trinity College, Dublin who were killed during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It is associated with the Irish Army and the traditionally Irish regiments in the army of the United Kingdom.
  • Men of Harlech (Rhyfelgyrch Gwŷr Harlech) – Traditional Welsh air – Words describe events during the seven-year siege of Harlech Castle between 1461 and 1468.
  • The Skye Boat Song – Traditional Scottish air – The song tells how Bonnie Prince Charlie, disguised as a serving maid, escaped in a small boat after the defeat of his Jacobite rising of 1745, with the aid of Flora MacDonald. The lyrics were written by Sir Harold Boulton, 2nd Baronet.
  • Isle of Beauty – Music by T.A. Rawlings – Words from the poem by Thomas Haynes Bayly – The phrase “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” comes from the poem.
  • David of the White Rock (Dafydd y Garreg Wen) – Music and words attributed to David Owen
  • Oft in the Stilly Night – arrangement by John Andrew Stevenson of older Scottish air, words by Thomas Moore (who also wrote the words to The Minstrel Boy above.
  • Flowers of the Forest – Scottish folk tune – Commemorates the defeat of the Scottish army of James IV, King of Scots at the Battle of Flodden in September 1513.
  • Nimrod from Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar – Nimrod, was an Old Testament patriarch described as “a mighty hunter before the Lord”

Music played during the actual National Service of Remembrance

  • Dido’s Lament from the opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell – The final scene of the opera Dido and Aeneas when Dido, the Queen of Carthage, rejects her lover Aeneas for having thought of leaving her.
  • The Supreme Sacrifice – Music by Charles Harris – Words were taken from a poem by Sir John Stanhope Arkwright
  • Solemn Melody by Henry Walford Davies, originally for organ and orchestra
  • Last Post – A bugle call used at Commonwealth military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those killed in war. The “Last Post” call originally signaled that the final sentry post had been inspected, and the camp was secure for the night.
  • Beethoven’s Funeral March No. 1 – Formerly attributed to Ludwig van Beethoven but now known to have been composed by his contemporary Johann Heinrich Walch.
  • O God, Our Help in Ages Past – Hymn by Isaac Watts that paraphrases the 90th Psalm
  • The Rouse – A bugle call most often associated with the military in Commonwealth countries. It is commonly played following Last Post at military services and is often mistakenly referred to as Reveille.
  • God Save the King – The National Anthem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

King Charles III leads The Prince of Wales, and The Princess Royal to The Cenotaph during the 2023 Service of Rembrance

As the band plays Dido’s Lament by Henry Purcell, the clergy led by a cross-bearer and the Choir of the Chapel Royal, proceeds to The Cenotaph. The service is led by the Dean of the Chapel Royal, usually the Bishop of London. During the playing of Solemn Melody by Henry Walford Davies, politicians, high commissioners, religious leaders from many faiths, and humanists representing the non-religious assemble. All stand at attention in silence as the Royal Family emerges.

As Big Ben strikes 11:00 AM, the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fires a single-shot salute from World War I era guns on Horse Guards Parade. Two minutes’ silence is then observed. The silence represents the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 when the Armistice, an agreement to end the fighting of World War I as a prelude to peace negotiations, began at 11:00 AM November 11, 1918. This silence is ended by Gunners of the Royal Horse Artillery firing a gun salute. Royal Marines buglers then sound the Last Post.

King Charles III lays the first wreath at the 2023 National Service of Remembrance

The first wreath is laid by The Monarch on behalf of the nation, followed by other members of the Royal Family laying wreaths. The Queen, The Princess of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family watch the ceremony from the Foreign Office balcony.

Queen Camilla and The Princess of Wales watch the 2023 National Service of Remembrance

The Prime Minister, other government leaders, former living Prime Ministers, and representatives of the military

The band plays Beethoven’s Funeral March No.1 by Johann Heinrich Walch as the Prime Minister lays a wreath. Other Commonwealth leaders also lay wreaths if they are present, along with the Leader of the Opposition, the leaders of major political parties, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Lord Speaker, the Foreign Secretary, the Home Secretary, Commonwealth High Commissioners, former living United Kingdom prime ministers, representatives from the Royal Navy, Royal Army, Royal Air Force, the Merchant Navy, and the civilian emergency services.

The clergy conducting the religious service

The Dean of the Chapel Royal, usually the Bishop of London, conducts a short religious service. The hymn O God Our Help In Ages Past is sung and The Lord’s Prayer is recited.

The Rouse is played by the buglers, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. The Monarch and the other members of the Royal Family salute The Cenotaph and depart.

After the National Service of Remembrance

The Veterans Parade in 2023

As the bands play marches and popular World War I era and World War II era songs, a parade of veterans march past The Cenotaph, saluting as they pass and laying wreaths at The Cenotaph. The veterans’ parade includes members of the Reserve Forces, volunteers from St John Ambulance, paramedics from the London Ambulance Service, and veterans from World War II, Korea, the Falklands, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other past conflicts.

The Guards Memorial with Horse Guards Parade and the Admiralty Offices in the background  By Doyle of London – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=134168924

The veterans march back to Horse Guards Parade, where a member of the Royal Family takes their salute in front of the Guards Memorial which commemorates the war dead from the Guards Division and related units during World War I and the war dead of the Household Division during World War II and other conflicts since 1918.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Hardman, Robert. (2007). A Year With The Queen. Simon and Schuster.
  • History of the Cenotaph. English Heritage. (n.d.). https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/the-cenotaph/history/
  • National Service of Remembrance. (2023). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Service_of_Remembrance
  • The Cenotaph. (2024). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cenotaph
  • What is the Cenotaph?. Imperial War Museums. (n.d.). https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-is-the-cenotaph

Lady Charlotte Fitzroy, Illegitimate Daughter of King Charles II of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Lady Charlotte Fitzroy (Charlotte Lee, Countess of Lichfield); By Godfrey Kneller – Art UK, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36062608

(Not to be confused with her half-sister Charlotte FitzRoy, Charlotte Paston, Countess of Yarmouth, illegitimate daughter of King Charles II and Elizabeth Killigrew.)

Despite fathering many illegitimate children with his mistresses, King Charles II of England had no children with his wife Catherine of Braganza. Charles II is an ancestor through his mistresses of many British aristocrats and of several women who married into the British Royal Family. Lucy Walter and Charles II are ancestors of Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York. Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

King Charles II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Also known by her married name Charlotte Lee, Countess of Lichfield, Lady Charlotte Fitzroy was born in London, England on September 5, 1664, the illegitimate daughter of King Charles II of England and and one of his mistresses, Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland in her own right. The surname FitzRoy comes from the Anglo-Norman Fitz, meaning “son of” and Roy, meaning “king”, implying the original bearer of the surname was a child of a king. Charlotte’s paternal grandparents were King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France (the daughter of King Henri IV of France and his second wife Marie de’ Medici). Her maternal grandparents were William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning.

Charlotte’s mother Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte’s mother was born in 1640 as Barbara Villiers, the only child of William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning. In 1643, Barbara’s father died in the First English Civil War, leaving his 18-year-old widow and his three-year-old daughter in financial difficulty. Barbara’s mother soon married Charles Villiers, 2nd Earl of Anglesey, her late husband’s cousin. The marriage was childless and Barbara’s stepfather died from smallpox in 1661. Barbara was considered one of the most beautiful of the young Royalist women but her lack of a dowry did not help her marriage prospects. In 1659, Barbara married the Roman Catholic Roger Palmer, later 1st Earl of Castlemaine, against his family’s wishes. In 1660, Barbara became King Charles II’s mistress.

Besides Charlotte, Barbara gave birth to five other children and it is surmised that they were all the children of King Charles II. Through their children, Barbara Palmer and King Charles II are the ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York, and their children Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie. As a reward for Barbara’s services, Charles II created Roger Palmer Earl of Castlemaine in 1661.

The children of Barbara Palmer, probably the children of King Charles II, and therefore, probably the full siblings of Charlotte:

Charlotte Fitzroy By Peter Lely; Credit – http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackhistory/intro/docs/lely.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73343860

Charlotte was raised by a governess at Berkshire House, her mother’s home in London, after 1670 known as Cleveland House, and now known as Bridgewater House. She was the favorite niece of her paternal uncle James, Duke of York, later King James II of England. Very little is known of her childhood. The 19th-century historian John Heneage Jesse wrote, “We know but little of her except that she was beautiful.” Charlotte was the subject of a painting (above) by Sir Peter Lely, King Charles II’s Principal Painter in Ordinary. She is seated with her Indian page, dressed in pink, holding a bunch of grapes.

Charlotte Fitzroy and her husband Edward Henry Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield, as children; Credit – Wikipedia

Four months before her tenth birthday, on May 16, 1674, Charlotte was betrothed to eleven-year-old Edward Lee, the son and heir of Sir Francis Henry Lee, 4th Baronet of Quarendon and Lady Elizabeth Pope. At the time of the betrothal, Edward was created 1st Earl Lichfield with the subsidiary titles Viscount Quarendon and Baron Spelsbur. In 1676, Charlotte’s mother took her to France where she was educated in a convent for a year. She returned to England the following year and having reached puberty, thirteen-year-old Charlotte and fourteen-year-old Edward were married on February 6, 1677.

Charlotte and Edward had eighteen children and eleven survived childhood:

  • Lady Charlotte Lee (1678 – 1721), married (1) Benedict Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore, had six children (2) Christopher Crowe, had four children
  • Charles Lee, Viscount Quarendon (born and died 1680), died in infancy
  • Edward Henry Lee, Viscount Quarendon (1681 – 1713), unmarried
  • Captain The Honorable James Lee (1682 – 1711), unmarried
  • The Honorable Francis Lee (born and died 1685), died in infancy
  • Lady Anne Lee (1686 – 1716?), unmarried
  • The Honorable Charles Lee (1688 – 1708), unmarried
  • George Henry Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield (1690 – 1743), married Frances Hales, had three sons and five daughters
  • The Honorable Francis Henry Fitzroy Lee (1692 – 1730), unmarried
  • Lady Elizabeth Lee (1693 – 1741), married (1) Francis Lee, a cousin, had one son and two daughters (2) Edward Young, had one son
  • Lady Barbara Lee (1695 – 1729), married Sir George Browne, 3rd Baronet of Kiddington, had one daughter
  • Lady Mary Isabella Lee (born and died 1697)
  • The Honorable Fitzroy Lee (1698 – ?), died young
  • Vice Admiral The Honorable FitzRoy Henry Lee (1700 – 1751), unmarried
  • The Honorable William Lee (1701 – ?), died young
  • The Honorable Thomas Lee (1703 – ?), died young
  • The Honorable John Lee (1704 – ?), died young
  • Robert Lee, 4th Earl of Lichfield (1706 – 1776), married Catherine Stonhouse, no children

Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield; By Godfrey Kneller – http://www.askart.com/AskART/photos/COL20070427_3851/26.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3836410

Charlotte and Edward lived at the Lee family estate in Ditchley, Oxfordshire, England. Edward was Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire from 1687 – 1689. He commanded Lichfield’s Regiment (now known as the Suffolk Regiment), an infantry regiment in the English Army, until his dismissal following the 1688 Glorious Revolution for his support of Charlotte’s paternal uncle, the overthrown King James II. Charlotte’s first cousins and husband and wife William III, Prince of Orange and Princess Mary of England, the elder of the two daughters of King James II, overthrew King James II and reigned England jointly as King William III and Queen Mary II.

Both Charlotte and Edward were staunch Jacobites, whose goal was to restore the Roman Catholic Stuart King James II of England/VII of Scotland and his Roman Catholic heirs to the thrones of England and Scotland. Edward played a prominent role during the Williamite War (1689 – 1691) in Ireland when supporters of the former King James II unsuccessfully attempted to retake the English throne from King William III and Queen Mary II. In 1702, Charlotte asked her first cousin Queen Anne, the younger daughter of King James II, if she could come to court, and was told not until her husband swore an oath of loyalty to Queen Anne, which he refused to do.

All Saints Church in Spelsbury, Oxfordshire, England where Charlotte and her husband are buried in the churchyard; By neil hanson, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9112137

Charlotte’s husband Edward Lee, 1st Earl Lichfield died on July 14, 1716, aged 53 in London, England, and was buried in the churchyard at All Saints Church in Spelsbury, Oxfordshire, England. Less than two years later, Charlotte died in London, England on February 17, 1718, aged 53, and was buried with her husband.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Charlotte Lee, Countess of Lichfield. geni_family_tree. (2022, April 26). https://www.geni.com/people/Charlotte-Lee-Countess-of-Lichfield/5326648104210121832
  • Charlotte Lee, Countess of Lichfield. (2024). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Lee,_Countess_of_Lichfield
  • Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield. (2023). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Lee,_1st_Earl_of_Lichfield
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Mistress of King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/barbara-palmer-1st-duchess-of-cleveland-mistress-of-king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2016). King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Fraser, Antonia. (2002). King Charles II. Phoenix.
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.

Royal Ascot – United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

A view of the Grandstand at the 2023 Royal Ascot; Credit – By Fabiopao – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=133645495

Royal Ascot, held from June 18 – 22 in 2024, is a five-day race meeting held at Ascot Racecourse located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, 6 miles/9.7 km from Windsor Castle. The Ascot Racecourse covers 179 acres/72 hectares leased from the Crown Estate, a collection of lands and holdings in the United Kingdom belonging to the British monarch. Ascot Racecourse has 26 days of racing during the year, 18 days of thoroughbred horse racing between April and October, and 8 days of jump meetings between October and March.

History of Ascot Racecourse

King George IV and his brother Prince Frederick, Duke of York watching horse racing in The Royal Stand at Royal Ascot in the early 19th century

Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne (reigned 1702 – 1714). While Queen Anne was riding out from Windsor Castle, she came upon an area of open land with grass, bushes, and other small plants, and declared it was “ideal for horses to gallop at full stretch”. Her plans for a new race meeting were announced in the London Gazette of July 12, 1711: “Her Majesty’s Plate of 100 guineas will be run for round the new heat on Ascott Common, near Windsor, on Tuesday, August 7th next, by any horse, mare or gelding, being no more than six years old the grass before, as must be certified under the hand of the breeder, carrying 12 St., [Note: 12 St. = 12 stone = 168 pounds] three heats, to be entered the last day of July, at Mr. Hancock’s, at Fern Hill, near the Starting Post.”

The first race meeting was postponed until August 11, 1711. Queen Anne and her court drove in horse and carriage from Windsor Castle to witness the first race, a seven-horse race with a £50 prize, won by a horse called Doctor owned by Charles Beauclerk, 2nd Duke of St Albans, grandson of King Charles II of England and his mistress Nell Gwynn.

The first grandstand, able to hold 1,650 people, was completed in 1793 and was used for almost fifty years. An 1813 Act of Parliament ensured that the Ascot Heath would be used as a racecourse for the public in the future. Today’s grandstands at Ascot Racecourse have a capacity of 70,000.

The administration of Ascot Racecourse is handled on behalf of the Crown by His/Her Majesty’s Representative at Ascot, now appointed by the Monarch. Until 1901, the position was held by the Master of the Buckhounds, the reason why some races (see below) were named in honor of a Master of the Buckhounds.

What happens at Royal Ascot?

“The Road to the Races” – During the reign of Queen Victoria, coaches make their way down the Long Walk in Windsor Great Park, on their way to Ascot Racecourse in 1846. This is still the current practice.

In a tradition started by King George IV in 1825, each day of the five days of Royal Ascot, the Royal Family rides from Windsor Castle in the five Ascot Landaus, smaller and lighter carriages with basket-work sides, which are used each year at Royal Ascot. They arrive at the racetrack at 2:00 PM. The National Anthem is played and the Royal Standard is raised. The Royal Family sits in the Royal Enclosure.

The Royal Procession arrives at the Parade Ring during  the 2023 Royal Ascot

The Queen Anne Stakes is the first race on opening day, always a Tuesday, honoring Queen Anne’s gift to racing, founding Ascot Racecourse. There are traditional races held each day, and many of them have royalty-related names.

Tuesday

  • Queen Anne Stakes – first held in 1840
  • Coventry Stakes – first held in 1890
  • King Charles III Stakes – first held in 1890, originally the Queen’s Stand Plate, then the King’s Stand Plate following the death of Queen Victoria and the accession of King Edward VII in 1901, renamed the King Charles III Stakes in 2023 to mark the King‘s 75th birthday
  • St James’s Palace Stakes – first held in 1834
  • Ascot Stakes – first held in 1988
  • Wolferton Stakes – first held in 2002, when Royal Ascot was extended to five days to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, named after the village of Wolferton near Sandringham House
  • Buckingham Palace Stakes – first held in 2002, when the Royal Ascot meeting was extended to a fifth day to mark the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, named after Buckingham Palace

Wednesday

  • Jersey Stakes – first held in 1919
  • Queen Mary Stakes – first held in 1921, named in honor of Queen Mary, wife of King George V
  • Duke of Cambridge Stakes – first held in 2004, originally titled the Windsor Forest Stakes, renamed the Duke of Cambridge Stakes in 2013 in honor of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
  • Prince of Wales’s Stakes – first held in 1862, named after the Prince of Wales at that time, the future King Edward VII
  • Royal Hunt Cup Handicap – first held in 1843
  • Sandringham Stakes – first held in 1988, named after Sandringham, where Sandringham House, one of the royal residencies is located

Thursday

  • Norfolk Stakes – first held in 1843, originally called the New Stakes, renamed the Norfolk Stakes in 1973 in of Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk who served as HM’s Representative at Ascot from 1945 to 1972
  • Hampton Court Stakes – first held in 1996, had several names, renamed in 2002 named after Hampton Court, a royal residence of the Tudor period
  • Ribblesdale Stakes – first held in 1919, named in honor of Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale, who served as the Master of the Buckhounds from 1892 to 1895
  • Gold Cup – first held in 1807
  • Britannia Stakes – first held in 1928
  • King George V Stakes – first held in 1988

Friday

  • Albany Stakes – first held in 2002, originally the Henry Carnavon Stakes in memory of Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon, Queen Elizabeth II’s racing manager, who died in 2001, renamed Albany Stakes in 2003
  • King Edward VII Stakes – first held in 1834, originally known as the Ascot Derby, renamed King Edward VII Stakes in 1926
  • Commonwealth Cup – first held in 2015
  • Coronation Stakes – first held in 1840, commemorating the coronation of Queen Victoria, two years earlier
  • Duke of Edinburgh Stakes – first held in 1914, originally the Bessborough Stakes in honor of John Ponsonby, 5th Earl of Bessborough who was Master of the Buckhounds, renamed in 1999 in honor of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
  • Queen’s Vase – first held in 1838, the original trophy was a gold vase donated by Queen Victoria

Saturday

  • Chesham Stakes – first held in 1919, in honor of Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham, the last Master of the Buckhounds
  • Windsor Castle Stakes – first held in 1988
  • Hardwicke Stakes – first held in 1879, in honor of Charles Yorke, 5th Earl of Hardwicke, who served as the Master of the Buckhounds
    Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes – first held in 1868, originally called the All-Aged Stakes, renamed the Cork and Orrery Stakes in 1926, in honor of Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork, who served as the Master of the Buckhounds, renamed Golden Jubilee Stakes in 2002 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, renamed the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in 2012 to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and in 2022 it was again renamed to the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
  • Wokingham Stakes – first held in 1813, named after Wokingham, a market town several miles to the west of Ascot
  • Queen Alexandra Stakes – first held in 1864, originally called the Alexandra Plate, named after Princess Alexandra of Denmark who married The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII in 1863, renamed Queen Alexandra Stakes in 1931, traditionally the last race on the final day of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting

The Enclosures

There are four enclosures, or viewing areas, at Royal Ascot: Royal Enclosure, Queen Anne Enclosure, Village Enclosure, and Windsor Enclosure. The Queen Anne Enclosure, Village Enclosure, and Windsor Enclosure are open to the public.

The Royal Enclosure

The Royal Enclosure has grandstand seats (on the right) and a close-up standing area

The Royal Enclosure, where the British Royal Family sits, is the most prestigious, and access is strictly limited. First-time applicants must apply to the Royal Enclosure Office and be sponsored by someone who has attended the Royal Enclosure for at least four years. Existing members are sent invitations by His Majesty’s Representative at Ascot to request badges each year. Badges are handwritten and can only be worn by the named person. The colors of badges vary for each day of the Royal Ascot.

The Queen Anne Enclosure

Racegoers relax in the interior of the Queen Anne Enclosure

The Queen Anne Enclosure is famous for its high fashion and extraordinary ladies’ hats. It is the only public enclosure that grants access to the Parade Ring, Grandstand, and Bandstand where Singing Around The Bandstand takes place each day after racing.

The Village Enclosure

Racegoers in the Village Enclosure

The Village Enclosure is on the inside of the track. It provides a festival atmosphere with street food stalls, cocktail bars, and live music.

The Windsor Enclosure

Racegoers in the Windsor Enclosure

The Windsor Enclosure provides a party atmosphere with roaming musicians and no formal dress code although there are items of clothing not allowed in any enclosure. Those attending can bring a picnic lunch or visit the bars and food stalls. The trackside lawns offer exciting views of the horses racing for victory as they thunder down the track.

Dress Codes

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, now The Prince and Princess of Wales, wearing morning dress with a top hat (William) and formal daywear with a headpiece (Catherine) and their Royal Enclosure badges in 2017; Credit – Ascot Racecourse. (2024, April 26). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascot_Racecourse

Each of the four Royal Ascot enclosures has a different Dress Code. The dress codes are very specific and very strict, especially for the Royal Enclosure. Below are dress codes verbatim from the Ascot Racecourse website: Dress Codes by Enclosure

There are some items of clothing not permitted in any enclosure:

  • Novelty patterns and fabrics (including, for example; slogans, phrases, promotional messaging, brand logos, or cartoon imagery)
  • Trainers (Sneakers)
  • Denim
  • Leggings
  • Shorts

ROYAL ENCLOSURE: Members and their guests must adhere to the dress codes by choosing to follow in full a dress code they feel most comfortable with.

LADIES

Embed from Getty Images

  • A dress or skirt falling just above the knee or longer (lace and chiffon fabrics are permitted)
  • Shoulder straps that are a minimum width of 1 inch / 2.5cm
  • A jacket or pashmina may be worn. Tops and dresses beneath must still comply.
  • A trouser suit of matching material and colour
  • A jumpsuit that falls below the knee and complies with the shoulder strap requirements
  • Hats must be worn. However, a headpiece or hatinator with a minimum base diameter of 4 inches / 10cm is acceptable. (Note: A hatinator is fastened on the head with a band like a fascinator, but has the appearance of a hat, while a fascinator is much smaller and normally does not go over the sides of the head.)

GENTLEMEN

  • Morning dress of black, grey or navy material
  • A waistcoat and necktie (patterns of a patriotic nature, for example a national flag, are acceptable)
  • A black or grey top hat (may be removed within a restaurant or Private Box. Top hats may also be removed within an enclosed external seating area, terrace, balcony, or garden)
  • Black dress shoes worn with socks covering the ankle

JUNIORS (Aged 10-17)

  • Those aged 10-17 should dress in accordance with the above dress codes. However, a headpiece or fascinator may be worn as an alternative to a hat, without any size requirement.
  • Juniors under 17 may wear morning dress as per the above. Alternatively, a dark-coloured lounge suit with a collared shirt and necktie is also permitted.

NOT PERMITTED IN THE ROYAL ENCLOSURE

  • Unless under the age of 17, fascinators (defined as a small headpiece attached to a comb, hair clip or headband that does not have a solid base of at least 4 inches / 10cm)

Dresses and tops that are:

  • Strapless or one shoulder
  • Halter neck (defined as a garment held up by a strap around the neck with an open back)
  • Spaghetti straps
  • Sheer (defined as any type of fabric that is see-through / entirely transparent)
  • Visible midriffs (defined as the mid-region of the torso between the chest and the waist)
  • Customised top hats (with, for example; coloured ribbons, feathers or embellishments)
  • Cravats, bow ties and neckerchiefs

QUEEN ANNE ENCLOSURE

LADIES

  • A dress or top and skirt, with shoulder or halter neck straps (lace and chiffon fabrics are permitted, no minimum length)
  • A trouser suit of matching material and colour
  • A jumpsuit that falls below the knee and complies with the shoulder strap requirements
  • A hat, headpiece or fascinator

GENTLEMEN

  • A full-length two or three-piece suit. Jackets and trousers should be of matching material (morning dress is also permitted)
  • A collared shirt
  • A necktie (patterns of a patriotic nature, for example a national flag, are acceptable)
  • Socks must be worn and should cover the ankle

JUNIORS (Aged 10-17)

  • Those aged 10-17 should dress in accordance with either of the above dress codes although hats, headpieces and fascinators are not compulsory.
  • Juniors under the age of nine should be dressed smartly but are not required to wear a jacket or tie with their trousers and shirt.

NOT PERMITTED IN THE QUEEN ANNE ENCLOSURE

  • Dresses and tops that are:
  • Strapless or one shoulder
  • Off-the-shoulder or bardot
  • Sheer (defined as any type of fabric that is see-through / entirely transparent)
  • Visible midriffs (defined as the mid-region of the torso between the chest and the waist)
  • Cravats, bow ties and neckerchiefs

VILLAGE ENCLOSURE

LADIES

  • A dress or top and skirt, with shoulder or halter neck straps (lace and chiffon fabrics are permitted, no minimum length)
  • Trouser suits are welcome and should be of matching material and colour
  • Jumpsuits should fall below the knee and comply with the above strap requirements
  • A hat, headpiece or fascinator

GENTLEMEN

  • A suit jacket or blazer (can be of different material to the trousers)
  • A full-length trouser or chino
  • A collared shirt
  • A necktie, bow tie or cravat (patterns of a patriotic nature, for example a national flag, are acceptable)
  • Socks must be worn and should cover the ankle

JUNIORS (Aged 10-17)

  • Those aged 10-17 should dress in accordance with either of the above dress codes although hats, headpieces and fascinators are not compulsory.

NOT PERMITTED IN THE VILLAGE ENCLOSURE

Dresses and tops that are:

  • Strapless or one shoulder
  • Off-the-shoulder or bardot
  • Sheer (defined as any type of fabric that is see-through / entirely transparent)
  • Visible midriffs (defined as the mid-region of the torso between the chest and the waist)

WINDSOR ENCLOSURE

  • Whilst there is no official dress code for the Windsor Enclosure, guests are encouraged to dress in smart daywear. A hat, headpiece or fascinator is encouraged along with a jacket and collared shirt.

OVERSEAS VISITORS & SERVING MILITARY PERSONNEL (in any enclosure)

OVERSEAS VISITORS

  • Visitors are welcome to wear the formal National Dress of their country or Service Dress. If your National Dress does not include a hat or headpiece then you do not need to wear one. Religious headdress is permitted in place of a hat or headpiece.

SERVING MILITARY PERSONNEL

  • Serving military personnel are welcome to wear Service Dress or equivalent.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Ascot. Ascot Racecourse. (n.d.). https://www.ascot.com/horse-races-and-events/royal-ascot/overview
  • Ascot. Ascot Racecourse. (n.d.). https://www.ascot.com/what-to-wear/royal-ascot-dress-code
  • Ascot Racecourse. (2024). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascot_Racecourse
  • Hardman, Robert. (2007). A Year With The Queen. Simon and Schuster.
  • Royal Ascot. The Royal Family. https://www.royal.uk/royal-ascot

Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton, Illegitimate Son of King Charles II of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite fathering many illegitimate children with his mistresses, King Charles II of England had no children with his wife Catherine of Braganza. Charles II is an ancestor through his mistresses of many British aristocrats and of several women who married into the British Royal Family. Lucy Walter and Charles II are ancestors of Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York. Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

King Charles II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on September 28, 1663, at the Palace of Whitehall in London, England, Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton was an illegitimate son of King Charles II of England and one of his mistresses, Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland in her own right. The surname FitzRoy comes from the Anglo-Norman Fitz, meaning “son of” and Roy, meaning “king”, implying the original bearer of the surname was a child of a king. Charles’s paternal grandparents were King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France (the daughter of King Henri IV of France and his second wife Marie de’ Medici). His maternal grandparents were William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning.

Henry’s mother Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland; Credit – Wikipedia

Henry’s mother was born in 1640 as Barbara Villiers, the only child of William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning. In 1643, Barbara’s father died in the First English Civil War, leaving his 18-year-old widow and his three-year-old daughter in financial difficulty. Barbara’s mother soon married Charles Villiers, 2nd Earl of Anglesey, her late husband’s cousin. The marriage was childless and Barbara’s stepfather died from smallpox in 1661. Barbara was considered one of the most beautiful of the young Royalist women but her lack of a dowry did not help her marriage prospects. In 1659, Barbara married the Roman Catholic Roger Palmer, later 1st Earl of Castlemaine, against his family’s wishes. In 1660, Barbara became King Charles II’s mistress.

Besides Henry, Barbara gave birth to five other children and it is surmised that they were all the children of King Charles II. Through their children, Barbara Palmer and King Charles II are the ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York, and their children Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie. As a reward for Barbara’s services, Charles II created Roger Palmer Earl of Castlemaine in 1661.

The children of Barbara Palmer, probably the children of King Charles II, and therefore, probably the full siblings of Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton:

Henry’s wife Isabella & their son Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 1, 1672, nearly nine-year-old Henry, the newly created Earl of Euston, was betrothed to four-year-old Isabella Bennet, daughter and heiress of Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington and Elisabeth of Nassau, a granddaughter of Maurits of Nassau, Prince of Orange, and a great-granddaughter of Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange. On November 4, 1679, Henry, now the newly created Duke of Grafton, and Isabella were married. In 1685, when her father died, Isabella became the 2nd Countess of Arlington in her own right.

Henry and Isabella had one son who succeeded his parents as 2nd Duke of Grafton and 3rd Earl of Arlington:

Henry was raised as a sailor and was well-suited to military life. He was appointed Colonel of the Grenadier Guards in 1681 and served as Vice-Admiral of England from 1682 to 1689. Henry participated in several military expeditions, both at sea and on land. In 1684, Henry fought on the side of the French in the Siege of Luxembourg, when King Louis XIV of France successfully laid siege to the Spanish-controlled Fortress of Luxembourg. In 1685, when his half-brother James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, an illegitimate son of King Charles II of England and his mistress Lucy Walter, attempted to claim the throne by overthrowing their uncle King James II, Henry fought against his half-brother and commanded the royal troops in Somerset. However, Henry later acted with John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and joined his first cousin William III, Prince of Orange to overthrow their uncle King James II in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, resulting in his first cousins and husband and wife William III, Prince of Orange and Princess Mary of England, the elder of the two daughters of King James II, reigning England jointly as King William III and Queen Mary II.

In 1683, Henry became captain of the HMS Grafton, a British naval ship named after him. On July 10, 1690, at the Battle of Beachy Head during the Nine Years’ War, pitting the French and the Dutch against each other, Henry’s brilliant action aboard the HMS Grafton gave the Dutch the victory. However, just three months later, on October 9, 1690, in Cork, Ireland, 27-year-old Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton died from wounds received two weeks earlier at the Siege of Cork, during the Williamite War in Ireland when supporters of the former King James II attempted to retake the English throne from King William III and Queen Mary II.

St. Genevieve Church and Churchyard; Credit – The church of St Genevieve, Euston Park by Evelyn Simak, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=128823248

The remains of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton were returned to England where he was buried in the churchyard at St. Genevieve Church in Euston, Suffolk, England. His descendants still hold the peerage Duke of Grafton. The current holder of the peerage is Henry Oliver Charles FitzRoy, 12th Duke of Grafton, born in 1978.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Mistress of King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/barbara-palmer-1st-duchess-of-cleveland-mistress-of-king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2016). King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Fraser, Antonia. (2002). King Charles II. Phoenix.
  • Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton. geni_family_tree. (2023). https://www.geni.com/people/Henry-Fitzroy-1st-Duke-of-Grafton/6000000003875372660
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_FitzRoy,_1st_Duke_of_Grafton

Christmas Message – December 25 – United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Embed from Getty Images
A family watches as King Charles III gives his first Christmas Message on December 25, 2022, in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The King paid tribute to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II.

At 3:00 PM British Time on December 25, the British Monarch’s pre-recorded Christmas Message is broadcast throughout the United Kingdom. It is also broadcast in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and other Commonwealth nations at times convenient to those countries. In the United States, C-SPAN broadcasts the message at times that vary depending on the network’s schedule. On the internet, the Christmas Message is embargoed until 3:00 PM British Time. The Christmas Message is now written by the Monarch sometimes with input from family and advisors.

History of the Christmas Message

King George V giving the 1934 Christmas Message; Credit – Wikipedia

John Reith, the founding Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), suggested to King George V that he make a short speech on BBC radio in 1922, the founding year of the BBC. King George V considered the new radio just entertainment and declined. Ten years later, John Reith again asked King George V to make a speech, and with the encouragement of his wife Queen Mary and Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, he agreed. On December 25, 1932, King George V read the first Christmas Message, written by the renowned English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist Rudyard Kipling.

Embed from Getty Images
On December 25, 1952, Queen Elizabeth II gave her first Christmas Message at Sandringham House

The Christmas Message has been broadcast every year since 1932 with several exceptions. There was no Christmas Message in 1936 because King Edward VIII had abdicated the throne just two weeks prior, on December 10, 1936. Because Queen Elizabeth II was weeks away from the births of Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, there was no Christmas Message in 1959 and 1963. In 1969, it was decided to forgo the Christmas Message because a repeat of the documentary film Royal Family, televised in the summer in connection with the investiture of Charles, Prince of Wales, was already scheduled for the holiday period. Instead, Queen Elizabeth II issued a written Christmas Message in 1969.

Queen Elizabeth II giving the first televised Christmas Message in 1957; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 25, 1957, Queen Elizabeth II gave the first televised Christmas Message in the Long Library at Sandringham House.

The Christmas Message

A family watching as Queen Elizabeth II gives what would be her last Christmas Message on December 25, 2021, in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle. The Queen marked the death of her husband Prince Philip earlier in the year.

The text of the Christmas Message usually reflects current issues and concerns along with the monarchy’s milestones and the Monarch’s personal feelings about Christmas. Several months before Christmas, the Monarch decides upon a theme, and related videos and photos are collected for inclusion in the broadcast. Queen Elizabeth II mostly wrote the text of her Christmas Messages, sometimes receiving input from her husband Prince Philip and her staff. King Charles III writes his own Christmas Messages without any input.

The Christmas Message is recorded a few days before Christmas. The location is usually Buckingham Palace, but recordings have also been made at Windsor Castle and Sandringham House. In 2003, a special broadcast from Combermere Barracks, the Household Cavalry Barracks in Windsor, was arranged at Queen Elizabeth II’s request. In 2022, King Charles III gave his first Christmas Message at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

Traditionally, the Christmas Message broadcast begins with the British national anthem God Save the King/Queen except for 1968, 1986–2000, 2002, and 2007 when the national anthem was played at the end of the Christmas Message.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Hardman, Robert. (2007). A Year With The Queen. Simon and Schuster.
  • The Christmas Broadcast. The Royal Family. (n.d.-c). https://www.royal.uk/the-christmas-broadcast
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Royal Christmas message. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Christmas_message

Charles Fitzroy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, 1st Duke of Southampton, Illegitimate Son of King Charles II of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Charles Fitzroy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, 1st Duke of Southampton; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite fathering many illegitimate children with his mistresses, King Charles II of England had no children with his wife Catherine of Braganza. Charles II is an ancestor through his mistresses of many British aristocrats and of several women who married into the British Royal Family. Lucy Walter and Charles II are ancestors of Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York. Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and Charles II are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

King Charles II of England; Credit -Wikipedia

On June 18, 1662, in London England, Charles Fitzroy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, 1st Duke of Southampton was born. The surname FitzRoy comes from the Anglo-Norman Fitz, meaning “son of” and Roy, meaning “king”, implying the original bearer of the surname was a child of a king. Charles was the illegitimate son of King Charles II of England and one of his mistresses Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland in her own right. Charles’s paternal grandparents were King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France (the daughter of King Henri IV of France and his second wife Marie de’ Medici). His maternal grandparents were William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning.

In 1642, the English Civil War broke out between King Charles I and the Parliamentarian and Puritan forces. When the situation deteriorated in the spring of 1646, the future King Charles II, then Prince of Wales, was sent out of England. The execution of King Charles I on January 30, 1649, made his son Charles the de jure King of England. Until the Stuart Restoration in 1660, when the Stuart monarchy in the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland was restored and King Charles II returned to England, he lived in exile in various places.

Charles’ mother Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland; Credit – Wikipedia

Charles’ mother was born in 1640 as Barbara Villiers, the only child of William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning. In 1643, Barbara’s father died in the First English Civil War, leaving his 18-year-old widow and his three-year-old daughter in financial difficulty. Barbara’s mother soon married Charles Villiers, 2nd Earl of Anglesey, her late husband’s cousin. The marriage was childless and Barbara’s stepfather died from smallpox in 1661. Barbara was considered one of the most beautiful of the young Royalist women but her lack of a dowry did not help her marriage prospects. In 1659, Barbara married the Roman Catholic Roger Palmer, later 1st Earl of Castlemaine, against his family’s wishes.

At the end of 1659, Roger and his new wife left with other supporters of the exiled Charles, Prince of Wales (the future King Charles II) joining him in the Spanish Netherlands. In 1660, Barbara became King Charles II’s mistress. After years of exile during the Commonwealth, on May 1, 1660, Parliament formally invited Charles, as King Charles II, to be the English monarch in what has become known as the Restoration. On May 23, 1660, Charles landed in Dover, England, and on his 30th birthday, May 29, 1660, King Charles II entered London in a procession.

Besides Charles, Barbara gave birth to five other children and it is surmised that they were all the children of King Charles II. Through their children, Barbara Palmer and King Charles II are the ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York, and their children Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie. As a reward for Barbara’s services, Charles II created Roger Palmer Earl of Castlemaine in 1661.

The children of Barbara Palmer, probably the children of King Charles II, and therefore, probably the full siblings of Charles Fitzroy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, 1st Duke of Southampton:

Barbara Palmer with her son Charles FitzRoy as Madonna and Child; Credit – Wikipedia

Charles, initially known as Charles Palmer, was registered as the son of his mother’s husband the Roman Catholic Roger Palmer, and was styled Lord Limerick, one of Palmer’s subsidiary titles. Thinking the infant was his son, Palmer had him baptized as a Roman Catholic. Within a few days, the infant Charles was re-baptized again as a member of the Church of England at the Church of St. Margaret’s, Westminster with King Charles II as one of his godparents, declaring, “He is my son.”

In 1670, Charles’ mother Barbara Palmer was created Duchess of Cleveland in her own right. The dukedom was created with a special remainder allowing it to be inherited by her first son Charles and his heirs male, despite her son being illegitimate. That same year, King Charles II officially recognized Charles as his son. Charles then used the surname FitzRoy and was styled Earl of Southampton, the subsidiary title of his mother who had been created Duchess of Cleveland in her own right. In 1675, King Charles II created his son Duke of Southampton.

Also in 1670, Charles was betrothed to Mary Wood, the only child and the heiress of Sir Henry Wood, 1st Baronet, Clerk of the Green Cloth, and Mary Gardiner, a daughter of the Royalist Sir Thomas Gardiner of Cuddesdon. Sir Henry served as Treasurer to Queen Henrietta Maria. His wife was a Maid of Honor to Queen Henrietta Maria and one of the four Dressers of King Charles II’s wife Catherine of Braganza. Mary Wood’s mother died of smallpox in 1671 and her father also died the same year. Following her father’s death in 1671, Mary went to live with Charles’s mother Barbara Palmer. In 1679, Charles and Mary were married but a year later, sixteen-year-old Mary died, like her mother, of smallpox. After many legal maneuvers, Mary’s fortune passed to her widower 18-year-old Charles Fitzroy who remained unmarried for fourteen years.

In 1694, 32-year-old Charles married Anne Pulteney, daughter of Sir William Pulteney, a Member of Parliament.

Charles and Anne had six children:

In 1688, the Glorious Revolution forced Charles’s paternal uncle King James II of England to vacate the throne in favor of his daughter (and Charles’s first cousin) Queen Mary II and her husband and first cousin (also Charles’s first cousin) King William III. Unlike his sister Anne, who joined the former King James II in exile in France, Charles remained in England. Despite not following his uncle, Charles, along with several other peers – his brother Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton, his brother George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, his brother-in-law Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield, and his brother-in-law William Paston, 2nd Earl of Yarmouth, opposed the offer of the crown to William and Mary. In 1691, Charles was suspected of plotting to restore his uncle, the former King James II, to the throne. After an unsuccessful Jacobite attempt to ambush and kill King William III in 1696, Charles signed the Association of 1696 which pledged loyalty to King William III (Queen Mary died in 1694). Thereafter, although he was partial to his uncle James II, Charles accepted the right of King William III to reign.

When Charles’ mother Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland died on October 9, 1709, aged 68, he became 2nd Duke of Cleveland. On September 9, 1730, 68-year-old Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland died in London, England. He was succeeded by his eldest son William FitzRoy. However, William was childless and when he died in 1774, all his titles became extinct.

Burial site of Charles Fitzroy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland; Credit – By 14GTR – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123825812

Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland was buried on November 3, 1730, at Westminster Abbey in the Duke of Ormond’s vault, now the Royal Air Force Chapel, at the east end of Henry VII’s Chapel. Charles’ second wife Anne Pulteney, survived him by sixteen years, dying on February 20, 1746, aged 82, and was interred with her husband. Those interred in the Duke of Ormond’s vault have no monument. Their names were inscribed on a stone over the vault only in the late 19th century when Arthur Stanley, Dean of Westminster viewed the coffins in the vault. Now a carpet with the Royal Air Force insignia permanently covers the stone with the inscription of the names.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter & Powell, Roger. (2006). Right Royal Bastards – The Fruits of Passion. Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Mistress of King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/barbara-palmer-1st-duchess-of-cleveland-mistress-of-king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2016). King Charles II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-charles-ii-of-england/
  • Fraser, Antonia. (2002). King Charles II. Phoenix.
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_FitzRoy,_2nd_Duke_of_Cleveland

Commonwealth Day – United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Flags of member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations flying at Parliament Square in London on Commonwealth Day in 2009: Credit – By Simon Berry – Parliament Square 11/3/09, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=88407359

Commonwealth Day is held on the second Monday in March. However, there is not a worldwide uniform observance of the day in the member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, and it is not celebrated as a public holiday in most Commonwealth countries. Events which include the British Royal Family are held in London.

What is the Commonwealth of Nations?

Current member states in dark blue, Partially suspended member state in green, Former member states in orange, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies in light blue; Credit – Wikipedia

Originally created as the British Commonwealth of Nations through the Balfour Declaration of 1926 at the 1926 Imperial Conference in London, the Commonwealth of Nations is an international association of currently 56 member countries, most of which were former territories of the British Empire.

The Head of the Commonwealth is a ceremonial leader who symbolizes “the free association of independent member nations” of the Commonwealth of Nations and keeps in touch with Commonwealth developments through regular contact with the Commonwealth Secretary General and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Head of the Commonwealth is not formally hereditary. The Commonwealth heads of government choose the successors. Once in office, there is no term limit. The Head of the Commonwealth has no constitutional role in any Commonwealth countries except the United Kingdom if the Head of the Commonwealth is also Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The first Head of the Commonwealth, chosen in 1949, was King George VI. Since then his successors as Sovereign of the United Kingdom, his daughter Queen Elizabeth II, and his grandson King Charles III, have been chosen as Head of the Commonwealth.

What is the history of Commonwealth Day?

Commonwealth Day traces its origins to Empire Day, an event initially created to celebrate the British Empire. It was originally observed on Queen Victoria’s birthdate, May 24th, or the last weekday before it. In the latter half of the 20th century, the celebration’s focus shifted towards emphasizing the modern Commonwealth of Nations, with the event being renamed Commonwealth Day in 1958, and its date moved in 1977 to the second Monday in March.

What happens on Commonwealth Day?

Members of the British Royal Family attend the 2024 Service of Celebration for Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey. King Charles III and The Princess of Wales were unable to attend due to their cancer treatments.

Events and speeches each year focus on a theme. Past themes can be seen at Wikipedia: Commonwealth Day themes.

The Head of the Commonwealth, now King Charles III, broadcasts the Commonwealth Day Message throughout the entire Commonwealth of Nations. In some Commonwealth countries, the message is sometimes followed by a speech from a member country’s president, prime minister, or another senior government minister. The Commonwealth Secretary-General also issues a statement.

King Charles III (on left) delivers his Commonwealth Day Message during the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 13, 2023

Royal Family members along with 2,000 people attend an inter-denominational Service of Celebration for Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey in London. They listen to reflections on the year’s theme and view performances by artists from throughout the Commonwealth of Nations. The Head of the Commonwealth delivers their Commonwealth Day Message as King Charles III did in 2023.

Guests watch a video of King Charles III delivering his Commonwealth Day Message during the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London, on March 11, 2024

In 2024, King Charles II could not attend in person due to his cancer treatment, and a video of his Commonwealth Day Message was played during the service. Attending the service in 2024 were Queen Camilla, The Prince of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent.

King Charles III shakes hands with former British Prime Minister John Major during the Commonwealth Day Reception at Buckingham Palace in 2023

Later in the day, the Commonwealth Day Reception is held for members of the Commonwealth and diplomatic communities. In 2023, King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted the first Commonwealth Day Reception of King Charles III’s reign at Buckingham Palace where they were joined by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. In 2024, Queen Camilla attended the Commonwealth Day reception at Marlborough House, the international headquarters of the Commonwealth, where the reception is traditionally held.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Celebrating 75 years of the Modern Commonwealth. (n.d.). https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/celebrating-75-years-of-the-commonwealth
  • Celebrating the Commonwealth. Westminster Abbey. (n.d.). https://www.westminster-abbey.org/history/explore-our-history/celebrating-the-commonwealth
  • Commonwealth. Westminster Abbey. (n.d.-c). https://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship-music/services-times/special-services/commonwealth-at-the-abbey
  • Commonwealth Day. Commonwealth. (n.d.). https://thecommonwealth.org/commonwealth-day
  • Commonwealth Day 2024. The Royal Family. (n.d.-b). https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2024-03-11/commonwealth-day-2024
  • Members of the Royal Family Celebrate Commonwealth Day at the Abbey. (2024). Westminster Abbey. https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/commonwealth-day-service-2024
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Commonwealth Day. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Day
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Commonwealth of Nations. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations