Category Archives: British Royals

Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

 

Born on November 8, 2003, at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey, England Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor is the elder of the two children and the only daughter of Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie Rhys-Jones. Louise was born prematurely and delivered by emergency cesarean section after her mother suffered placental abruption which caused significant blood loss to her mother and fetal distress to Louise. Mother and daughter spent two weeks in the hospital.

Lady Louise was christened in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 24, 2004, by the Dean of Windsor. She wore a christening gown that was first made for the christening of Queen Victoria’s eldest child in 1840. It has since been worn at almost all royal christenings since. However, due to the gown’s age and delicate condition, this would be the last time it was used.

Lady Louise’s godparents:

  • Lady Alexandra Etherington (her father’s third cousin, daughter of James Carnegie, 3rd Duke of Fife)
  • Lady Sarah Chatto (her father’s first cousin)
  • Lord Ivar Mountbatten (her father’s second cousin, son of David Mountbatten, 3rd Marquess of Milford-Haven)
  • Rupert Elliott (her father’s friend from Cambridge University)
  • Francesca Schwarzenbach (her parents’ friend)

Louise has one younger brother:

Lady Louise with her family at the Platinum Jubilee service of her grandmother Queen Elizabeth II

The titles and styles of Louise and her brother James are often disputed. Under the terms of King George V’s Letters Patent of 1917, as grandchildren of the sovereign in the male line, they are Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom, with the style of Royal Highness. However, at the time of Edward and Sophie’s marriage, a press release was issued from Buckingham Palace. Along with announcing Prince Edward’s new title as Earl of Wessex, it stated that Queen Elizabeth II, with the agreement of Edward and Sophie, had decided that any children born to them should not be given the style of Royal Highness, but instead, be given courtesy titles as children of an Earl.

As they would already be well down the line of succession (Prince Edward was 7th in line at the time of his marriage), it is believed that this was done to alleviate some of the ‘burdens’ associated with having a royal title and to allow them somewhat more of a normal life. However, many argue that the press release does not supersede the terms of the 1917 Letters Patent and that Louise and James are, in fact, Prince and Princess. In June 2020, during an interview with the Sunday Times Magazine, Sophie stated that she and her husband have raised their children with the intent that will have to work for a living as opposed to being working royals. She continued: “Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”

Lady Louise was born with esotropia, a condition that causes one or both eyes to turn inwards. She underwent a minor operation in 2006 and is believed to have undergone a second operation in 2013.

Lady Louise attended St George’s School at Windsor Castle.  In 2017, she started at St. Mary’s School Ascot, a Roman Catholic independent day and boarding school for girls in South Ascot, Berkshire, England. Louise graduated from St. Mary’s School Ascot in 2022. In September 2022, Louise began studying English at the University of St. Andrews in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Her first cousin Prince William, Duke of Cambridge is a graduate of the University of St. Andrews as is his wife.

Lady Louise with her cousin, Prince Harry, at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. photo: Daily Mail/PA

Lady Louise with her cousin Prince Harry, at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton –  photo: Daily Mail/PA

Lady Louise made her first big appearance on the royal stage in 2011, serving as a bridesmaid at the wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, now The Prince and Princess of Wales. She is also seen at some larger events, such as the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony.

 Trooping the Colour 2016

Lady Louise followed in the footsteps of her grandfather The Duke of Edinburgh and took up carriage driving.  The Duke of Edinburgh took up the sport at age 50 after he quit polo.

 

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What’s in a Name? – Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Embed from Getty Images 

On May 8, 2019, it was announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had named their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. I am going to admit up front that I am not crazy about the name Archie. However, naming a child is, of course, the prerogative of the parents. Archie is a name the Duke and Duchess liked and Harrison is from an English surname that means “son of Harry” and is quite fitting in this circumstance.

The names Alexander, Spencer, James, and Arthur were the betting favorites in the United Kingdom’s legal betting parlors. Less than 100 people bet money on Baby Sussex being named Archie. One lucky woman won more than £18,000 ($23,428) after she guessed that Baby Sussex’s name would be Archie. The unnamed woman bet £120 ($168) on the name at 150/1 odds after Baby Sussex was born on her grandson Archie’s birthday. She plans to put the winnings aside for her grandson.

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Derivation of the Names

Archie is a diminutive or nickname of the name Archibald which comes from the Old French Archaunbault and from Old High German Erchanbald. The first part of the name (archi-, archaun-, erchan-) means genuine. The second part of the name (-bald, -bault, -bald) means strong or bold. The name came to England via the Norman Conquest of 1066 and during the late Middle Ages, Archibald became a common name in Scotland.

Harrison is generally known as a surname although it is also used a first name and, in the case of Baby Sussex, as a middle name. In the British Isles, the origins of some surnames are linked to occupations. Obvious examples are Smith, Baker, and Carpenter. Other surnames can be linked to a place, for example, Hill or Green (a village green). There are also surnames that describe physical characteristics of the original bearer of the surname such as Brown, Short, or Thin. Lastly, there are surnames that used the first name of the original bearer plus the word “son” – Jackson originally came from Jack’s son and Harrison, originally came from Harry’s son.

Mountbatten-Windsor is the surname used by some of the male-line descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Generally, Mountbatten-Windsor would be used by male-line descendants without royal styles. In 1917, because of anti-German sentiment during World War I, King George V changed the name of the royal house and family from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Windsor.

Prince Philp’s mother was born Princess Alice of Battenberg. In 1917, Battenberg was anglicized to Mountbatten. Shortly before Prince Philip became engaged to the future Queen Elizabeth II, he relinquished his Greek and Danish royal titles, adopted the surname Mountbatten from his mother’s family, and became a naturalized British subject.

In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II issued Letters Patent stating: “while I and my children will continue to be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor, my descendants, other than descendants enjoying the style, title or attributes of Royal Highness and the titular dignity of Prince or Princess, and female descendants who marry and their descendants, shall bear the name Mountbatten-Windsor.”

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Archie in the United Kingdom

Archie has become a popular name in the United Kingdom. According to the Office of National Statistics, Archie was the 19th most popular name for boys in England with 2,651 boys being named Archie in 2017. Government statistics for 2017 in the other parts of the United Kingdom show Archie was the 15th most popular boys’ name in Wales and the 19th most popular boys’ name in Scotland. Archie is not quite as popular in Northern Ireland where it came in at number 32.

2017 – Most Popular Boys’ Names in England from Office of National Statistics

  1. Oliver
  2. Harry
  3. George
  4. Noah
  5. Jack
  6. Jacob
  7. Muhammad
  8. Leo
  9. Oscar
  10. Charlie
  11. William
  12. Henry
  13. Alfie
  14. Thomas
  15. Joshua
  16. Freddie
  17. James
  18. Arthur
  19. Archie
  20. Logan

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Archie in the United States

The name Archie is very uncommon in the United States where I am located. In 2017, Archie did not even make the top 1,000 boys’ names in the United States with only 156 boys being named Archie. The last time the name Archie was in the top 1,000 boys’ names in the United States was in 1988 when it was number 889. Living in a country of 327,000,000 people, Americans are not very likely to encounter anyone named Archie.

2017 – Most Popular Boys’ Names in the United States from the Social Security Administration

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. William
  4. James
  5. Logan
  6. Benjamin
  7. Mason
  8. Elijah
  9. Oliver
  10. Jacob
  11. Lucas
  12. Michael
  13. Alexander
  14. Ethan
  15. Daniel
  16. Matthew
  17. Aiden
  18. Henry
  19. Joseph
  20. Jackson

In the United States, the name Archie conjures up visions of two fictional characters. Described as a lovable bigot, Archie Bunker, played by actor Carroll O’Connor, was a character on the 1970s situation comedy All in the Family. Archie Andrews was first created as a comic book character in the 1940s and is now appearing as a character in Riverdale, an American teen drama television series based on the characters of the Archie comic books. Perhaps this accounts for this American’s somewhat resistant attitude toward the name. The only famous American Archie I can think of is Archie Manning (born 1949), a National Football League quarterback.  However, I really do not know him through his sports achievements but rather through his sons’ sports achievements. Archie Manning is the father of two National Football League quarterbacks Peyton Manning, who retired in 2016, and Eli Manning, who still plays for the New York Giants.

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Royal Connections

Margaret Tudor; Credit – Wikipedia

Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus; Credit – Wikipedia

There are two royal connections to the name Archibald. Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England and sister of King Henry VIII of England, married three times. Her first marriage was to James IV, King of Scots. After James IV was killed at the Battle of Flodden, which was fought against the army of his brother-in-law Henry VIII, Margaret’s seventeen-month-old son succeeded his father as James V, King of Scots. Under the terms of James IV’s will, Margaret was the regent for her son as long as she did not remarry.

Margaret sought an ally with the pro-English House of Douglas, and so she secretly married Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. The marriage stirred up the jealousy of the nobles and the opposition of the faction supporting French influence in Scotland. Civil war broke out, and Margaret was stripped of her regency. Margaret and Douglas escaped to England where she gave birth to their only child Lady Margaret Douglas at Harbottle Castle in Northumberland, England.

Lady Margaret Douglas married Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox and had two sons including Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley who married his first cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, the daughter of James V, King of Scots, and therefore the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor. They were the parents of James VI, King of Scots who succeeded to the English throne upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England as King James I of England.  Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is, therefore, a descendant of Margaret Tudor and her first husband James IV, King of Scots and also her second husband Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus.

James V, King of Scots was the only child of James IV, King of Scots and Margaret Tudor to survive infancy. His daughter Mary, Queen of Scots was his only surviving child and she succeeded her father when she was six days old. However, James V had a number of illegitimate children. One of his illegitimate children was Lady Jean Stewart. Jean married Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll. The couple had no children and divorced after twenty years of marriage.

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The Duchess of Cambridge created Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order

HRH The Duchess of Cambridge has been appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, it was announced today from Buckingham Palace.

The Royal Victorian Order was established by Queen Victoria in 1896, to recognize people for distinguished service to the Sovereign.  It is one of just a few of the British Honours that are solely granted at the pleasure of the Sovereign.  In addition to British and Commonwealth citizens, it is often given to foreign royals and heads of state.

Aside from the Queen’s family order, this is the first British Honour that the Duchess has received.

Other Dames Grand Cross within the Royal Family:

  • The Princess Royal (also Grand Master of the Order since 2007)
  • The Duchess of Cornwall
  • The Countess of Wessex
  • The Duchess of Gloucester
  • The Duchess of Kent
  • Princess Alexandra, The Hon. Lady Ogilvy

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Knights Grand Cross within the Royal Family:

  • The Duke of Edinburgh
  • The Duke of York
  • The Earl of Wessex
  • The Duke of Gloucester
  • The Duke of Kent
  • Prince Michael of Kent

In addition, The Duke of Sussex holds a lower rank of the order, Knight Commander.

Official statement from Buckingham Palace

Read more about the Royal Victorian Order here.

Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Credit – Wikipedia

Prince William Frederick, 2nd Duke of Gloucester was a great-grandson of King George II and a nephew and a son-in-law of King George III. He married George III’s daughter Princess Mary. Born at Palazzo Teodoli in Rome, Italy on January 15, 1776, he was the only son and the youngest of the three children of Prince William Henry, 1st Duke of Gloucester and Maria Walpole. Frederick, Prince of Wales, the father of Prince William Henry, 1st Duke of Gloucester died when Prince William Henry was eight years old. At that time, William Henry’s eldest brother George became heir to the throne and would succeed their grandfather as King George III in 1760.

A little background on the marriage of the parents of Prince William Frederick, 2nd Duke of Gloucester:

William Frederick’s mother Maria Walpole was the illegitimate daughter of Sir Edward Walpole and his mistress Dorothy Clement.  Her grandfather, Robert Walpole, served as Prime Minister from 1721 – 1741. Prince William Henry, 1st Duke of Gloucester and Maria, the widow of James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave, were married in secret at her home in Pall Mall, London on September 6, 1766.

King George III’s brothers were a constant headache for him but he was especially annoyed with Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland. In 1771, Prince Henry had married a commoner Anne Horton. George III considered Anne Horton inappropriate as a royal bride because she was from a lower social class and German law barred any children of the couple from the Hanoverian succession. George insisted on a new law that would forbid members of the royal family from legally marrying without the consent of the monarch. Although it was unpopular with both George III’s ministers and members of Parliament, the Royal Marriages Act 1772 was passed.

The Royal Marriages Act stipulated that no descendant of King George II, male or female, other than the issue of princesses who had married into foreign royal families, could marry without the consent of the monarch. Any member of the royal family over the age of 25 who had been refused the monarch’s consent could marry one year after giving notice to the Privy Council of their intention to marry unless both houses of Parliament expressly declared their disapproval. Any marriage in contravention of the Act was void. Royal family members who made such a marriage did not lose their place in the line of succession but their children would be made illegitimate by the voiding of the marriage and therefore lose their succession rights.

However, King George III did not know that brother Prince William Henry, 1st Duke of Gloucester had secretly married Maria Walpole in 1766. For six years, King George III believed that his brother William Henry was a bachelor and that Maria was his mistress. In September 1772, five months after the Royal Marriages Act was passed, William Henry found out Maria was pregnant and confessed to his brother that he was married. King George III was quite upset not only by the marriage but also by William Henry’s deception. Because the provisions of the Royal Marriages Act could not be applied retroactively, William Henry and Maria’s marriage was considered valid. Their children were styled His/Her Highness Prince/Princess and used the territorial designation of Gloucester as great-grandchildren in the male line of King George II. However, due to the anger of King George III, Maria, now Duchess of Gloucester, was never received at court.

William Frederick’s surviving sister Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester by Sir William Beechey; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince William Frederick, 2nd Duke of Gloucester had two elder sisters:

William Frederick also had three half-sisters from his mother’s first marriage to James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave:

Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester, in an engraving based on a portrait painted by Sir William Beechey, published 1826; Credit – Wikipedia

William Frederick was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and like his father, had a career in the British Army, attaining the rank of Field Marshal in 1816. He was an advocate for the abolition of slavery, served as President of the African Institution, and was Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. In 1805, upon the death of his father, William Frederick succeeded him as Duke of Gloucester.

William Frederick had been encouraged to remain unmarried so that there might be a suitable husband for his first cousin once removed, Princess Charlotte of Wales, the heir to the throne after her father the future King George IV, if no foreign prince proved a suitable match. In May 1816, Princess Charlotte married Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Sadly, within twenty months, Charlotte had died in childbirth along with her son.

Princess Mary of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Mary was the fourth of the six daughters and eleventh of fifteen children of King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and the first cousin of William Frederick. Mary’s childhood was very sheltered. The living conditions of King George’s daughters came to be known as “the Nunnery.” None of the daughters was allowed to marry at the age when most princesses would marry. Perhaps this over-protection of King George III’s daughters was due to what happened to his sister Caroline Matilda when she married King Christian VII of Denmark. Christian’s mental illness led to Caroline Matilda having an affair, being caught, the execution of her lover, her exile, and her early death from scarlet fever at age 23. Eventually, three of the six sisters married and one of them was Mary. Charlotte, Princess Royal married at age 31 which was a rather late age for marriage but Elizabeth was 48 and Mary was 40 at the time of their marriages.

For a while, Mary had been fond of her cousin William Frederick and after Princess Charlotte’s marriage, the two 40-year-olds became engaged. On July 22, 1816, at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace, Princess Mary and Prince William Frederick were married. On the day of his marriage, Mary’s brother, The Prince Regent (the future King George IV), granted William Frederick the style of His Royal Highness. Mary and William’s marriage was childless and the couple lived at Gloucester House in Piccadilly, London and Bagshot Park, now the home of Queen Elizabeth II’s youngest child Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. Although William Frederick had wanted to marry Mary, he often treated her unkindly. Mary’s meddling sister-in-law Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester made her situation even more difficult.

Princess Mary at age 80 on the right with her niece Queen Victoria and two of Victoria’s children, Princess Alice and the Prince of Wales (future Edward VII); Credit – Wikipedia

On November 30, 1834, at Bagshot Park, William Frederik died at the age of 58 after being ill with a fever for fifteen days. He was buried in the Gloucester Vault at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. Mary survived him by twenty-three years and was a great favorite with all the members of the royal family particularly her niece Queen Victoria. Princess Mary died at age 81, the longest-lived and the last survivor of her parents’ fifteen children, on April 30, 1857, at Gloucester House in London 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

  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Maria, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria,_Duchess_of_Gloucester_and_Edinburgh [Accessed 13 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_William_Frederick,_Duke_of_Gloucester_and_Edinburgh [Accessed 13 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_William,_Duke_of_Gloucester_and_Edinburgh_(father) [Accessed 13 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2016). King George III of the United Kingdom. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-george-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/ [Accessed 13 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2013). Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/april-30-daily-royal-featured-date/ [Accessed 13 Sep. 2018].
  • Fraser, Flora. Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III. (2004). New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
  • Van Der Kiste, John (2013). George III’s Children. New York: The History Press.
  • Van Der Kiste, John. (2000). The Georgian Princesses. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing.
  • Williamson, David. (1996). Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell.

Augusta of Hesse-Kassel, Duchess of Cambridge

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge, 1818 by William Beechey; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel was the wife of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, son of King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Through her granddaughter Queen Mary, Princess Augusta is an ancestor of the British Royal Family.

Auguste Wilhelmine Luise was born on July 25, 1797, at Rumpenheim Castle (in German) in Offenbach am Main, Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, now in Hesse, Germany. She was the youngest child of the eight children Prince Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen.  Her father was the youngest son of Landgrave Friedrich II of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Mary of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain.

Princess Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa, Duchess of Cambridge by Johann Giere, after Georg Friedrich Reichmann, lithograph, early 19th-century NPG D7448 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Augusta had seven older siblings:

Augusta’s paternal grandparents had an unhappy marriage and when her grandfather Landgrave Friedrich II of Hesse-Kassel converted to Roman Catholicism, her grandmother Princess Mary of Great Britain took her children to the Danish court where her sister Louise was married to King Frederik V of Denmark. Princess Mary’s younger sons remained in Denmark and had important positions in the Danish military and government. Augusta’s father was a general in the Danish army, and so she grew up mostly in Denmark but spent some time in Hesse-Kassel.

Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1817, in the United Kingdom, after the tragic death in childbirth of Princess Charlotte of Wales, the only legitimate grandchild of King George III despite the king having twelve surviving children, the king’s aging bachelor sons needed to seek brides to provide for the succession.  Of all the bachelor sons, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge was the most eligible. He had neither mistresses nor illegitimate children and he had not married in contravention to the Royal Marriages Act. Adolphus had a military career and attained the rank of Field Marshal. Since the British Kings of the House of Hanover were also Kings of Hanover, someone was needed to represent them in Hanover. In 1816, Adolphus was appointed Governor-General of the Kingdom of Hanover and then Viceroy of Hanover.

Princess Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa, Duchess of Cambridge by James Thomson, published by Dean & Munday, after John Partridge, stipple engraving printed in colours, published 1 July 1818, NPG D8036 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Adolphus had been given the task of helping to find a bride for his elder brother Prince William, Duke of Clarence, the future King William IV. Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel was one of the princesses on his list. Adolphus wrote that Augusta “would make an ideal Queen of England”. Upon hearing this, William said that it appeared Adolphus was in love with Augusta himself and wrote to his brother to take her for himself. By Christmas 1817, Adolphus and Augusta were engaged. Adolphus married Augusta of Hesse-Kassel in the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, now in Hesse, Germany, on May 7, 1818, and then again at the Queen’s House (now Buckingham Palace) in the presence of Queen Charlotte on June 1, 1818.  The groom was 44 and the bride was 20.  Despite the age difference, the marriage was a happy one and Adolphus was very much in love with Augusta.  The couple lived in Hanover from 1818 – 1837 while Adolphus served his father and then his two brothers, King George IV and King William IV, as Viceroy of Hanover. Upon their return to England, Adolphus and Augusta lived at Cambridge House and later at St. James’s Palace, both in London.

The couple had three children:

Princess Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa, Duchess of Cambridge; Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck by Camille Silvy, albumen carte-de-visite, 9 October 1860 NPG Ax46799 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Prince Adolphus died “of cramps in the stomach” at Cambridge House in London on July 8, 1850, at the age of 76.  He was buried in the Cambridge Mausoleum, built following his death at St. Anne’s Church in Kew, London.  Augusta survived her husband by 39 years, dying at age 91 on April 6, 1889, at St. James’ Palace in London. She was the last surviving daughter-in-law of King George III.  Queen Victoria wrote of her death: “Very sad, though not for her. But she is the last of her generation, & I have no longer anyone above me.” In 1930, the remains of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were removed from the mausoleum at St. Anne’s Church and interred in the Royal Vault in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle at the instigation of their granddaughter Queen Mary.

Princess Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa, Duchess of Cambridge by Walery, published by Sampson Low & Co, carbon print, published April 1889 NPG x9115 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2018). Auguste von Hessen. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_von_Hessen [Accessed 12 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Prince Frederick of Hesse-Kassel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landgrave_Frederick_of_Hesse-Kassel [Accessed 12 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Augusta_of_Hesse-Kassel [Accessed 12 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2013). Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/july-8-daily-featured-royal-date/ [Accessed 12 Sep. 2018].
  • Fraser, Flora. Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III. (2004). New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
  • Van Der Kiste, John (2013). George III’s Children. New York: The History Press.
  • Van Der Kiste, John. (2000). The Georgian Princesses. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing.

Frederica Charlotte of Prussia, Duchess of York

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Frederica Charlotte of Prussia, Duchess of York; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia was the wife of Prince Frederick, Duke of York, the second son of King George III of the United Kingdom. Given the German names Friederike Charlotte Ulrike Katharina, she was born on May 7, 1767, at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, the only child of the future King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, eldest son of Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia (the second son of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia),  and his first wife and first cousin, Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Frederica had no siblings but had seven half-siblings from her father’s second marriage to Friederike Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt:

The family of King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, circa 1777 – seated: the future King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia and his second wife Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt holding Princess Wilhelmina; standing, left to right: Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince Ludwig Karl, and Princess Frederica Charlotte; Credit – Wikipedia

At the time of her birth, Frederica’s great uncle (the uncle of both her parents) Friedrich II, better known as Frederick the Great, was King of Prussia. Friedrich II had no children, so the heir presumptive to the Prussian throne was Frederica’s father as the eldest son of Friedrich II’s next brother Prince August Wilhelm who was deceased.

Frederica’s mother Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Crown Princess of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederica’s mother Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the daughter of Karl I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Philippine Charlotte of Prussia, sister of King Friedrich II of Prussia. Friedrich II had arranged the marriage of his niece Elisabeth Christine and nephew Friedrich Wilhelm hoping they would produce heirs for the Prussian throne. However, the marriage was unsuccessful. Friedrich Wilhelm neglected his wife and had constant affairs with dancers and actresses. When Frederica was born, a girl instead of a male heir, the marriage further deteriorated. Hurt by her husband’s behavior, Elisabeth Christine began to have affairs with army officers and musicians.

In January 1769, Elisabeth Christine discovered she was pregnant with the child of her lover, a musician named Pietro, and the couple planned to escape to Italy. However, at a masked ball, Friedrich Wilhelm was informed by a masked, anonymous person that his wife was pregnant. Angered by his wife’s pregnancy, Friedrich Wilhelm asked his uncle for a divorce. King Friedrich II initially refused to allow the couple to divorce but then relented. The musician Pietro was arrested and beheaded. Elisabeth Christine was placed under house arrest as a prisoner of the state in the Ducal Castle of Stettin. She never saw her daughter Frederica again. Elisabeth Christine died on February 18, 1840, at the age of 93, after spending 71 years under house arrest.

Frederica was less than two years old when her mother was banished. During her childhood, Frederica was raised with her half-siblings and she was cared for by her paternal grandmother Luise Amalie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and her stepmother Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt, her father’s second wife. She also maintained a close relationship with Friedrich II’s childless wife Queen Elisabeth Christine, Frederica’s paternal great-aunt, the sister of her paternal grandmother.

Frederica’s father, King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of Friedrich II (Frederik the Great) in 1786, Frederica’s father succeeded to the Prussian throne as King Friedrich Wilhelm II. Frederica was nineteen years old, a marriageable age, but had no offers. Five years earlier, Prince Frederick, Duke of York, the second son of King George III of the United Kingdom, had visited the Prussian count and met Frederica. In 1791, Frederick returned to the Prussian court hoping to enlist in the Prussian army in a war against Austria which ultimately never happened. He stayed at the Prussian court for a while and developed feelings for Frederica. Frederick proposed and Frederica accepted, and her father was glad that his 24-year-old daughter would finally be married.

Wedding of Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia and Prince Frederick, Duke of York; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 29, 1791, at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, Frederica married Prince Frederick, Duke of York. When the new Duchess of York arrived in London, England, she received an enthusiastic welcome. A second marriage was held on November 23, 1791, at the Queen’s House (now Buckingham Palace) because the Archbishop of Canterbury was not authorized to grant a license for a ceremony held in Prussia.

The marriage was unsuccessful. Frederick was unfaithful and the couple was unable to have children. In 1794, the couple separated and Frederica lived out her life at Oatlands Park in Weybridge, Surrey, England. Frederick and Frederica remained on good terms and the couple never caused any scandal. Frederica did not like London and did not get involved in politics or any royal family issues, instead, she spent her time in Weybridge doing charity work to help the needy and working on musical projects. Frederick visited her regularly but there was never any attempt at reconciliation.

Frederica had been suffering from tuberculosis for some time and died on 6 August 6, 1820, at the age of 53 at Oatlands Park. Frederick was present at her death and shortly before she died,  Frederica begged him to allow her to be buried in Weybridge instead of  St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. On August 13, 1820, Frederica, Duchess of York was buried in the chancel of St. Nicholas at Weybridge, also known as Weybridge Old Church, in a simple vault at her request. Today the vault stands close to the tower of St. James’ Church which replaced the old church in 1848.

Grave of Frederica, Duchess of York; Credit – www.findagrave.com

The people of Weybridge so admired Frederica’s charitable works that funds were raised through a voluntary contribution for the York Column, a monument to be erected in Weybridge in her memory. The inscription on the monument reads:

“This column was erected by the inhabitants of Weybridge and its vicinity on the 6th day of August 1822 by voluntary contribution. In token of their sincere esteem and regard for her late Royal Highness the most excellent and illustrious Frederica Charlotte Ulrica Catherina, Duchess of York who resided for upwards of thirty years at Oatlands in this parish, exercising every Christian virtue and died, universally regretted, on the 6th day of August 1820.”

York Column erected in memory of Frederica, Duchess of York; Credit – https://www.allaboutweybridge.co.uk/shops-services/york-column-monument-green-history-weybridge

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

  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Crown Princess of Prussia. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Christine_of_Brunswick-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel,_Crown_Princess_of_Prussia [Accessed 10 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Frederica_Charlotte_of_Prussia [Accessed 10 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2016). Prince Frederick, Duke of York. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/prince-frederick-duke-of-york/ [Accessed 10 Sep. 2018].
  • Fraser, Flora. Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III. (2004). New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
  • Van Der Kiste, John (2013). George III’s Children. New York: The History Press.
  • Van Der Kiste, John. (2000). The Georgian Princesses. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing.

Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby; Credit – Wikipedia

Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby was the mother of the first Tudor monarch, King Henry VII. She lived long enough to see her grandson succeed to the English throne as King Henry VIII. It was through Margaret that her son had his tenuous connection to the House of Lancaster.

Born on May 31, 1443, at Bletsoe Castle in Bletsoe, Bedfordshire, England, Margaret was the only child of John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and Margaret Beauchamp of Bletsoe. Through her father, Margaret was a descendant of King Edward III of England. Her grandfather John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset was the eldest child of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (Edward III’s son), and his mistress Katherine Swynford, whom he married in 1396. Their children were declared legitimate by King Richard II of England and Pope Boniface IX, however their half-brother King Henry IV of England introduced a provision that neither they nor their descendants could ever claim the throne of England.

King Edward III of England married Philippa of Hainault → John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster married Katherine Swynford → John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset married Margaret Holland → John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset married Margaret Beauchamp → Margaret Beaufort married Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond → King Henry VII of England

Margaret had seven half-siblings from her mother’s first marriage to Sir Oliver St John:

  • Sir John St John (died 1513/14), married Alice Bradshagh
  • Oliver St John (died 1497), married Elizabeth Scrope, daughter of Henry Scrope, 4th Baron Scrope of Bolton
  • Edith St John, married Geoffrey Pole
  • Mary St John, married Sir Richard Frogenall
  • Elizabeth St John (died 1494), married (1) William la Zouche; (2) John Scrope, 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton Agnes St John, married David Malpas
  • Margaret St John, Abbess of Shaftesbury

Margaret also had one half-sibling from her mother’s third marriage to Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles:

Margaret’s father was born around 1403. After the early death of his father in 1410, John Beaufort came to the court of his cousin King Henry V as a page and later became a knight and then a military commander during the Hundred Years’ War. In 1421, John accompanied his stepfather Thomas of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence to the Battle of Baugé. His stepfather, a brother of King Henry V, was killed at the Battle of Baugé, and John was taken prisoner. His imprisonment lasted 17 years because Parliament refused to exchange him for Charles of Artois Count of Eu, an English prisoner of war. His uncle Cardinal Henry Beaufort and his brother Edmund never gave up on him and in 1438, there was a prisoner exchange, and John came home to England. After his release, he came to the court of King Henry VI.

In 1439, John married Margaret Beauchamp and in 1443, he was created Duke of Somerset, Commander in Chief of the British forces in France, and a Knight of the Order of the Garter. However, John’s French campaigns failed and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York took his place as commander and counselor to King Henry VI. Later, Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York would become the leader of the House of York during the Wars of the Roses and was the father of King Edward IV and King Richard III. After several disputes with the Duke of York and a couple of military blunders, John returned to England and was banished from the court pending a charge of treason against him. John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset died on May 27, 1444, at Wimborne, Dorset, England, possibly of suicide.

Tomb of Margaret’s parents in St Cuthburga Church, in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England; Credit – Wikipedia

Margaret was the sole heir of her father. At the time of Margaret’s birth, her father had negotiated with King Henry VI that in the event of his death, the rights of Margaret’s wardship and marriage would be granted to her mother. However, Henry VI reneged and instead granted her rights that came with her extensive land holdings to William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, a favorite of King Henry VI. In early 1450, the Duke of Suffolk married six-year-old Margaret to his seven-year-old son John de la Pole, later 2nd Duke of Suffolk.  Three years later, the marriage was dissolved and King Henry VI granted Margaret’s wardship to his half-brothers Edmund Tudor and Jaspar Tudor.

Edmund and Jaspar Tudor were the sons of Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois, widow of King Henry V of England. Therefore, they were the half-brothers of King Henry VI of England. Owen Tudor’s ancestors were from prominent Welsh families. Catherine of Valois was the daughter of King Charles VI of France and Isabeau of Bavaria. There is much debate as to whether Catherine and Owen married. No documentation of marriage exists and even if they did marry, their marriage would not have been legal due to the act regarding the remarriage of a queen dowager.

Even before the annulment of her first marriage, King Henry VI chose Margaret as a bride for his half-brother, Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond. In 1455, twelve-year-old Margaret married 24-year-old Edmund. The Wars of the Roses, the fight for the English throne between the House of Lancaster and the House of York, had just started and Edmund, a Lancastrian, was taken prisoner by the Yorkists less than a year later. He died of the plague in captivity at Carmarthen Castle on November 3, 1456, leaving a 13-year-old widow who was seven months pregnant with their child.

Tomb of Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond at St David’s Cathedral in Pembrokeshire, Wales; Credit – Wikipedia

Henry Tudor, the founder of the Tudor dynasty, was born on January 28, 1457, at Pembroke Castle in Wales. At birth, Henry succeeded to his father’s title Earl of Richmond. The birth was a difficult one and apparently, it left Margaret unable to have any more children. At the time of Henry Tudor’s birth, the Wars of the Roses was two years old, and his mother, a descendant of the House of Lancaster, was living at Pembroke Castle under the protection of her brother-in-law Jasper Tudor. Jasper Tudor brought up his nephew Henry in Wales, and from 1461 – 1485, when the House of York held the English throne, Henry lived in exile in France under the protection of François II, Duke of Brittany.

Margaret married two more times. On January 3, 1458, still a teenager, she married her second cousin Sir Henry Stafford, son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham. The marriage was a happy one but the couple had no children. Originally a Lancastrian, Sir Henry died on October 4, 1471, from wounds he received fighting for the House of York at the Battle of Barnet, earlier in the year.

Margaret married for the fourth and last time in June 1472 to a Yorkist, Thomas Stanley, the Lord High Constable. Because she was married to a Yorkist, Margaret attended the court of the Yorkist King Edward IV and his wife Elizabeth Woodville and was chosen by Queen Elizabeth to be godmother to one of her daughters.

In 1483, King Edward IV died and was briefly succeeded by his young son King Edward V. Before the young king could be crowned, his father’s marriage to his mother Elizabeth Woodville was declared invalid, making their children illegitimate and ineligible for the throne. King Edward IV’s brother King Richard III assumed the throne. The former King Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York (the Little Princes in the Tower) disappeared during the summer of 1483 and their fate is unknown.

Margaret, despite being married to the Yorkist Thomas Stanley, was actively promoting her son Henry Tudor as an alternative to King Richard III. King Edward IV’s widow Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret secretly agreed that Henry Tudor should marry Elizabeth’s eldest daughter. On Christmas Day in 1483, still in France, Henry Tudor pledged to marry King Edward IV’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth of York, who was also Edward IV’s heir since the presumed deaths of her brothers, King Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York. In 1485, having gained the support of the Woodvilles, the in-laws of the late King Edward IV, Henry Tudor sailed to Wales with a small French and Scottish force. On August 7, 1485, they landed in Mill Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales, close to Henry’s birthplace. Henry Tudor then marched towards England accompanied by his uncle Jasper Tudor and John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford.

Stained glass window in St James Church in Sutton Cheney, England where it is believed Richard III (left) attended his last Mass before facing Henry VII (right) in the Battle of Bosworth Field; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 22, 1485, at the Battle of Bosworth Field, the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty, 32-year-old King Richard III of England, lost his life and his crown. The battle was a decisive victory for the House of Lancaster, whose leader 28-year-old Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, became the first monarch of the House of Tudor. Margaret’s husband, despite having previously fought for Richard III, did not respond when summoned to fight at the Battle of Bosworth Field. After the battle, Henry Tudor’s men were yelling, “God save King Henry!” Inspired by this, Thomas Stanley found Richard’s battle crown and placed it on the head of his stepson saying, “Sir, I make you King of England.” King Henry VII demonstrated his gratitude to his “right dearly beloved father” by creating him Earl of Derby in October 1485.  The following year, King Henry VII gave his stepfather the important positions of Lord High Constable of England and High Steward of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Finding Richard’s circlet after the battle, Thomas Stanley hands it to Henry, Credit – Wikipedia

As promised Margaret’s son married Elizabeth of York, King Edward IV’s daughter and they melded the House of Lancaster and the House of York into the new House of Tudor which reigned in England until 1603. Margaret was alive for the birth of all seven of her grandchildren but only three survived into adulthood. Through her granddaughter and namesake Margaret Tudor, Margaret is an ancestor of the British royal family and many other European royal families.

Double Portrait of Elizabeth of York and Henry VII; Credit – Wikipedia

As the second lady in the land, Margaret was referred to as “My Lady the King’s Mother.” In 1488, she was created a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter. She endowed colleges at Cambridge University: Christ College and St John’s College. Lady Margaret Hall, the first Oxford University college to admit women, is named after her and has a statue of her in the college chapel.

King Henry VII’s health began to fail in 1507, and he suffered from gout and asthma. He died at Richmond Palace on April 21, 1509, at the age of 52. Margaret was the executor of his will and arranged her son’s funeral and her coronation of her grandson King Henry VIII. On June 23, 1509, Margaret watched the coronation procession of her grandson King Henry VIII from a window. Six days later, the day after King Henry VIII’s eighteenth birthday, Lady Margaret Beaufort died in the Deanery of Westminster Abbey.

Margaret’s tomb, with a gilded bronze effigy, was created by the Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano, who also created the beautiful tomb of King Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York. Both tombs are in the Henry VII Chapel of Westminster Abbey. Margaret’s tomb is situated between the later graves of her descendants King William III and Queen Mary II and the tomb of her great-great-granddaughter Mary, Queen of Scots. The Latin inscription on her tomb reads “Margaret, Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VII, grandmother of Henry VIII, who donated funds for three monks of this abbey, a grammar school in Wimborne, a preacher in the whole of England, two lecturers in Scripture, one at Oxford, the other at Cambridge, where she also founded two colleges, one dedicated to Christ, and the other to St John, the Evangelist.”

Tomb of Lady Margaret Beaufort; 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

  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Beaufort,_1st_Duke_of_Somerset [Accessed 8 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Beaufort,_Countess_of_Richmond_and_Derby [Accessed 8 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2016). King Henry VII of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-henry-vii-of-england/ [Accessed 8 Sep. 2018].
  • Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Baronet and Baronetess

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet, of Scotney in the County of Kent. source: WIkipedia

While not considered a rank within the peerage, a baronetcy is another hereditary title granted by the British sovereign. The title first appeared in the 1300s, but it was not until 1611 that the title became commonly used. In 1611, King James I issued Letters Patent granting Baronetcies to 200 men. In return, they were required to pay for the upkeep of 30 soldiers for three years. Eight years later, he created the Baronetage of Ireland. In 1625, King Charles I created the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, to raise funds and support for the colonization of the now Canadian province. After failing to reach his desired 150 Scottish grantees, he allowed English and Irish men to be created Baronets in Nova Scotia as well. Upon the Act of Union 1707, new baronets were created in the Baronetage of Great Britain (and since 1801, the Baronetage of the United Kingdom).

Baronets (and Baronetesses in their own right) hold precedence following all members of the peerage, but above all knighthoods other than the Order of the Garter and the Order of the Thistle. The title traditionally descends to male heirs, but sometimes special remainder allows them to pass to daughters and their male heirs; sons-in-law; and sometimes to whoever holds ownership of the property or estate.

Baronetesses in their own right
There have been only four women who were Baronetesses in their own right. Of them, three were inherited titles, while only one was created a Baronetess in her own right.

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As of September 1, 2017, there were approximately 1204 extant baronetcies, although an exact count is uncertain as there could be many which are technically extant but have not been claimed or proven by current holders. Approximately 242 of these baronetcies are held by members of the Peerage.

The creation of Baronetcies basically ended on December 31, 1964. Since then, only one Baronetcy has been created. In February 1991, Denis Thatcher, husband of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was granted a hereditary Baronetage. (This is also the last hereditary peerage granted to anyone other than members of the British Royal Family.)

Titles and Styles
Baronetcies are created with a territorial designation (ex. John Smith, Baronet Smith of London), and usually include the surname. These territorial designations are not usually used in casual reference, unless to differentiate several baronets with the same surname (example: Baronet Smith of London, Baronet Smith of Manchester, etc). Holders are entitled to Sir or Dame before their name, and the post-honorific of ‘Bt’ or ‘Btss’ following their name.

  • A Baronet is styled Sir (first name) (surname), Bt, and is addressed as Sir (first name).
  • A Baronetess, in her own right, is styled Dame (first name) (surname), Btss, and is addressed as Dame (first name).
  • A wife of a Baronet is not styled or addressed as a Baronetess. Instead, they are styled and addressed as Lady (surname).
  • Children of a Baronet are not accorded any courtesy titles or styles.

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.

Baron and Baroness, and Lord of Parliament

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

The Coronet of a Baron. photo: By SodacanThis W3C-unspecified vector image was created with Inkscape. – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10963965

Baron and Baroness
Baron is the 5th rank in the Peerage, following Duke, Marquess, Earl and Viscount. Despite being the lowest rank, it is perhaps the oldest title. The rank was introduced by William I to recognize those who had pledged their loyalty to him under the feudal system. With this came the obligation to provide troops and support for the army, and the right (and often obligation) to attend the King’s Council They were charged with advising and supporting the King, and in return received protection from outside forces. In the mid-1200s, Barons started to be created by writ – personally summoned by the King based on their accomplishments or character, and not merely because of their ownership of land. By 1388, this was done via Letters Patent, and the once feudal claims to the title had fully shifted from territorial to personal. Additional degrees of peerage were soon added and they all become collectively known as the Peerage. The female version of the title is Baroness.

In the Peerage of Ireland, the title of Baron was first created shortly after the Norman Invasion of Ireland in 1169. One of the earliest was Baron Athenry, believed to have been created in 1172 for a member of the de Birmingham family. The title became extinct in 1799.

The Premier Baron in England is the Baron de Ros. In 1264, Robert de Ros was summoned to Parliament, and it was considered that the barony was created by writ that year. It was later deemed to have been granted to his son, William de Ros, in 1288, but with precedence dating back to December 1264. Unlike many titles within the peerage, this barony passes down to heirs-general, meaning it can pass to daughters if there are no living sons. In that case, if there is more than one daughter, all of them hold an equal claim to the title and the title goes into abeyance until such time as there is only one heir (or the Sovereign declares a sole heir). The current holder is Peter Trevor Maxwell, 27th Baron de Ros.

John Granville Morrison, Baron Margadale. source: Wikipedia

The last non-royal hereditary barony created was Baron Margadale, created on January 1, 1965 for the politician John Granville Morrison. Today the title is held by his grandson, Alastair John Morrison, 3rd Baron Margadale. The first Baron was also the father of The Hon. Dame Mary Anne Morrison, who has served as Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II since 1960, and is considered to be one of The Queen’s closest friends and confidantes.

Since that time, the only hereditary baronies created have been for members of the Royal Family:

  • Prince Andrew – created Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh upon his marriage in 1986
  • Prince William – created Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus upon his marriage in 2011
  • Prince Harry – created Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel upon his marriage in 2018

Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Lonsdale. photo: By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47457518

The Life Peerages Act 1958 established the creation of non-hereditary peerages, granted for the holder’s lifetime only. These life peerages have all been baronies. Since that time, only 47 hereditary baronies have been created, while there have been over 1300 life baronies created (as of January 2019). The first of these was created on August 1, 1958, when William Jocelyn Ian Fraser was created Baron Fraser of Lonsdale.

Lord of Parliament
While the title of Baron is the 5th rank in the peerages of England, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, it does not exist in the Peerage of Scotland. Instead, the 5th rank is Lord of Parliament. Dating back to the 1100s, the basis for the title is very similar to the history of the Barons in England. Often landowners who provided support and troops, they became part of the Scottish parliament. Since the Act of Union 1707, which joined England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain (and consolidated the two parliaments into one), no new Lords of Parliament have been created. Instead, they are granted the title of Baron.  Today, there are still nearly 100 Lordships of Parliament still extant, although many of those are subsidiary titles to more-senior peerages.

There have not been any women specifically created with the title, but many women have inherited it. Perhaps the most well-known today would be Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun and Chief of the Name and Arms of Clan Fraser. She has held the titles since 1979 when she succeeded her father. Lady Saltoun was married to Alexander Ramsay of Mar, the only son of The Hon. Sir Alexander Ramsay and the former Princess Patricia of Connaught, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. (This made him a second cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth II.) Lady Saltoun and The Queen have a close relationship, and she is formally considered a member of the extended Royal Family by Her Majesty. As such, she is often in attendance at major royal family events.

In Scotland, the title of Baron still refers to a feudal, or prescriptive, baron – one who owns an estate or manor. A Scottish barony is the only title that can be sold.

The first Lordship of Parliament – Lord of Abernethy – was established in the 12th century, and was the hereditary holder of the church and lands of the Scottish monastery at Abernethy. The oldest Lordship still extant is Lord Strathnaver, created in 1230 for William de Moravia, who was also created Earl of Sutherland. The Sutherland Earldom is the Premier Earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The titles are currently held by Elizabeth Sutherland, 24th Countess of Sutherland and Lady Strathnaver, who is also Chief of Clan Sutherland.

James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose and Lord Aberruthven, Mugdock and Fintrie. source: Wikipedia

The last created Lordship of Parliament was Lord Aberruthven, Mugdock and Fintrie. It was created in 1707 when James Graham, 4th Marquess of Montrose was created 1st Duke of Montrose and Lord Aberruthven, Mugdock and Fintrie, and remains a subsidiary title of the Montrose dukedom. That year, the Act of Union 1707 joined England and Scotland together as the Kingdom of Great Britain. Since that time, any new creations for the 5th rank of the peerage have been Barons. The titles are held today by James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose.

Titles and Styles

  • A Baron or Lord of Parliament is styled The Right Hon. The Lord XX, and is typically referred to as ‘Lord XX’.
  • A Baroness, in her own right, is styled The Right Hon. The Baroness XX, or The Right Hon. The Lady XX, and is typically referred to as ‘Baroness XX’ or ‘Lady XX’.
  • The wife of a Baron, or a Lady of Parliament (in her own or her husband’s right) is styled The Right Hon. The Lady XX, and is typically referred to as ‘Lady XX’.
  • Children of a Baron or Lord in Parliament are styled ‘The Hon. (firstname) (surname). Example: The Hon. Finbar Maxwell is the son of Peter Maxwell, 28th Baron de Ros.

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.

Viscount and Viscountess

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

The Coronet of a Viscount. photo: By SodacanThis W3C-unspecified vector image was created with Inkscape. – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10963963

Viscount is the fourth rank within the Peerage, preceded by Dukes, Marquesses and Earls, in order of creation. There have been nearly 800 Viscountcies created in the various peerages, including 14 Viscountcies created for women in their own right. Over 330 Viscountcies are still extant, however the majority are held as subsidiary titles of Dukes, Marquesses and Earls.

The word Viscount comes from the Old French visconte, which itself comes from the Medieval Latin vicecomitem, and referred to a trusted appointee or courier, and later a count. In Anglo-Norman England, it was used as an honorific, typically referring to a county sheriff. Wives of Viscounts, and women holding a Viscountcy in their own right, use the title Viscountess.

Arms of the Walter Devereux, 1st Viscount Hereford. photo: By Rs-nourse – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30843575

The first Viscountcy was granted in 1432 when John Beaumont, 6th Baron Beaumont was created Viscount Beaumont by King Henry VI. The most-senior Viscount – known as the Premier Viscount of England – is The Viscount of Hereford. The title was created in 1550 for Walter Devereux, 9th Baron Ferrers of Chartley. The current holder is Robin Devereux, 19th Viscount Hereford. This is also the most senior Viscountcy with no more-senior titles.

The last non-Royal Viscountcy was granted in 1984, when former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was created Earl of Stockton and Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden. The last non-Royal Viscountcy, with no more-senior title, was granted in 1983 for Thomas George Thomas, a former Speaker of the House of Commons, who was created Viscount Tonypandy.

The Earl of Wessex. photo: By Northern Ireland Office – https://www.flickr.com/photos/niogovuk/16103288623/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38785243

The last Royal Viscountcy was created in 1999 as a subsidiary title when Prince Edward was created Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn. This was the first time a royal prince was granted a viscountcy since 1726, when the title was given to two of King George II’s sons:

  • Prince Frederick (later Prince of Wales) created Duke of Edinburgh, Marquess of the Isle of Ely, Earl of Eltham, Viscount Launceston and Baron Snowdon. The titles were inherited by his son, the future King George III and merged with the Crown upon his accession in 1760.
  • Prince William was created Duke of Cumberland, Marquess of Berkhamsted, Earl of Kennington, Viscount Trematon and Baron Alderney. He died without issue in 1765 and the titles became extinct.

In 1917, four Viscountcies were granted to relatives of the Royal Family when they relinquished their German titles at the request of King George V:

The Earl Mountbatten of Burma. photo: By Allan warren – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12111584

And in 1946, Lord Louis Mountbatten, the younger son of the Marquess of Milford Haven, was created Viscount Mountbatten of Burma. The following year, he was also created Earl Mountbatten of Burma, which became his senior title. Both grants allowed for the titles to pass to his daughters (as he had no sons), and the Viscountcy became a subsidiary title of the Earldom. The titles are currently held by the 1st Earl’s grandson, Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma.

Mary Anne Disraeli, Viscountess of Beaconsfield

There have been 14 women created Viscountesses in their own right:

  • Elizabeth Heneage Finch, Countess of Winchilsea (1556-1634) – Elizabeth was created Viscountess Maidstone in 1623 by King James I. She was later created Countess of Winchilsea in 1628 by King Charles I. Both titles were hereditary, and remain extant.
  • Anne Bayning, Viscountess Bayning (1619-1678) – the daughter of the 1st Viscount Bayning, Anne was created Viscountess Bayning, for life only, in 1674.
  • Sarah Monson Corbet, Viscountess Corbet – Sarah was the wife of Sir Vincent Corbet, 1st Baronet, an English politician who fought on the Royalist side in the English Civil War. Long after his death, Sarah was created Viscountess Corbet in her own right – for life only – in 1679.
  • Grace Granville Carteret, Countess Granville (c1667-1744) – Grace was the daughter of the 1st Earl of Bath. Several years after the Bath Earldom became extinct, Grace was created Countess Granville and Viscountess Carteret in her own right in 1715. The titles became extinct following the death of her grandson in 1776.
  • Margaret Coningsby Newton, Countess Coningsby (1709-1761) – Margaret was the daughter of the 1st Earl Coningsby, and was created Viscountess Coningsby and Baroness Coningsby in her own right in 1716. She later inherited her father’s Earldom, becoming 2nd Countess Coningsby. As she died with no male heirs, her titles became extinct upon her death.
  • Elizabeth Villiers Mason, Countess Grandison (d. 1782) – the daughter of the 1st Earl Grandison, Elizabeth was created Viscountess Grandison in her own right in 1746. Later, in 1767 following her father’s death, she was created Countess Grandison and Viscount Villiers. The titles all became extinct upon the death of her son in 1800.
  • Elizabeth Upton Rowley, Viscountess Langford (1713-1791) – Elizabeth was created Viscountess Langford and Baroness of Summerhill in her own right in 1766. The titles became extinct upon the death of her son in 1796.
  • Margaretta Amelia Burgh Foster, Viscountess Ferrard (c1737-1824) – Margaretta was first created Baroness Oriel in her own right in 1790, as a way of honoring her husband, but still allowing him to continue as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons. She was later created Viscountess Ferrard in 1797. The title remains extant.
  • Charlotte Gleadowe-Newcomen, Viscountess Newcomen (d 1817) – Charlotte was first created Baroness Newcomen in 1800, and then Viscountess Newcomen in 1803. The titles became extinct upon the death of her son in 1825.
  • Joan Scott Canning, Viscountess Canning (1777-1837) – Joan was the widow of George Canning who served as Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister before his death in 1827. Six months later, in January 1828, Joan was created Viscountess Canning in her own right. The title was inherited by her son Charles, who served as Viceroy of India, and was later created Earl Canning. All of the titles became extinct upon the Earl’s death in 1862.
  • Anne Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland, Countess of Cromartie (1828-1892) – Anne was Duchess of Sutherland by marriage. In 1861, she was created Countess of Cromartie and Viscountess Tarbat in her own right, reviving titles which had been held previously by her ancestors. The Cromartie and Tarbat titles were granted with special remainder to her younger sons, as her eldest would inherit his father’s Dukedom. The titles remain extant.
  • Mary Anne Evans Disraeli, Viscountess Beaconsfield (1792-1872) – Mary Anne was the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. In 1868, at the end of his first time as Prime Minister, she was created Viscountess Beaconsfield in her own right. The title went extinct upon her death in 1872. Four years later, her husband was created Earl of Beaconsfield, and later refused the offer of a Dukedom from Queen Victoria.
  • Emily Danvers Smith, Viscountess Hambleden (1828-1913) – Emily was the widow of politician William Henry Smith. Following his death in 1891, Emily was created Viscountess Hambleden. The title remains extant.
  • Muriel Douglas-Pennant FitzRoy, Viscountess Daventry (1869-1962) – Muriel was the widow of Edward FitzRoy who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1928 until his death in 1943. Following his death, she was created Viscountess Daventry in her own right by King George VI. The title remains extant.

Styles and Titles
Viscountcies are titled either using a place name, a surname, or a combination of the two, and rarely contain the article ‘of’ when using place names. The exception would be Viscountcies in the Peerage of Scotland, which were typically titled as The Viscount of XX. However, in practice, very few maintain that style, preferring simply to be known as Viscount XX.

  • A Viscount is styled The Right Hon. The Viscount XX, and is referred to as ‘My Lord’, ‘Your Lordship’, or ‘Lord XX’.
  • A Viscountess is styled The Right Hon. The Viscountess XX, and is referred to as ‘My Lady’, ‘Your Ladyship’, or ‘Lady XX’.
  • Unlike eldest sons of Dukes, Marquesses and Earls, the eldest son of a Viscount does not use any subsidiary titles.  All children of a Viscount are styled ‘The Hon (first name) (surname)’. Example: The Hon. Henry Devereux is the eldest son and heir of the Viscount Hereford.

LIST OF EXTANT VISCOUNTCIES, in order of creation:

Wikipedia: List of Viscounts in the Peerages of Britain and Ireland

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