Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon: Queen Elizabeth II’s Hidden Cousins

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

“The Crown” shared photos of Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon at the end of Season 4, Episode 7; Credit – Netflix/The Crown

In the Netflix series The Crown Series 4, Episode 7, The Hereditary Principle, Princess Margaret discovers from her therapist that she has two severely mentally disabled maternal cousins who were institutionalized and further learns that they are still alive although they have been listed as dead in Burke’s Peerage. Princess Margaret confronts her mother, the aunt of the two severely mentally disabled women. The Queen Mother responds as if she was part of a royal cover-up. She explains that her nieces were institutionalized because of fears that evidence of mental instability in the royal family could threaten the security of their claim to the throne after the 1936 abdication of King Edward VIII. While it is true that Princess Margaret was unaware that she had two severely mentally disabled cousins and that they were listed as dead in Burke’s Peerage, the rest of the scenario is complete fiction, made up by the series’ creators. The Queen Mother believed her nieces were deceased and she was not aware of their situation until 1982. Her nieces were institutionalized in 1941, five years after the abdication of King Edward VIII. It seems unlikely that after five years, the decision to institutionalize the Queen Mother’s two nieces was taken in reaction to the Bowes-Lyon family’s new close ties to the British throne.

John Bowes-Lyon; Credit – www.geni.com

In reality, in 1987, The Sun broke the news that two supposedly deceased first cousins of Queen Elizabeth II had been alive and secretly institutionalized. The two sisters, Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon, were the daughters of The Honorable John Bowes-Lyon (1886 – 1930), the second son of Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore (1855 – 1944), and an elder brother of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900 – 2002), and his wife Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck (1862 – 1938). Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and his wife Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck had ten children and twenty-six grandchildren. Two of their grandchildren were Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Princess Margaret. From their mother’s side of the family, Elizabeth and Margaret had 24 first cousins.

Fenella Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis; Credit – https://theroyalhistory.tumblr.com/

Nerissa and Katherine’s mother was The Honorable Fenella Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis (1889 – 1966), daughter of Charles Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 21st Baron Clinton (1863 – 1957) and Lady Jane McDonnell (1863 – 1953), daughter of Mark McDonnell, 5th Earl of Antrim. Fenella had one sibling Harriet Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis (1887 – 1958) who married Henry Fane (1883 – 1947) and had seven children. Interestingly, three of their daughters had severe developmental disabilities similar to those of Nerissa and Katherine.

John Bowes-Lyon and his wife Fenella Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis had five daughters:

Patricia Bowes-Lyon (1916 – 1917), died in infancy
Anne Bowes-Lyon (1917 – 1980), married (1) Thomas Anson, Viscount Anson, son of Thomas Anson, 4th Earl of Lichfield, had one son and one daughter, divorced (2) Prince George Valdemar of Denmark, no children
Nerissa Bowes-Lyon (1919 – 1986)
Diana Bowes-Lyon (1923 – 1986), married Peter Somervell, had one daughter
Katherine Bowes-Lyon (1926 – 2014)

John Bowes-Lyon died in 1930 of pneumonia, aged 44, leaving his widow Fenella to care for their four young children, including Nerissa and Katherine who were severely mentally disabled. Nerissa and Katherine had a mental age of about three-years-old and never learned to talk. In 1941, when Nerissa was 22-years-old and Katherine was 15-years-old, they were sent to Royal Earlswood Hospital in Redhill, Surrey, England. There is no information on why this decision was made. Perhaps, the sisters needed more care than could be given at home.

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The Royal Earlswood Hospital in Redhill, Surrey, England

Three of Nerissa and Katherine’s maternal first cousins with similar developmental disabilities were placed at Royal Earlswood Hospital, a facility for 230 mentally disabled men and women, on the very same day as Nerissa and Katherine. The three maternal cousins were the sisters Idonea Fane (1912 – 2002), Rosemary Fane (1914 – 1972), and Etheldreda Fane (1922 – 1996), the daughters of Harriet Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis and Henry Fane. The five cousins were placed in Asylum Arch Road, Earlswood Common area of the hospital. In 1997, when Royal Earlswood Hospital closed, Katherine Bowes-Lyon and her cousin Idonea Fane, who were the only ones among the five cousins still living, were moved to Ketwin House Care Home in Surrey, England, and then when it closed in 2001, they were moved to another care home in Surrey. The mental disability the five cousins had probably was a genetic disorder and it originated not in the Bowes-Lyon family but rather in the Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis family. Idonea, Etheldreda, and Rosemary Fane were the children of Fenella’s sister Harriet, her only sibling. There was never any risk of that genetic disorder occurring in the British royal family descended from The Queen Mother, born Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, because it did not originate in the Bowes-Lyon family.

In 1987, it was discovered by The Sun that Burke’s Peerage, which publishes books devoted to the ancestry and heraldry of the peerage, baronetage, knightage, and landed gentry of the United Kingdom, had listed Nerissa and Katherine as having died in 1940 and 1961. Nerissa had died in 1986 and Katherine lived until 2014. Burke’s Peerage prides itself on its accuracy and insisted that was the information given to them by the Bowes-Lyon family.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Nerissa and Katherine’s aunt, in 1986; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1987, there was much criticism for the British royal family about how Nerissa and Katherine had been treated and there were even rumors that there had been a royal coverup although there is no evidence. In 1982, after thinking her nieces had died, the Queen Mother learned that they were still alive and in the Royal Earlswood Hospital when the hospital’s League of Friends wrote to her. After that, she sent them money for their birthdays and for Christmas which was used to buy candy and toys. We do not know if the Queen Mother told anyone about her nieces after she learned they were alive in 1982. While today our attitudes regarding the care of mentally disabled people are different, an argument could be made that the sisters received the care that they needed as was understood during the years they were institutionalized. Previously, there was a huge amount of shame and lack of knowledge associated with mental disability.

What, if any, responsibility the British royal family had for Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon can be debated. In 1987, Buckingham Palace said, “It is a matter for the Bowes-Lyon family” and in reality, it was and there were plenty of members of the Bowes-Lyon family to deal with the matter. The members of the Bowes-Lyon family had the means and the familial responsibility to make the decisions regarding Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon as did the Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis family, the family of their mother.

Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore, the paternal grandfather of Nerissa and Katherine; Credit – Wikipedia

The Earl of Strathmore is the head of the Bowes-Lyon family and is also Chief of the Scottish Clan Lyon. Nerissa and Katherine’s grandfather Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore lived until 1944, three years after his two granddaughters were placed at Royal Earlswood Hospital. His son and the uncle of Nerissa and Katherine, Patrick Bowes-Lyon, 15th Earl of Strathmore (1884 – 1949) succeeded him and died in 1949. Then the 15th Earl’s son and Nerissa and Katherine’s first cousin Timothy Bowes-Lyon, 16th Earl of Strathmore (1918 – 1972) held the peerage title until 1972 when he was succeeded by his first cousin, and the first cousin of Nerissa and Katherine, Michael Bowes-Lyon, 17th Earl of Strathmore (1928 – 1987). Upon the death of the 17th Earl in 1987, he was succeeded by his son Michael Bowes-Lyon, 18th Earl of Strathmore (1957 – 2016) who died in 2016, two years after the death of Katherine Bowes-Lyon. These Earls, as head of the Bowes-Lyon family, presumably bore some responsibility for family matters.

Charles Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 21st Baron Clinton, the maternal grandfather of Nerissa and Katherine; Credit – www.geni.com

Not only were there plenty of members of the Bowes-Lyon family to take responsibility but there were also members of the Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis family, Nerissa and Katherine’s maternal family. In 1987, it was revealed that Charles Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 21st Baron Clinton (1863 – 1957) had paid funds to Royal Earlswood Hospital for the care of his five granddaughters. This would indicate that he played a role in the decisions regarding his five severely mentally disabled granddaughters. In 1987, Gerard Fane-Trefusis, 22nd Baron Clinton, the great-grandson of the 21st Baron Clinton, rejected the idea of any kind of cover-up. Regarding the errors in the death dates in Burke’s Peerage, he said of his great-aunt Fenella, the mother of Nerissa and Katherine, “She was an elderly lady at that time. These forms (from Burke’s Peerage) come in every year or so and I imagine it was filled in wrongly or wasn’t filled in at all.” However, a spokesperson for Burke’s Peerage said, “If this is what the Bowes-Lyon family told us, then we would have included it in the book.”

Nerissa and Katherine’s sister Anne Bowes-Lyon, Princess of Denmark; Credit – www.thepeerage.com

Nerissa and Katherine’s mother, born Fenella Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, who was their next of kin, lived until 1966. After the death of their mother, their sister Anne (1917 – 1980), would have been the next of kin. After divorcing her first husband Thomas Anson, Viscount Anson (1913 – 1958), son of Thomas Anson, 4th Earl of Lichfield (1883 – 1960) Anne married Prince George Valdemar of Denmark, a great-grandson of King Christian IX of Denmark, and a second cousin of King George VI of the United Kingdom who was the father of Queen Elizabeth II.

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Nerissa and Katherine’s sister Diana Bowes-Lyon

Anne died in 1980 and then her younger sister Diana (1923 – 1986), would have been the next of kin. Presumably, after the death of Diana in 1986, the two children of her elder sister Anne, Patrick Anson, 5th Earl of Lichfield (1939 – 2005), a well-known professional photographer whose professional name was Patrick Lichfield, and his sister Elizabeth Anson (1941 – 2020), wife of Sir Geoffrey Shakerley, 6th Baronet, would have been the next of kin for their aunts Nerissa and Katherine. Diana’s only child Katherine Somervell (born 1961), a goddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II who married Robert Lagneau, also would have been able to play a role in the decisions regarding her aunts. As with the Bowes-Lyon family, there were members of the Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis who had the means and the familial responsibility to make the decisions regarding Nerissa and Katherine.

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The grave of Nerissa Bowes-Lyon at Redstone Cemetery, in the center, marked by a small plastic tag at the foot of the headstone

In 1987, many British people were outraged and blamed the British royal family after finding out that when Nerissa died in 1986, she was buried in a pauper’s plot at Redstone Cemetery in Redhill, Surrey, England. Her funeral was attended by only Royal Earlswood Hospital staff members. Where were her Bowes-Lyon and Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis family members? When Katherine Bowes-Lyon died, aged 87, on February 23, 2014, a private family funeral was held.

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Works Cited

Coke, Hope, 2020. Behind The Crown: The True Story Of The Queen’S Cousins, Nerissa And Katherine Bowes-Lyon. [online] Tatler. Available at: <https://www.tatler.com/article/real-story-nerissa-and-katherine-bowes-lyon-the-queens-cousins-the-crown-season-4> [Accessed 26 November 2020].
Davison, Mark, 2014. Queen’s Cousin Dies After Spending 55 Years At Royal Earlswood Hospital. [online] SurreyLive. Available at: <https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/queens-cousin-dies-after-spending-13642685> [Accessed 27 November 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Nerissa And Katherine Bowes-Lyon. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerissa_and_Katherine_Bowes-Lyon> [Accessed 26 November 2020].
Esquire. 2020. The Queen’s Hidden Cousins Are Part Of A Shameful Chapter In Royal History. [online] Available at: <https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a34728377/queen-elizabeth-cousins-katherine-nerissa-bowes-lyon-asylum-true-story-the-crown-season-4/> [Accessed 26 November 2020].
Genealogics.org. 2020. Leo’s Genealogics. [online] Available at: <https://www.genealogics.org/> [Accessed 26 November 2020].
News.google.com. 1987. Royal Nieces Cover-Up Denied By Lord Clinton. [online] Available at: <https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SxA1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=sKULAAAAIBAJ&dq=nerissa%20bowes-lyon&pg=2382%2C1684307> [Accessed 26 November 2020].
Radio Times. 2020. The Crown Fact-Check: Did The Queen And Margaret Really Have Two Secret Cousins With Developmental Disabilities?. [online] Available at: <https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2020-11-15/queen-cousins-katherine-nerissa-bowes-lyon-the-crown/> [Accessed 26 November 2020].
W Magazine | Women’s Fashion & Celebrity News. 2020. ‘The Crown’ Fact Check: Were The Queen’s Cousins Hidden In An Asylum?. [online] Available at: <https://www.wmagazine.com/story/queen-cousins-asylum-nerissa-katherine-bowes-lyon/> [Accessed 26 November 2020].

Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: The County of Schwarzburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1195 to 1595, when it was partitioned into Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The new counties remained in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution. In 1697, the County of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was elevated to the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1710.

The death of Karl Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen without an heir in 1909 caused the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen to be united under Günther Victor, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in a personal union. Following his succession in Sondershausen, Prince Günther Victor dropped the name Rudolstadt from his title and assumed the title Prince of Schwarzburg.

At the end of World War I, Prince Günther Victor was the last German prince to renounce his throne, abdicating on November 22, 1918. He made an agreement with the government that awarded him an annual pension and the right to use several of the family residences. The territory that encompassed the Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen is now located in the German state of Thuringia.

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Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Karl had the shortest reign of all the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt – only two and a half years. He was born in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, on June 7, 1736. The only surviving son and the third of the three children of Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Sophie Henrietta Reuss of Untergreiz, Friedrich Karl had three siblings but two died in infancy:

Friederike Sophie (born and died 1734), died in infancy
Christiane Friederike (1735 – 1788), nun at Gandersheim Abbey
Christian Ernst (born and died 1739), died in infancy

After being educated by private tutors, Friedrich Karl was sent to France from 1755 – 1756 to perfect his French. While in France, he visited factories, libraries, and natural history collections. As a child, Friedrich Karl began his natural history collection. In 1757, he created the Princely Natural History Collection at the Schloss Ludwigsburg in Rudolstadt. Later, his natural history collection became part of the Natural History Museum of Rudolstadt. Passionate about natural history, Friedrich Karl continued collecting and maintained correspondence with many German scientists throughout his life.

Friedrich Karl’s first wife Friederike; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 21, 1763, Friedrich Karl married his paternal first cousin once removed Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1745 – 1778), daughter of Johann Friedrich, reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

Friedrich Karl and Friederike had six children:

Friederike (1765 – 1767), died in infancy
Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1767–1807), married Karoline of Hesse-Homburg, had seven children including two reigning Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Henriette (1770 – 1783), died in childhood
Karl Günther (1771 – 1825), married Louise Ulrike of Hesse-Homburg, had three children
Karoline (1774 – 1854), married Günther Friedrich Karl I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, had two children
Luise (1775 – 1808), married Ernst Konstantin, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal, had five children

Friedrich Karl’s wife Friederike predeceased him, dying on January 26, 1778, aged 32. She was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle. On November 28, 1780, Friedrich Karl married Auguste of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1752–1805), daughter of Prince Johann August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Countess Luise Reuss of Schleiz, but their marriage was childless.

Komödienhaus on the Anger in the 19th century; Credit – https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/

Upon the death of his father on August 29, 1790, 54-year-old Friedrich Karl became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He had few accomplishments during his short reign. In 1792, Friedrich Karl ordered the construction of a theater, called the Komödienhaus on the Anger, to provide education and culture to the citizens of his principality. However, he died before it was completed. The theater opening took place on July 26, 1793, three months after his death, under the supervision of his son and successor Ludwig Friedrich II. The theater was under the artistic direction of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, considered the greatest writer in the German language. The theater was one of the best in German monarchies at the time and evolved into the current Theater-Rudolstadt (link in German).

Friedrich Karl suffered a stroke in 1792. He died on April 13, 1793, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, at the age of 56. He was buried with his first wife at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle in Schwarzburg, in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. His second wife Auguste survived him by twelve years, dying on May 28, 1805, at the age of 52, and was also buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Karl (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Karl_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Frederick Charles, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Charles,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].
Theater Rudolstadt. 2020. Geschichte – Die Vielfältige Historie Des Theaters Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater/geschichte/> [Accessed 30 October 2020].

Lady Randolph Churchill, Mistress of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Jennie Jerome was an American socialite who was briefly the mistress of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, among others. Through her first marriage, she was the mother of Prime Minister Winston Churchill. She is also reported to have had affairs with King Milan I of Serbia, Prince Karl Kinsky, and Herbert von Bismark.

Jennie Jerome – source: Wikipedia

Jeanette “Jennie” Jerome was born in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, New York on January 9, 1854, one of four daughters of Leonard Jerome and Clarissa “Clara” Hall. Leonard Jerome had become a very wealthy and prominent financier and stock speculator, earning the nickname “King of Wall Street” for the number of fortunes he made and lost through the years. Despite his losses, he always managed to recover and earn even more, providing his family with a very lavish lifestyle. The family’s home in New York City, the Jerome Mansion, was one of the prominent homes in the area and included a theatre that could seat 600 people.

Jennie had three sisters:

Clarita “Clara” Jerome (1851) – married Moreton Frewen, had issue
Camille Jerome (1855) – died in childhood
Leonie Jerome (1859) – married Sir John Leslie, 2nd Baronet, had issue. Leonie also had a long-term affair with Prince Arthur, The Duke of Connaught, a younger brother of King Edward VII.

As was common at the time, Jennie’s mother took Jennie and her sisters to Europe, settling for some time in Paris before moving on to London in 1870 after the German invasion of France. In London, Jennie first met The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, and began a passionate affair that lasted for about two years. Jennie and The Prince of Wales remained close for the rest of his life and continued to see each other on occasion. She would be one of three former mistresses of The Prince of Wales to be invited to attend his coronation, joining Lillie Langtry and Sarah Bernhardt in a box at Westminster Abbey to view the ceremony.

Lord Randolph Churchill. source: Wikipedia

While attending a sailing regatta on the Isle of Wight in August 1873, Jennie was introduced (by The Prince of Wales) to her future first husband. Lord Randolph Spencer-Churchill was a younger son of John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough and Lady Frances Anne Vane. The couple was engaged within just three days, but it took several months for their parents to agree to a financial settlement. The Spencer-Churchills opposed the marriage, but after a $250,000 (several million dollars today) dowry was offered, they quickly agreed to the marriage. The couple was married at the British Embassy in Paris on April 15, 1874, and Jennie became Jennie Jerome. The family surname was Spencer-Churchill, but they were known simply as Churchill.

Jennie with her two sons, c1889. source: Wikipedia

The couple had two sons:

Sir Winston Leonard Churchill (1874-1865) – married Clementine Hozier, had issue. Sir Winston served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom under King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.
John “Jack” Strange Churchill (1880-1847) – married Lady Gwendoline Bertie, a daughter of the 7th Earl of Abingdon, had issue

George Cornwallis-West. source: Wikipedia

Lord Randolph Churchill died in 1895 and within a few years, Jennie met her next husband. She was introduced to George Cornwallis-West while attending a party held by The Countess of Warwick (another of Edward VII’s mistresses). Cornwallis-West, a member of the Scots Guards, was just two weeks older than Jennie’s elder son, but the two quickly began a relationship. He was the son of William Cornwallis-West, a prominent politician, and Mary “Patsy” FitzPatrick, an Irish aristocrat who had once been the lover of the future King Edward VII in the early 1870s. George had two sisters. His elder sister, Daisy, married Prince Hans Heinrich XV von Hochberg, Prince of Pless. His younger sister, Constance (born in 1876) was the first wife of Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster.

Jennie and George were married on July 28, 1900, at St. Paul’s Church in Knightsbridge, London. At first, the marriage was happy but within about ten years the marriage began to show signs of strain. Jennie and George separated in 1912 and were divorced on April 1, 1914. Jennie returned to her former name, Lady Randolph Churchill and George Cornwallis-West married Stella Campbell, a noted stage actress.

Montagu Porch in later life. photo: By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64490806

Four years later, on June 1, 1918, Jennie married a third time. Her new husband was Montagu Phippen Porch. Porch, a former member of the British Army, had served with the Colonial Service since 1906 and was three years younger than Jennie’s son Winston. Porch continued to serve in the British Army until the end of World War I, devoting his time to several successful ventures in Africa. Following Jennie’s death, Porch returned to Africa for some time and remarried in 1926 to Donna Guilia Patrizi, the daughter of the Marchese Patrizi della Rocco. After being widowed again in 1938, he returned to England until he died in 1964.

Lady Randolph Churchill, c1899. source: Wikipedia

After breaking her ankle in May 1921, Jennie suffered from gangrene and had to have her lower leg amputated in June 1921. Two weeks later, on June 29, 1921, she died at her home in London as a result of a hemorrhage in her thigh. Jennie is buried in the Spencer-Churchill family plot at St. Martin’s Church, Bladon, alongside her first husband, her two sons, and their families.

Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, Mistress of King Charles II of England

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth; Credit – Wikipedia

Louise Renée de Penancoet de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and King Charles II of England are the ancestors of Queen Camilla, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York. Louise was born on September 5, 1649, at her family home, the Manoir de Keroual (link in French) in Brest, Brittany, France. She was the second of the three children and the eldest of the two daughters of Guillaume de Penancoët de Kérouaille, from a noble family of Brittany, (died 1690) and Marie de Ploeuc de Timeur (died 1709). The income of Louise’s family was not commensurate with their rank and they lived modestly. Louise was educated at the Convent of the Ursulines in Lesneven, Brittany, France where her aunt was one of the nuns who oversaw the education of young girls.

Louise had two siblings:

Sébastien de Penancoët, Lord of Chefdubois (1646 – 1669), unmarried
Henriette Mauricette de Penancoët de Kérouaille (1650 – 1728), married (1) Philip Herbert, 7th Earl of Pembroke, had one daughter (2) Jean-Timoleon Gouffier, Marquis de Thois, had nine children

Henriette-Anne, Duchess of Orléans; Credit – Wikipedia

Louise’s marriage prospects were dim as the relative poverty of her parents did not allow for a dowry. Instead, in 1669, her parents arranged for her to be placed in the household of Henriette-Anne, Duchess of Orléans, at the Palace of Versailles, hoping Louise would catch the eye of King Louis XIV of France and become a royal mistress. Henriette-Anne was born an English princess, the youngest child of the beheaded King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France, the daughter of the assassinated King Henri IV of France. Henriette-Anne’s husband was Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, the only sibling of King Louis XIV of France, and her brother was King Charles II of England. King Charles II and Henriette-Anne were the first cousins of King Louis XIV and his brother Philippe.

King Louis XIV of France; Credit – Wikipedia

Louise was noticed by King Louis XIV but at that time, his official mistress was Louise de La Vallière and his unofficial favorite was Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, and he thought Louise might be more useful to him diplomatically. Henriette-Anne’s marriage was unhappy. She had an early affair with King Louis XIV and she and her husband both had affairs throughout their marriage. Louise quickly learned the customs and habits of the French court from Henriette-Anne.

In January 1670, Louise accompanied Henriette-Anne on a diplomatic mission to King Charles II at Dover Castle in England. King Louis XIV hoped Louise would catch the eye of his cousin King Charles II and then there would be a French mistress at the English court. When the diplomatic mission was completed, Henriette-Anne offered her brother his choice of jewelry from her jewelry box which Louise handed to her. Placing his hand on Louise’s hand, Charles is reputed to have said: “This is the only jewel I want!”

King Charles II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

In June 1670, Henriette-Anne suddenly died, probably from poison. The sudden death of Henriette-Anne left Louise without a position. An arrangement for Louise in which King Charles II would “show her favor” was made by the French ambassador Charles Colbert, Marquis de Croissy aided by the English secretary of state Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington, and his wife. Louise was housed in an apartment at Whitehall Palace in London and Charles came to pay her court every evening

In October 1671, Louise was invited to Euston Hall, the home of Henry and Elisabeth Bennet, the Earl and Countess of Arlington, along with King Charles II, without his wife, and many guests. A mock wedding was held with Louise and Charles playing the bride and groom, followed by a wedding night. Thus, Louise became the mistress of King Charles II. Louise was officially named a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Braganza, Charles II’s childless wife. King Charles II could visit his wife and also see his mistress. Another mistress, Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland, had been appointed Queen Catherine’s Lady of the Bedchamber but Queen Catherine despised Barbara’s insulting manner. Louise decided to flatter Queen Catherine, quickly making herself the queen’s favorite lady.

Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond and Lennox; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 29, 1672, nine months after the mock marriage, Louise gave birth to her only child:

Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, 1st Duke of Lennox (1672 – 1723), married Anne Brudenell, had one son and two daughters

Once Louise had given Charles II a son, she set out to reap rewards. On August 9, 1675, King Charles II granted Louise the titles Duchess of Portsmouth, Countess of Fareham, and Baroness Petersfield. On the same day, King Charles II’s illegitimate son by Louise, who had been given the surname Lennox, was created Duke of Richmond, Earl of March, and Baron Settrington in the Peerage of England. A month later, on September 9, 1675, he was created Duke of Lennox, Earl of Darnley, and Baron Methuen of Torbolten in the Peerage of Scotland. In addition, Louise received an annual pension and a suite of twenty-four rooms in Whitehall Palace, richer and grander than Queen Catherine’s chambers. More rewards came later. Louise’s son was invested as a Knight of the Garter in 1681. In 1684 at the request of King Charles II, King Louis XIV created Louise Duchesse d’Aubigny in the Peerage of France.

Louise in 1682; Credit – Wikipedia

Louise was unpopular with the English people because of the general mistrust between England and France in the 17th century. Instead, most of the public adored another of Charles’ mistresses, the bawdy actress Nell Gwynn. One day, Nell Gwynn was out for a carriage ride when she heard a crowd shouting at her about her supposed Catholic faith. Nell realized the crowd had mixed her up with Louise. She opened the carriage window and said, “Good people, you are mistaken. I am the Protestant whore.”

Louise de Kerouaille held on to the title of official mistress until the end of King Charles II’s life. On February 2, 1685, King Charles II suffered an apparent stroke, although modern analysis of his symptoms seems to indicate he may have died from uremia, a symptom of kidney failure. Louise assisted in the measures to see that Charles II was received into the Roman Catholic Church on his deathbed. As he lay dying, Charles asked his brother, who would succeed him as King James II, to look after his mistresses: “…be well to Portsmouth, and let not poor Nelly starve,” referring to Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and Nell Gwyn.

Château de la Verrerie in Aubigny-sur-Nère, France, where Louise lived out her life; Credit – By Dmitry Gurtovoy – Archive.org, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4846299

After Charles’ death, Louise left England with two shiploads of magnificent paintings and furniture from her apartment at Whitehall Palace given to her by King Charles II. Louise spent her last years in Aubigny-sur-Nère, France at the Château de la Verrerie, given to her in 1673 by King Louis XIV at the request of King Charles II. She returned to England twice – during the short reign of King James II and to attend King George I’s coronation.

The generous pension that Charles II had given Nell was rescinded in 1688 following the Glorious Revolution that deposed King James II and placed his daughter Queen Mary II and his nephew and Mary’s husband King William III upon the throne. Until he died in 1715, King Louis XIV of France and then his nephew Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, Regent of France during the minority of King Louis XV, great-grandson of King Louis XIV and his successor, provided Louise with a pension and protected her against her creditors. Louise died in Paris, France on November 14, 1734, aged 85, and was buried at the Church of the Carmelite Convent in Paris, France.

Louise’s son had predeceased her so upon her death, her estate and French title were inherited by her grandson Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond, 2nd Duke of Lennox, 2nd Duke of Aubigny (1701-1750). The French estate, Château de la Verrerie, was retained by his descendants until 1842 when it was sold by Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond, 5th Duke of Lennox, 5th Duke of Aubigny. Much of the collection of paintings and furniture is now at Goodwood House in Chichester, West Sussex, England, the seat of the Duke of Richmond and Lennox, originated in the collection of his ancestor Louise de Kérouaille.

Works Cited

En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Château De La Verrerie (Cher). [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_la_Verrerie_(Cher)> [Accessed 14 September 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louise De Kérouaille, Duchess Of Portsmouth. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_de_K%C3%A9rouaille,_Duchess_of_Portsmouth> [Accessed 14 September 2020].
Flantzer, Susan, 2016. King Charles II Of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-charles-ii-of-england/> [Accessed 12 September 2020].
Fr.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louise Renée De Penancoët De Keroual. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Ren%C3%A9e_de_Penanco%C3%ABt_de_Keroual> [Accessed 14 September 2020].
Fraser, Antonia, 1979. King Charles II. London: Phoenix.

Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

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Credit – Wikipedia

Born on October 22, 1708, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was the youngest of the thirteen children and the fourth of the four sons of Ludwig Friedrich I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

Ludwig Günther had twelve older siblings but three had already died before his birth:

Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1692 – 1744), married (1) Sophia Wilhelmina of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had one son and two daughters (2) Christina Sophia of East Frisia, no children
Amalie Magdalene of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Sophie Luise
Sophie Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Amalie Magdalene
Sophie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1694 – 1776), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey
Wilhelm Ludwig of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1696 – 1757), married morganatically Caroline Henriette Gebauer who was created Baroness of Brockenburg, had three sons and two daughters
Christine Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1697 – 1698), died in infancy
Albrecht Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1698 – 1720), unmarried
Emilie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1699 – 1774), unmarried
Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1700 – 1780), married Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had four sons and four daughters
Sophia Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1737), unmarried, twin of Friederike Luise
Friederike Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1787), unmarried, twin of Sophia Dorothea
Magdalena Sibylle of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1707 – 1795), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey

As Ludwig Günther was the fourth son, there was no expectation that he would succeed to the throne of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In 1718, when Ludwig Günther was not quite ten-years-old, his father died and eldest brother Friedrich Anton became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In his late teens and early twenties, Ludwig Günther took advantage of his lack of serious responsibility by spending several years in what now is Italy, but then was a combination of kingdoms, duchies, principalities, papal states, and territories of other nations. He especially enjoyed the vast artistic heritage of Italy. Between 1722 – 1731, Ludwig Günther visited the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt only twice. He served as an officer in Milan, which then was part of the Austria Empire, from 1726 – 1731. However, his military career ended due to an issue with his hearing. Returning to Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Ludwig Günther lived at Schloss Friedensburg in Rudolstadt (link in German) from 1731 – 1733.

Sophie Henrietta Reuss of Untergreiz; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 22, 1733, Ludwig Günther married Sophie Henrietta Reuss of Untergreiz (1711 – 1771), daughter of Heinrich Xlll, Count Reuss of Untergreiz and Sophie Elisabeth of Stolberg-Werningerode.

The couple had four children:

Friederike Sophie (born and died 1734), died in infancy
Christiane Friederike (1735 – 1788), nun at Gandersheim Abbey
Friedrich Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1736 – 1793), married his first cousin Princess Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, the eldest daughter of Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, had six children including Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Christian Ernst (born and died 1739), died in infancy

Schloss Ludwigsburg, built for Ludwig Günther; Credit – Von Z thomas – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28174814

After their marriage, Ludwig Günther and Sophie Henrietta moved to Schloss Heidecksburg (link in German), one of the main residences of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In 1734, construction began on a future residence for Ludwig Günther and his family in Rudolstadt. Schloss Ludwigsburg (link in German), named after Ludwig Günther, was completed in 1742. A ceiling fresco in the castle depicts Ludwig Günther with Greek gods.

In 1744, Ludwig Günther’s eldest brother Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died. Friedrich Anton’s only son and Ludwig Günther’s nephew, 23-year-old Johann Friedrich succeeded his father. Johann Friedrich married two months later and he and his wife had six children but only two daughters survived childhood. Therefore, Johann Friedrich had no male heir.

Ludwig Günther was the youngest of four brothers. The third brother, Albrecht Anton, had died unmarried in 1720. As already mentioned, the first brother Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died in 1744 and had no sons. The second brother Wilhelm Ludwig, who died in 1757 during Johann Friedrich’s reign, had married morganatically and had three sons and two daughters. However, because of the morganatic marriage, Wilhelm Ludwig’s sons did not have succession rights. Upon the death of his nephew Johann Friedrich in 1767, 59-year-old Ludwig Günther became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and his son Friedrich Karl became the Hereditary Prince. Ludwig Günther and his wife Sophie Henrietta moved to Schloss Heidecksburg, the principal residence of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Four years later, Sophie Henrietta died on January 22, 1771, aged 60, and was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German), the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle.

For the most part, Ludwig Günther left government affairs to Chancellor Christian Ulrich von Ketelholdt, with whom he had a good relationship. At his previous residence Schloss Ludwigsburg, Ludwig Günther established a princely school of art. The natural history collection owned by Hereditary Prince Friedrich Karl and Ludwig Günther’s coin collection were displayed there. In 1778, Ludwig Günther II laid the foundation stone for the palace library in the west wing of Schloss Heidecksburg which now has around 7,000 books.

After a reign of twenty-three years, Ludwig Günther died at the age of 81, on August 29, 1790, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was buried with his wife at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Ludwig Günther II. (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_G%C3%BCnther_II._(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louis Günther II, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_G%C3%BCnther_II,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

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Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on January 8, 1721 in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Johann Friedrich was the only son and the eldest of the three children of Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Sophia Wilhelmina of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Johann Friedrich had two younger sisters but one died in infancy and the other never married:

Sophia Wilhelmina of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1723)
Sophia Albertine of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1724 – 1799), unmarried

Johann Friedrich was raised and educated by private tutors from the age of four. When he was six-years-old, Johann Friedrich’s mother died. In 1729, his father married again to Christina Sophia of East Friesia but the marriage was childless. From 1737 – 1741, Johann Friedrich made the customary Grand Tour through Europe. He attended lectures on theology at the University of Strasbourg and lectures on mathematics and physics at the University of Utrecht. While in Utrecht, Johann Friedrich visited King George II of Great Britain who was also visiting Utrecht. During his time in France, Johann Friedrich was exposed to the ideas of the Enlightenment. In 1742, he represented his father at the coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Karl VII (also Prince-Elector of Bavaria).

Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his father Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt on September 1, 1744, 23-year-old Johann Friedrich became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Two months later, on November 19, 1744, in Eisenach, Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the German state of Thuringia, Johann Friedrich married Princess Bernardina Christina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1724 – 1757). Bernardina Christina was the daughter of Ernst August I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and his first wife with Eleonore Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Köthen. Sadly, Bernadina Christina died in 1757 at the age of 33. She was deeply mourned by her husband who never remarried.

Johann Friedrich and Bernadina Christina had six children but only two daughters survived childhood:

Princess Friederike of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1745 – 1778), married her first cousin once removed Friedrick Karl, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, had six children including Ludwig Friedrich II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Daughter (born and died 1746)
Son (born and died 1747)
Princess Sophie Ernestine of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1749 – 1754), died in childhood
Princess Wilhelmina of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1751 – 1780) married Ludwig I, Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken, had one son
Princess Henrietta Charlotte of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1752 – 1756), died in childhood

Heidecksburg Castle; Credit – Von © R.Möhler, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41580216

Johann Friedrich continued and completed the reconstruction project his father had started at Heidecksburg Castle (link in German) after a fire in 1735 caused two wings to be burned down to the ground floor. The fire had also destroyed the principality’s sheet music collection and Johann Friedrich with the assistance of his Kapellmeister Georg Gebel built up a new collection.

Johann Friedrich founded a theological seminary and a public library in Rudolstadt. He added his private library to the previous collections and from 1751 made the books available to the public once a week. During his reign, Johann Friedrich acquired more books for the Princely Public Library in Rudolstadt. The collection is now partly part of the historical library in Rudolstadt and partly in the collection at the Heidecksburg Castle library.

Leda and the Swan, circa 1785, an example from the porcelain factory in Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit- Wikipedia

In 1760, Johann Friedrich granted Georg Heinrich Macheleid a license to run a porcelain factory. Johann Friedrich was the co-managing director of the porcelain factory which still exists under the name Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur. In 1764, upon the 100th anniversary of the local school in Rudolstadt being declared the Princely State School, Johann Friedrich officially declared it a gymnasium (secondary school), renamed it the Gymnasium Friedericianum, and added teaching posts for mathematics and natural science. The Gymnasium Friedericianum Rudolstadt is still in existence.

Johann Friedrich; Credit – Wikipedia

Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died at the age of 46 on July 10, 1767, in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, (link in German) the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle (link in German) in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, where his wife Bernadina Christina had been buried. Because he had no son, Johann Friedrich was succeeded by his uncle Louis Günther II. In 1763, Louis Günther II’s eldest son, the new Hereditary Prince Friedrich Karl, had married Johann Friedrich’s eldest daughter Friederike. Friedrich Karl succeeded his father Louis Günther II as the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1790.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas where Johann Friedrich and his wife are buried; Credit – Von Michael Sander – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=543007

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Johann Friedrich (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Friedrich_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 29 October 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. John Frederick, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frederick,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 29 October 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Princess Bernardina Christina Sophia Of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Bernardina_Christina_Sophia_of_Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach> [Accessed 29 October 2020].
Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

by Susan Flantzer

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Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on August 14, 1692, in Rudolstadt, then in the County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was the eldest of the thirteen children and the eldest of the four sons of Ludwig Friedrich I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. Friedrich Anton had twelve younger siblings. His youngest sibling Ludwig Günther also was a reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He succeeded to the throne upon the death of Friedrich Anton’s only son Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt who had no sons.

Friedrich Anton’s siblings:

Amalie Magdalene of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Sophie Luise
Sophie Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Amalie Magdalene
Sophie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1694 – 1776), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey
Wilhelm Ludwig of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1696 – 1757), married morganatically Caroline Henriette Gebauer who was created Baroness of Brockenburg, had three sons and two daughters
Christine Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1697 – 1698), died in infancy
Albrecht Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1698 – 1720), unmarried
Emilie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1699 – 1774), unmarried
Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1700 – 1780), married Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had four sons and four daughters
Sophia Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1737), unmarried, twin of Friederike Luise
Friederike Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1787), unmarried, twin of Sophia Dorothea
Magdalena Sibylle of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1707 – 1795), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey
Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1708 – 1790), married Sophie Henriette of Reuss-Untergreiz, had two daughters and two sons

Friedrich Anton was raised mainly by his paternal grandfather Albrecht Anton, Count of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt who ensured his grandson received a solid education in the sciences and religion. The young prince was especially fond of poetry and even wrote some poetry himself.

Sophia Wilhelmina of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Friedrich Anton’s first wife; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 8, 1720 in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in the German state of Thuringia, Friedrich Anton married Sophia Wilhelmina of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1693 – 1727). Sophia Wilhelmina was the eldest daughter of Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and his second wife Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck-Wildungen.

Friedrich Anton and Sophia Wilhelmina of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld had three children but only two survived childhood:

Johann Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1721 – 1767), married Bernardina Christiane of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, had four surviving daughters
Sophia Wilhelmina of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1723)
Sophia Albertine of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1724–1799), unmarried

Friedrich Anton’s second wife Christina Sophia of East Friesia; Credit – Wikipedia

The marriage of Friedrich Anton and Sophia Wilhelmina lasted only seven years as Sophia Wilhelmina died on December 4, 1727, aged 34. On January 6, 1729, Friedrich Anton married again to Christina Sophia of East Friesia (1688 – 1750). Christina Sophia was the eldest daughter of Prince Christian Eberhard of East Friesia and Eberhadine Sophie of Oettingen-Oettingen. Unfortunately, the marriage was childless.

Upon the death of his father on June 24, 1718, Friedrich Anton became the reigning Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He was not very interested in the day-to-day governing of the principality and left that to his Chancellor, Georg Ulrich von Beulwitz. He did seem interested in offering religious refuge. In 1727, Friedrich Anton issued a letter of protection to two Jewish families and allowed them to settle in Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Between 1727 and 1737, nine more Jewish families were granted the same privilege. These families developed into the Jewish community of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In 1732, 2,000 Protestant exiles from Salzburg, Austria arrived in Rudolstadt. They had been expelled when Salzburg began enforcing Catholicism in 1731. They were welcomed with the ringing of church bells and a church service in the St. Andreas Church in Rudolstadt.

Schwarzburg Castle; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Anton had to deal with several financial issues. His brother Wilhelm Friedrich was always in debt and Friedrich Anton needed to bail him out several times. In 1726, a fire damaged Schwarzburg Castle (link in German) and the Schlosskirche (castle church, link in German). Reconstruction necessitated by a 1695 fire had just been completed in 1713. A fire at Heidecksburg Castle (link in German) in 1735 caused two wings to be burned down to the ground floor. The reconstruction costs were substantial and the reconstruction on Heidecksburg Castle was not completed until 1744, two months after Friedrich Anton’s death

Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, circa 1890; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt died September 1, 1744, aged 52, in Rudolstadt. He was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. Friedrich Anton’s second wife Christina Sophia survived him by six years, dying on March 31, 1750, aged 62. Both wives were buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas in Rudolstadt, (link in German) Thuringia, Germany before the demolition of Schwarzburg Castle and Schlosskirche Schwarzburg by the German government who planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. However, the construction was never completed and the ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years until reconstruction of the original castle, which is still occurring, began.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich Anton (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Anton_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 29 October 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Frederick Anton, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Anton,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 29 October 2020].
Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Ludwig Friedrich I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

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Ludwig Friedrich I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

Ludwig Friedrich I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was born on October 25, 1667, in Rudolstadt, County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was the eldest of the two children of Albrecht Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Countess Emilie Juliane of Barby-Mühlingen. Emilie Juliane was the most productive of the German female hymn-writers, composing nearly 600 hymns. She was an early adherent of Pietism, a movement within Lutheranism that emphasized biblical doctrine, individual piety, and living a vigorous Christian life.

Ludwig Friedrich had one younger sister who died in infancy:

Albertina Antonia of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1668)

As was typical for German princes at that time Ludwig Friedrich made a Grand Tour of Europe from May 1687 to October 1688. Accompanied by his tutor Johann von Asseburg, he was received at the Palace of Versailles by King Louis XIV of France and in Vienna, Austria by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. He was also received by Duke Frederick I of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, whose daughter Anna Sophie he later would marry.

Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 15, 1691 at Friedenstein Palace in Gotha, Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, now in the German state of Thuringia, Ludwig Friedrich married Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1670 – 1728). She was the eldest of the eight children and the eldest of the six daughters of Friedrich I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Magdalena Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels.

Ludwig Friedrich and Anna Sophie had thirteen children:

Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1692 – 1744), married (1) Sophia Wilhelmina of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had one son and two daughters (2) Christina Sophia of East Frisia, no children
Amalie Magdalene of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Sophie Luise
Sophie Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (born and died 1693), died in infancy, twin of Amalie Magdalene
Sophie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1694 – 1776), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey
Wilhelm Ludwig of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1696 – 1757), married morganatically Caroline Henriette Gebauer who was created Baroness of Brockenburg, had three sons and two daughters
Christine Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1697 – 1698), died in infancy
Albrecht Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1698 – 1720), unmarried
Emilie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1699 – 1774), unmarried
Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1700 – 1780), married Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had four sons and four daughters
Sophia Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1737), unmarried, twin of Friederike Luise
Friederike Luise of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1706 – 1787), unmarried, twin of Sophia Dorothea
Magdalena Sibylle of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1707 – 1795), a nun at Gandersheim Abbey
Ludwig Günther II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1708 – 1790), married Sophie Henriette of Reuss-Untergreiz, had two daughters and two sons

Ludwig Friedrich’s daughter Anna Sophie who was the Duchess of of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld by marriage; Credit – Wikipedia

Via their daughter, Anna Sophie who married Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Ludwig Friedrich and Anna Sophie are the ancestors of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert and Leopold I, King of the Belgians. The royal families of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are their descendants.

In 1697, Albrecht Anton, Count of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Ludwig Friedrich’s father, was raised to a Prince and the County of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was raised to a principality by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. However, he chose not to accept his elevation due to his religious modesty which focused on the Pietism of his mother. He also wanted to avoid a confrontation with his neighbors, the dukes from the Ernestine lines of the House of Wettin, (whose duchy names began with “Saxe”) who had opposed his elevation. In 1710, the elevation to Prince was offered again and this time, Albrecht Anton accepted it. However, he did not publish notice of his elevation and continued to use the style Count of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

View of Schwarzburg Castle, lithograph around 1860; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 15, 1710, Albrecht Anton died and his son Ludwig Friedrich succeeded him. Ludwig Friedrich published notice of the elevation to Prince in 1711 and began using the style Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt on April 15, 1711. The elevation strengthened the position of the House of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt against the House of Wettin. The Imperial Hall, which was added to the Schwarzburg Castle (link in German) between 1713 and 1719, was created in connection with the elevation. It contained full-length images of Holy Roman Emperors and the members of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family and represented the dignity and the descent of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family.

Even before he succeeded to the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt throne, Ludwig Friedrich had assisted his father in administrating the principality. After he inherited the throne, he reformed the administration on an absolutist basis. In 1713, an agreement was reached with the other ruling branch of the Schwarzburg family, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, whereby primogeniture was introduced in both branches, and further division of the family’s possessions was prevented.

Schlosskirche Schwarzburg, circa 1890; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 24, 1718, Ludwig Friedrich I, aged 50, died in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg (link in German), the castle church at Schwarzburg Castle, in Schwarzburg, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia. Anna Sophie, Ludwig Friedrich’s wife, survived him by ten years, dying on December 28, 1728, at the age of 58, and was buried with her husband at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg.

Stadtkirche St. Andreas; Credit – Wikipedia

In the early 1940s, the remains of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt family buried at the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg were transferred to the Stadtkirche St. Andreas (link in German) in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, before the demolition of the Schlosskirche Schwarzburg and Schwarzburg Castle. The German government took possession of Schwarzburg Castle and compensated the widow of the last reigning prince. They planned to convert the castle into Adolf Hitler’s Imperial Guest House. In June 1940, demolition began on Schwarzburg Castle, one of the most important Baroque castles in central Germany. In 1942, the construction was stopped and the Imperial Guest House was never finished. The ruins of the castle and the incomplete construction of the guest house were left for years. The only thing that remained of the castle church was the tower dome but it was destroyed in a fire caused by fireworks on New Year’s Eve 1980. There has been much reconstruction on the castle especially after Schwarzburg Castle was transferred to the Thuringian Palaces and Gardens Foundation in 1994.

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Albert Anton (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Anton_(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 20 October 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Emilie Juliane Of Barby-Mühlingen. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countess_Emilie_Juliane_of_Barby-M%C3%BChlingen> [Accessed 20 October 2020].
De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Ludwig Friedrich I. (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Friedrich_I._(Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt)> [Accessed 20 October 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Louis Frederick I, Prince Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Frederick_I,_Prince_of_Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt> [Accessed 20 October 2020].
Flantzer, Susan, 2020. Royal Burial Sites Of The Principality Of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/royal-burial-sites-of-the-principality-of-schwarzburg-rudolstadt/> [Accessed 20 October 2020].

Lillie Langtry, Mistress of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom

Lillie Langtry was the mistress of the future King Edward VII (while he was Prince of Wales) from 1877-1880. A married socialite at the time, she later embarked on a career in the theatre, with the encouragement and support of the Prince. She also took several other lovers, including Prince Louis of Battenberg, the Prince of Wales’s future nephew-by-marriage, who possibly fathered her only child.

Lillie Langtry; Credit – Wikipedia

Lillie Langtry was born Emilie Charlotte “Lillie” Le Breton on October 13, 1853, at the Old Rectory at St. Saviour Church on the Island of Jersey, part of the United Kingdom. She was the only daughter of the Very Reverend William Corbet Le Breton and his wife Emilie Martin Davis. Her father was the Rector at St. Saviour and also served as Dean of Jersey. Lillie had six brothers:

Francis Corbet Le Breton (1843) – unmarried
William Inglis Le Breton (1846) – married Elizabeth Price, had issue
Trevor Alexander Le Breton (1847) – unmarried
Maurice Vavasour Le Breton (1849) – unmarried
Clement Martin Le Breton (1851) – married Alice Jones, had issue
Reginald Le Breton (1855) – unmarried

On March 9, 1874, Lillie married Edward Langtry, a wealthy Irish landowner who had recently been widowed. They had known each other just six weeks but shared a love of sailing and bonded very quickly. Later in life, Lillie would jokingly say that “to become mistress of the yacht, I married the owner.” The couple moved to London, where Lillie soon became part of the London society scene. The couple remained married until 1897 but had been estranged for many years. Having become an American citizen in 1897, Lillie successfully filed for divorce from Langtry, who died several months later.

Upon her arrival in London, Lillie soon found herself amidst London’s high society. Her beauty caught the eye of the artist Frank Miles, who soon asked Lillie to sit for a portrait. The portrait was purchased by Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany the younger brother of The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII. Lillie also sat for portraits by several other artists, leading to her quick entrance into the highest ranks of society.

The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. source: Wikipedia

In May 1877, Lillie attended a dinner party that was also attended by The Prince of Wales, who had arranged to be seated next to her. Soon, the two began a relationship that would last until June 1880. However, she also had several other relationships during this time. One lover was The Earl of Shrewsbury, who she began seeing in July 1879. This relationship led to some media speculation that her husband was planning to divorce her and name the Prince of Wales as one of the co-respondents. The Prince quickly sued the journalist who was later sentenced to prison for his allegations. Other lovers during this time were Prince Louis of Battenberg (who would later marry the Prince of Wales’s niece, Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine), and Arthur Jones, the brother of Lilly’s sister-in-law. One of these affairs led to Lilly becoming pregnant in mid-1880. Lilly told Prince Louis that he was the father, and he was quickly dispatched to a warship with the Royal Navy. However, Lilly left for Paris – along with Arthur Jones – thanks to funding from The Prince of Wales. She gave birth to a daughter – Jeanne Marie – on March 8, 1881. It is most likely that Jones was the child’s father, but it was never confirmed. Prince Louis’s son Earl Mountbatten stated numerous times that he believed his father was the biological father.

Lillie’s pregnancy ended her affair with The Prince of Wales, but the two would remain in occasional contact and the Prince often used his influence to help her in her future career. In 1881, back in London, Lillie found herself in financial distress. A close friend, writer Oscar Wilde, suggested she try the theatre. She began with a local amateur theatre and soon made her debut at the Haymarket Theatre in London. Lillie quickly became a success, starting her own theatre company which toured throughout Europe and the United States over the next 26 years. She retired from the stage in 1917.

During her time in the United States, Lillie had a long-term affair with an American, Frederick Gebhard, who introduced Lillie to horse racing. Together the two bought a stable of horses which they trained and raced throughout the United States. She later became involved with George Alexander Baird, a very wealthy gentleman in the horse-racing world. After his death several years later, Lillie purchased several of his horses and some of his properties. By 1919, finding that horse racing was more of a financial drain than an income, Lillie sold all her horses and interests and moved to Monaco.

Lillie in 1915; Credit – Wikipedia

Two years after divorcing her first husband, Lillie married a second time. On July 27, 1899, at St. Saviour’s Church in Jersey, Lillie married Hugo Gerald de Bathe with just her daughter and the officials present. Eighteen years her junior, de Bathe had seven older siblings, but as he was the firstborn after his parents’ marriage, he was the heir to his father’s Baronetcy. He succeeded his father as 5th Baronet and inherited a large portfolio of properties in Sussex, Devon and Ireland. These in Sussex included Woodend, a 17-bedroom property on 71 acres, Hollandsfield, a 10-bedroom property on 52 acres, and Balsom’s Farm which consisted of 206 acres. The couple used Woodend as their primary residence. All of the properties were later sold, in 1919.

Lillie remained in close contact with The Prince of Wales and was a guest at his Coronation, sitting alongside Sarah Bernhardt and Lady Randolph Churchill. She was also a guest at his funeral in 1910.

In her later years, Lady de Bathe, as she was known after 1907, lived primarily in Monaco while her husband lived in nearby Vence, Alpes Maritimes. De Bathe later served as an ambulance driver with the French Red Cross during World War I. Instead of her husband, Lillie’s main companion was her dear friend Mathilde Marie Peat who inherited a large part of Langtry’s estate including a bequest of £10,000, her home in Monaco. Villa le Lys, and her car.

Emilie Charlotte “Lillie” Langtry, Lady de Bathe, died of pneumonia in Monaco in the early morning of February 12, 1929. She was 75 years old. Per her wishes, she was buried along with her parents at St. Saviour’s Church in Jersey.

Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Mistress of King Charles II of England

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

Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland was born as Barbara Villiers in Westminster, London, England on November 27, 1640. She was the only child of William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison and Mary Bayning. William Villiers was the son of Sir Edward Villiers, a half-brother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham who was a court favorite during the reigns of King James I and King Charles I. William also had other relatives who had been courtiers at the English court. Barbara’s mother was the daughter of Paul Bayning, 1st Viscount 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 resulted in no children and Barbara’s stepfather died from smallpox in 1660.

Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine; Credit – Wikipedia

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. On April 14, 1659, Barbara married the Roman Catholic Roger Palmer (1634 – 1705), 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 Netherlands. In 1660, Barbara became Charles’ 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.

King Charles II in Garter Robes; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 25, 1661, Barbara gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Anne. She was probably the daughter of Charles II, although some people believed she resembled Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield. Charles II, the Earl of Chesterfield, and Roger Palmer all claimed to be the father of Anne. As a reward for Barbara’s services, Charles II created Roger Palmer Earl of Castlemaine in 1661. In 1662, Barbara gave birth to a son named Charles, most likely fathered by King Charles II. Roger Palmer insisted on treating the boy as his son and had him baptized as a Roman Catholic but six days later Charles II had him re-christened in the Church of England. Little Charles’ birth marked the separation of Barbara and Roger Palmer. Barbara had other children but Palmer claimed none of them. 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. They are also the ancestors of the Mitford sisters, philosopher Bertrand Russell, British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, and Serena Armstrong-Jones, Countess of Snowdon.

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

Children of Barbara Palmer:

Lady Anne FitzRoy (1661–1722), married Thomas Lennard, 1st Earl of Sussex, had four children
Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, 1st Duke of Southampton (1662–1730), married (1) Mary Wood, no issue, (2) Anne Pulteney, had six children
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton (1663–1690), married Isabella Bennet, 2nd Countess of Arlington, had one son
Lady Charlotte FitzRoy (1664–1717), married Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield, had eighteen children
George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland (1665–1716), married (1) Catherine Wheatley, no issue, (2) Mary Dutton, no issue
Barbara FitzRoy (1672–1737), unmarried, became a nun taking the name Sister Benedicta; her mother claimed that she was Charles II’s daughter but she was probably the child of her mother’s second cousin and lover, John Churchill, later Duke of Marlborough

In 1662, King Charles II married Catherine of Braganza. Charles insisted on making Barbara Palmer Catherine’s Lady of the Bedchamber, and Barbara served in that position from 1663–1673. Catherine declared she would return to Portugal rather than openly accept the arrangement with Barbara. Charles then dismissed nearly all the members of Catherine’s Portuguese retinue, after which she stopped actively resisting, which pleased Charles, however, she participated very little in court life and activities. Despite fathering at least 16 illegitimate children with his mistresses, Charles had no children with Catherine.

In December 1663, Barbara converted from the Church of England to Roman Catholicism. Some historians believe it was an attempt to strengthen her position with King Charles II, and some believe it was a way of restoring her ties with her Catholic husband Roger Palmer. Upon hearing of Barbara’s conversion King Charles II said he was interested in ladies’ bodies, not their souls.

Barbara Palmer, circa 1666; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1670, Barbara 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 FitzRoy, and his heirs male, despite her son being illegitimate.

Throughout their relationship, King Charles II had taken other mistresses and Barbara also had other lovers. King Charles II was displeased that Barbara’s promiscuity and extravagant spending made her a target for satirists to use to ridicule him and his court. The 1673 Test Act banned Catholics from holding office and Barbara lost her position as Lady of the Bedchamber. King Charles II cast her aside and took Louise de Kérouaille as his newest favorite mistress. Barbara eventually reconciled with King Charles II and he enjoyed an evening in her company a week before he died in February 1685.

Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland in 1705; Credit – Wikipedia

After the death of her husband Roger Palmer in 1705, 64-year-old Barbara married Robert Fielding. Six months later, she discovered Fielding was a fortune hunter and a bigamist. She divorced Fielding and had him prosecuted for bigamy. Barbara then retired to Walpole House in Chiswick Mall, Chiswick, London, England, supported by her grandson Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton. She died at Walpole House on October 9, 1709, aged 68, of dropsy (edema), and was buried at the Old Chiswick Cemetery at St. Nicholas Church in Chiswick, London, England.

Old Chiswick Cemetery; Credit – https://www.findagrave.com/

Works Cited

En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Barbara Palmer, 1St Duchess Of Cleveland. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Palmer,_1st_Duchess_of_Cleveland> [Accessed 12 September 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Roger Palmer, 1St Earl Of Castlemaine. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Palmer,_1st_Earl_of_Castlemaine> [Accessed 12 September 2020].
En.wikipedia.org. 2020. William Villiers, 2Nd Viscount Grandison. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Villiers,_2nd_Viscount_Grandison> [Accessed 12 September 2020].
Flantzer, Susan, 2016. King Charles II Of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-charles-ii-of-england/> [Accessed 12 September 2020].
Fr.wikipedia.org. 2020. Barbara Palmer. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Palmer> [Accessed 12 September 2020].
Fraser, Antonia, 1979. King Charles II. London: Phoenix.

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