Notable Illegitimate Children of British Monarchs

One of King Charles II’s illegitimate children, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth in Garter robes; Credit – Wikipedia

Many illegitimate children of British monarchs have the surname FitzRoy or Fitzroy, a surname derived from the Anglo-Norman with Fitz, meaning “son of”, and Roy, meaning “king”. The name implied the original bearer of the surname was the child of a king. Similarly, the surname FitzCharles means son of Charles (King Charles II), FitzJames means son of James (King James II) and FitzClarence means son of Clarence (King William IV held the title Duke of Clarence).

This does not purport to be a complete list. It is a list of known illegitimate children of British monarchs who have enough information for a biographical article.

All the links below are to Unofficial Royalty articles. More articles are coming soon.

King Henry I (reigned 1100 – 1135)

King Henry I holds the record for the British monarch with the most illegitimate children, with twenty-five or so illegitimate children. Ironically, his only surviving son William Ætheling died in the sinking of the White Ship leaving Henry with only one legitimate child, his daughter Matilda.

King Stephen (reigned 1135 – 1154)

King Stephen had at least three illegitimate children by his mistress Damette, a woman from Normandy.

King Henry II (reigned 1154 – 1189)

Henry II had several long-term mistresses and around twelve illegitimate children.

King John (reigned 1199 – 1216)

John had several long-term mistresses and around twelve illegitimate children.

King Edward II (reigned 1307 – 1327)

King Edward III (reigned 1327 – 1377)

Edward III had three children with his mistress Alice Perrers.

King Edward IV (reigned 1461 – 1470 and 1471 – 1483)

Edward IV had three acknowledged illegitimate children.

King Richard III (reigned 1483 – 1485)

Richard had two acknowledged illegitimate children and possibly had more.

King Henry VIII (reigned 1509 – 1547)

Henry VIII acknowledged only one illegitimate child whose mother was Elizabeth Blount. It is suspected that he had several other illegitimate children by other mistresses.

King Charles II (reigned 1660 – 1685)

Despite fathering many illegitimate children with his mistresses, Charles II 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 Villiers, 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. When Prince William, The Prince of Wales becomes King, King Charles II will become an ancestor of the British royal family.

by Lucy Walter

by Elizabeth Killigrew

by Catherine Pegge

by Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland (in her own right)

by Nell Gwyn

by Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth (in her own right)

by Mary ‘Moll’ Davis

King James II (reigned 1685 – 1688)

James II had four children with his mistress Arabella Churchill and three children (only one survived childhood) with his mistress Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester (in her own right).

King George I (reigned 1714 – 1727)

The early kings from the House of Hanover did not publicize their illegitimate children. George I had three illegitimate daughters with his long-term mistress Melusine von der Schulenburg before he became king but they were never openly acknowledged as his children. Instead, they were officially acknowledged by two of Melusine’s sisters and their husbands. After ridding himself of his wife, George did not marry again and Melusine remained his mistress until he died in 1727. Melusine accompanied George to England when he became king in 1714.

King George II (reigned 1727 – 1760)

George II had one illegitimate child with his mistress Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth (in her own right).

King William IV (reigned 1830 – 1837)

Before he became king, William IV had a long-term relationship with actress Dorothea Jordan. The ten children below with the surname FitzClarence are the children of Dorothea Jordan. William and Dorothea’s children married into the British aristocracy and their many descendants include notable people including Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife and Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk who were granddaughters of King Edward VII, and former British Prime Minister David Cameron.