Duke and Duchess

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

The Coronet of a British Duke. 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=10963935

by Scott Mehl

Dukes are the most senior members of the Peerage and hold precedence before all other members of the Peerage (with the exception of Royal Dukes and other peers who are also Officers of State). Precedence is determined by the date of the creation of the title. Currently, there are 37 Dukedoms, held by 31 Dukes.

The word Duke comes from the Latin word dux, meaning leader. In Ancient Rome it was used for a military commander, and later the leading commander of a province.  Women holding a Dukedom in their own right, and wives of Dukes, hold the title of Duchess.

The title Duke was first used in England in 1337, when King Edward III created his son Edward, the Black Prince, as Duke of Cornwall. His other surviving sons were later created Dukes as well – Clarence, Lancaster, York and Gloucester. There were 16 dukedoms created by 1483, but only four remained by the time the Tudor dynasty began in 1485. In total, 160 dukedoms have been created, consisting of 106 different titles. These include 7 Dukedoms created for women in their own right.  (6 women held these titles, all of which went extinct upon their deaths.)

The Peerage of England (1337-1707)

  • 76 dukedoms created
  • 43 different titles
  • 4 Duchesses in their own right
  • 11 still extant, including one Royal Duke (Cornwall)

The Peerage of Scotland (1398-1707)

  • 27 dukedoms created
  • 16 different titles
  • 0 Duchesses in their own right
  • 9 still extant, including one Royal Duke (Rothesay)

The Peerage of Great Britain (1707-1801)

  • 27 dukedoms created
  • 24 different titles
  • 1 Duchess in her own right
  • 3 still extant

The Peerage of Ireland (1661-1868)

  • 5 dukedoms created
  • 4 different titles
  • 1 Duchess in her own right
  • 2 still extant

The Peerage of The United Kingdom (1801-present)

  • 25 dukedoms created
  • 19 different titles
  • 1 Duchess in her own right
  • 12 still extant, including 6 Royal Dukes (Gloucester, Kent, Edinburgh, York, Cambridge, and Sussex)

Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk. photo: By Allan warren – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28911277

The most senior Duke (aside from the Royal Dukes), known as The Premier Duke of England, is The Duke of Norfolk, whose title dates back to 1483. As the premier duke (and also the premier Earl as he holds the Earldom of Arundel), The Duke of Norfolk holds the position of Earl Marshal, one of the Great Officers of State. In this role, the Duke is responsible for major ceremonial events, such as the Coronation of the Monarch and State Funerals. He is also the head of the College of Arms, and is one of the four people who precede the Monarch in the procession at the State Opening of Parliament. Since The House of Lords Act 1999, as Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk is one of only two hereditary peers who is automatically a member of the House of Lords.

Alexander Duff, Duke of Fife with his wife, Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife, c1889. source: Wikipedia

The last non-royal dukedom created was The Duke of Fife in 1900. Alexander Duff had succeeded his father as Earl of Fife in 1879. Ten years later, in 1889, he married Princess Louise of Wales, the eldest daughter of the future King Edward VII. Two days after the wedding, Queen Victoria created Alexander Duke of Fife and Marquess of Macduff in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The Letters Patent creating the title contained the traditional succession to the “heirs male of his body”. As the couple only had two surviving daughters, The Queen granted a second creation of the title in 1900, creating him The Duke of Fife and Earl of Macduff. These Letters Patent included a special remainder that allowed the title to pass to the daughters of the Duke, and then to their male heirs.

Upon the Duke’s death in 1912, the original dukedom and marquessate became extinct. However, the second Dukedom, and earldom, passed to his eldest daughter, Princess Alexandra, who became the 2nd Duchess of Fife and 2nd Countess of Macduff in her own right. Following her death, as she had no surviving sons, the title passed to the son of her younger sister, James Carnegie who also inherited the Earldom of Southesk from his own father. The title continues to pass through the male line, and is currently held by David Carnegie, the 4th Duke of Fife, 13th Earl of Southesk, 4th Earl of Macduff, 13th Lord Carnegie of Kinnaird, 13th Lord Carnegie (of Kinnaird and Leuchars), 5th Baron Balinhard (of Farnell in the County of Forfar), and 10th Baronet Carnegie (of Pittarrow in the County of Kincardine). As the dukedom is his senior title, he is styled as The Duke of Fife.

Since then, the only dukedoms created have been for members of the Royal Family. There was one potential exception when in 1955, former Prime Minister Winston Churchill was offered a dukedom by Queen Elizabeth II. But Churchill declined the offer and was instead created a Knight of the Order of the Garter.

Cecilia Underwood, Duchess of Inverness. source: Wikipedia

There have been seven Dukedoms created for women in their own right.  The six women who received these titles are:

  • Margaret of Brotherton, Duchess of Norfolk (c1320-1399) – a granddaughter of King Edward I, Margaret succeeded her father as Countess of Norfolk in her own right in 1338, and was created Duchess of Norfolk in 1397 by King Richard II.
  • Alice Leigh Dudley, Duchess of Dudley (1579-1669) – Alice was the second wife of noted explorer Sir Robert Dudley, who abandoned her and their children, settling in Tuscany, remarrying and selling all of his English estates.  She was created Duchess of Dudley in her own right – only for life – by King Charles I in 1644.
  • Barbara Villiers Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland (1640-1709) – a mistress of King Charles II, with whom she had several children.  The King appointed her Lady of the Bedchamber to his wife, Catherine of Braganza, and in 1670 created her Duchess of Cleveland.  The title passed to her eldest son, and then grandson before becoming extinct in 1774.
  • Louise de Penancoët de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth (1649-1734) – a lady-in-waiting to King Charles II’s sister, the King later appointed her a Lady of Bedchamber to his wife, Catherine of Braganza.  She became the King’s mistress, and he created her Duchess of Portsmouth, Countess of Fareham and Baroness Petersfield in 1673.  Her titles were only for life, but her only son was later created Duke of Richmond.
  • Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Munster (1667-1743) – once a maid of honour to the Electress Sophia of Hanover, Ehrengard became a mistress of the future King George I.  After he became King, Ehrengard accompanied him to England, and in 1716 he created her Duchess of Munster, Marchioness of Dungannon, Countess of Dungannon and Baroness Dundalk in the Peerage of Ireland.  Three years later, she was also created Duchess of Kendal, Countess of Feversham and Baroness Glastonbury in the Peerage of Great Britain.  All of these titles were only for her lifetime.
  • Cecilia Gore Buggin Underwood, Duchess of Inverness (1789-1873) – after being widowed in 1825, Cecilia became the wife of The Duke of Sussex, the sixth son of King George III.  As the marriage was in violation of the Royal Marriages Act, it was not recognized, and Cecilia did not gain any of her husband’s titles, or right of precedence.  She instead assumed her mother’s maiden name, Underwood, as her surname.  In 1840, her husband’s niece, Queen Victoria, created her Duchess of Inverness in her own right (recognizing one of her husband’s subsidiary titles, Earl of Inverness).  Unlike many of the other Duchesses in their own right, Cecilia’s title was granted to her and her male heirs.  As she had no children, the title became extinct upon her death.

Styles and Titles

  • A Duke is styled His Grace The Duke of XX, and referred to as ‘Your Grace’.
  • A Duchess (whether a Duke’s wife or a Duchess in her own right) is styled Her Grace The Duchess of XX and referred to as ‘Your Grace’.
  • The eldest son of a Duke traditionally uses his father’s most senior, but lower-ranking, subsidiary title as a courtesy title. (If the senior subsidiary title is similar to the name of the Dukedom, the next senior title is used). This is used without the article ‘The’ preceding it. For example, the eldest son of The Duke of Fife is styled ‘Earl of Southesk’.
  • Younger sons and all daughters of a Duke are styled as Lord or Lady (first name) (surname). Example: Lord George Carnegie is a younger son of The Duke of Carnegie.

LIST OF EXTANT DUKEDOMS, in order of creation:

PEERAGE OF ENGLAND
Duke of Cornwall
Duke of Norfolk
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Richmond
Duke of Grafton
Duke of Beaufort
Duke of St Albans
Duke of Bedford
Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Marlborough
Duke of Rutland

PEERAGE OF SCOTLAND
Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Buccleuch
Duke of Lennox
Duke of Queensberry
Duke of Argyll
Duke of Atholl
Duke of Montrose
Duke of Roxburghe

PEERAGE OF GREAT BRITAIN
Duke of Brandon
Duke of Manchester
Duke of Northumberland

PEERAGE OF IRELAND
Duke of Leinster
Duke of Abercorn

PEERAGE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
Duke of Wellington
Duke of Sutherland
Duke of Westminster
Duke of Gordon
Duke of Argyll
Duke of Fife
Duke of Gloucester
Duke of Kent
Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of York
Duke of Cambridge
Duke of Sussex

MULTIPLE DUKEDOM HOLDERS
Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay (England, Scotland)
Duke of Hamilton and Brandon (Scotland, Great Britain)
Duke of Argyll (Scotland, United Kingdom)
Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry (both Scotland)
Duke of Richmond, Lennox and Gordon (Scotland, England, United Kingdom)

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British Royal Christenings: Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Their Children, and Select Grandchildren

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Exact replica of the original royal christening gown which was commissioned by Queen Victoria and first used at the christening of her eldest child Victoria in 1841; Credit – www.rct.uk/collection

Several of the British Royal Family’s christening traditions started with the christening of Queen Victoria’s eldest child. After the birth of her first child Victoria, Princess Royal in 1840, Queen Victoria commissioned a christening gown to be made.  The gown of Honiton lace lined with Spitalfields silk was made by Janet Sutherland, the daughter of a Scottish coal miner from Falkirk, who received the title Embroiderer to the Queen for her work.  First worn by Victoria, Princess Royal at her christening on February 10, 1841, her parents’ first wedding anniversary, the gown was worn by 62 descendants of Queen Victoria.  Lady Louise Windsor, the elder of the two children of Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh, was the last to wear the 1841 gown at her christening in 2004. Due to the gown’s age and delicate condition, Queen Elizabeth II commissioned Angela Kelly, Dressmaker to The Queen, to make a hand-made replica in order to preserve the original.  Jame Windsor, Earl of Wessex, the younger of the two children of Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh, was the first to wear the replica gown at his christening in 2008.

The Lily Font; Credit – https://www.royalcollection.org.uk

The Lily Font is a silver baptismal font commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 after the birth of their first child, Victoria, Princess Royal. It was first used at the christening of Victoria, Princess Royal in 1841 and has been used for royal christenings ever since except that of Princess Eugenie of York. Prince Albert helped design the font which is made from a silver gilt with the appearance of gold. Three winged cherubs sit on the base of the font above the royal arms of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and Victoria, Princess Royal. The cherubs are playing lyres and above them leaves reach up to support the bowl which is edged by water lilies. For the christening of Victoria, Princess Royal, the Lily Font was placed on a table as seen in the portrait below of the christening of Victoria, Princess Royal.  Sometimes the Lily Font is placed into the larger 1660 Charles II font and its basin or the christening basin made in 1735 and first used at the christening of the future King George III in 1738.  This can be seen below in the portrait of the christening of the future King Edward VII. The Lily Font is part of the Crown Jewels and is kept at the Jewel House at the Tower of London when not in use.

The original Private Chapel at Windsor Castle, lithograph by Joseph Nash, 1848; Credit – Wikipedia

The Private Chapel at Windsor Castle was the site for the most christenings among this group of royalty, with the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace a close second. The Private Chapel at Windsor Castle was created for Queen Victoria by architect Edward Blore between 1840 and 1847. There were niches with marble sculptures, pews, and a large Gothic chandelier hanging from the ceiling. On November 20, 1992, a fire began in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle when a painter left a spotlight too close to curtains. The fire caused much damage to Windsor Castle. The Private Chapel was later restored but the new Private Chapel is much smaller, has chairs instead of pews, and is only able to fit thirty people. The new altar was made by Queen Elizabeth’s nephew David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon who is a furniture designer and maker.

Embed from Getty Images 
The original Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace, circa 1910-1911

The Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace was created for Queen Victoria in 1844 in what had originally been a conservatory. On September 13, 1940, the Private Chapel was destroyed in a German bombing raid during World War II. Originally, King George VI had wanted the Private Chapel rebuilt but because of all the reconstruction needed in the country after World War II, the plan was shelved. The Queen’s Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection. At that time, the Private Chapel was relocated to the south-eastern part of Buckingham Palace.

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Included below is christening information for Queen Victoria, her husband Prince Albert, their nine children, their grandchildren born British princes and princesses, and their other grandchildren christened in the United Kingdom. It is interesting to note that Queen Victoria was a godparent to many of her grandchildren. Many godparents did not attend the christening. Instead, usually, a British royal family member would serve as a proxy. Please note that not all of the photos below are christening photos.

Queen Victoria

Victoria with her mother; Credit – Wikipedia

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Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Consort

Albert on the left with his mother and elder brother Ernst; Credit – Wikipedia

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Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress and Queen of Prussia

Christening of Victoria, Princess Royal in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace in 1841; Credit – Wikipedia

(All of the children of Victoria, Princess Royal were born and christened in Prussia.)

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King Edward VII, born Albert Edward, Prince of Wales

The christening of Queen Victoria’s eldest son Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1842; Credit – Wikipedia

(All the children of Edward VII were born British princes and princesses. Their christening information is listed below.)

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Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, born Prince Albert Victor of Wales, known as Prince Eddy

Prince Eddy with his mother and father; Credit – Wikipedia

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King George V, born Prince George of Wales

The Princess of Wales holding Prince George who is wearing the christening gown; Credit – http://glucksburg.blogspot.com/

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Princess Louise, Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife, born Princess Louise of Wales

Embed from Getty Images
Princess Louise with her mother

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Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom, born Princess Victoria of Wales

Alexandra, Princess of Wales; Princess Victoria of Wales by W. & D. Downey, albumen carte-de-visite, Autumn 1868, NPG x3602 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Princess Maud of Wales, Queen of Norway

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Princess Maud with her mother

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Prince John of Wales

  • Parents: The Prince and Princess of Wales, later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra (born Princess Alexandra of Denmark)
  • Born: prematurely on April 6, 1871, at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England, died April 7, 1871
  • Christened: April 6, 1871, at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England
  • Names: Alexander John Charles Albert

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Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine

Painting of baby Princess Alice by Edwin Landseer, a surprise gift from Prince Albert for Queen Victoria; Credit – Wikipedia

(All of Alice’s children except for her first child Victoria were born and christened in the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine. Victoria’s christening information is listed below)

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Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine

Embed from Getty Images
Princess Alice holding her daughter Princess Victoria

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Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Christening of Prince Alfred; Credit – http://www.avictorian.com

(Alfred’s children were born British princes and princesses. Their christening information is below.)

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Prince Alfred of Edinburgh, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Alfred with his parents; Credit – Wikipedia

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Princess Marie of Edinburgh, Queen of Romania

1882 portrait of Marie by John Everett Millais commissioned by Queen Victoria; Credit – Wikipedia

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Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna of Russia

Royal Family group by Alexander Bassano, half-plate glass negative, 1879, NPG x95985 © National Portrait Gallery, London (Victoria Melita on the left with her siblings)

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Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Galliera

Embed from Getty Images

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Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

Helena on the right with her brother Alfred; Credit – Wikipedia

(Helena’s children were born and christened in the United Kingdom. Their christening information is below.)

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Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein

Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein by Alexander Bassano, half-plate glass negative, circa 1875, NPG x95879 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Prince Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein by Alexander Bassano, half-plate collodion glass negative, circa 1875, NPG x96022 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein

Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein by Alexander Bassano, quarter-plate glass negative, July 1879, NPG x96017 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein

Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein by Alexander Bassano, quarter-plate glass negative, July 1879, NPG x96050 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll

Princess Louise; Credit – Wikipedia

(Louise had did not have any children.)

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Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught

Arthur with his parents and Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington; Credit – Wikipedia

(Arthur’s children were born British princes and princesses. Their christening information is below.)

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Princess Margaret of Connaught, Crown Princess of Sweden

Margaret with her grandmother Queen Victoria; Credit – Wikipedia

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Prince Arthur of Connaught

Prince Arthur of Connaught by Alexander Bassano, albumen cabinet card, 1885, NPG x128290 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Princess Patricia of Connaught, Lady Patricia Ramsay

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Patricia on the left with her grandmother Queen Victoria and her brother Arthur

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Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany

Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany by John Jabez Edwin Mayall, albumen carte-de-visite, February 1861, NPG x15726 © National Portrait Gallery, London

(Leopold’s children were born a British prince and princess. Their christening information is below.)

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Princess Alice of Albany, Countess of Athlone

Alice with her father; Credit – Wikipedia

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Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Princess Helen, Duchess of Albany; Prince Charles Edward, 2nd Duke of Albany and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha by Byrne & Co, albumen cabinet card, December 1884, NPG x76776 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Princess Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg

Embed from Getty Images
Beatrice with her mother

(Beatrice’s children were born and christened in the United Kingdom. Their christening information is below.)

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Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke, born Prince Alexander of Battenberg

Princess Beatrice; Alexander Albert Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke by W. & D. Downey, albumen cabinet card, circa 1890 NPG Ax5554 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain

Princess Victoria of Prussia holding her cousin Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg by Alexander Bassano, half-plate glass negative, 1888, NPG x95917 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Lord Leopold Mountbatten, born Prince Leopold of Battenberg

Embed from Getty Images
Leopold on the left with his sister Victoria Eugenie and his brother Alexander

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Prince Maurice of Battenberg

The Baptism of Prince Maurice of Battenberg by George Ogilvy Reid; Credit – The National Galleries of Scotland

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Sir Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham, Private Secretary to Queen Victoria and King George V

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Sir Arthur Bigge, painted by Rudolf Swoboda, 1889. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 404843

Lieutenant Colonel The Right Honourable Sir Arthur John Bigge was Private Secretary to Queen Victoria from 1895 until she died in 1901. He then served as Private Secretary to the future King George V from 1901 – 1910, and for twenty-one years of King George V’s reign until he died in 1931. Queen Victoria did not have an official Private Secretary until she appointed General Charles Grey to the office in 1861. Lord Melbourne informally served as Private Secretary while he was Prime Minister from 1837 – 1840. Prince Albert then informally served as Private Secretary from 1840 until he died in 1861. The official position of Private Secretary came about when it was realized that the monarch required advice and support because the growth of the government had caused the government ministers to have insufficient time to provide daily advice and support. It was traditional for Queen Victoria’s Private Secretaries to be provided with homes at her various residences, including apartments in the Norman Tower at Windsor Castle, apartments in St. James’s Palace in London, and Osborne Cottage on the grounds of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

Arthur was born on June 18, 1849, one of nine children of Reverend John Frederick Bigge, Vicar of Stamfordham, and Caroline Mary Ellison. He attended the Rossall School in Lancashire before entering the Royal Military Academy Woolwich. While at Woolwich, Arthur was a classmate and became a close friend of Louis Napoleon, Prince Imperial, the only son of French Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie. His friendship and connection to the Prince Imperial would bring Arthur to royal service in the coming years. Arthur was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1869 and later served on the staff of Field Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood in the Zulu War of 1878-1879. After the death of the Prince Imperial in battle in June 1879, Arthur was summoned to Balmoral Castle to provide The Queen with the details of the Prince’s death. He also accompanied Empress Eugenie when she visited the site of her son’s death. According to Arthur himself, the kind words of Empress Eugenie to Queen Victoria led to his appointment to the Royal Household in 1880.

On February 10, 1881, Arthur married Constance Neville, the daughter of Rev. William Frederick Neville and Franny Grace Blackwood. The couple had three children:

  • The Hon. Victoria Bigge (1881) – married Captain Henry Robert Adeane (killed in World War I), had issue
  • The Hon. Margaret Bigge (1885) – unmarried
  • Lt. The Hon. John Bigge (1887) – unmarried, killed in action in World War I; served as a Page of Honour to both Queen Victoria and King Edward VII

Arthur’s grandson, Michael Adeane, served as Assistant Private Secretary (1952-1953) and Private Secretary (1954-1972) to Queen Elizabeth II and Michael’s son Edward Adeane also served extensively in the Royal Household. He was a Page of Honour to Queen Elizabeth II (1954-1956), Private Secretary and Treasurer to The Prince of Wales (1979-1985), Treasurer to The Princess of Wales (1981-1985), Private Secretary to The Princess of Wales (1984-1985) and Extra Equerry to The Prince of Wales (1985-2015).

Arthur’s service in the Royal Household began in 1880 when he was appointed Groom-in-Waiting, and then quickly named Assistant Private Secretary to Queen Victoria. Later that year, he was also appointed Assistant Keeper of the Privy Purse, serving until 1895. In May 1895, he succeeded Sir Henry Ponsonby as Private Secretary to Queen Victoria and served until her death in January 1901.

Arthur BIgge, Private Secretary, February 1901. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2911902

Following Queen Victoria’s death, Arthur was appointed as Private Secretary to the future King George V, whom he would serve for the next 31 years. He was officially the Private Secretary to The Duke of Cornwall and York (March-November 1901); Private Secretary to The Prince of Wales (November 1901-May 1910), and then Private Secretary to The King (June 1910-March 1931). During his service, he joined George on numerous trips and tours and became a close friend and advisor to the future King. He was involved with the decision to choose Windsor as the new name for the royal house during World War I the decision not to grant asylum to the Russian Imperial Family. His importance to the King was best described in the King’s own words following Arthur’s death – “He taught me how to be a king. He was the most loyal friend I have ever had.”

King George V in Buckingham Palace Gardens with Baron Stamfordham, June 1918. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2108037

During his time in service, Sir Arthur received numerous orders and honours, including the Order of the Bath, Royal Victorian Order, Order of the Indian Empire, Order of the Star of India, Order of St. Michael and St. George, and the Imperial Service Order. He also received several foreign orders, including the French Legion of Honour, the Greek Order of the Redeemer and the Danish Order of the Dannebrog. In 1910, he was made a member of His Majesty’s Privy Council, and the following year, on July 10, 1911, he was created Baron Stamfordham in the County of Northumberland. As his son had predeceased him, the barony became extinct upon Arthur’s death.

On March 31, 1931, following several weeks of illness, Lord Stamfordham died at his apartments in St. James’s Palace in London, England. He was buried at Brompton Cemetery in London, England.

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Recommended Book – Serving Queen Victoria: Life in the Royal Household by Kate Hubbard

Overview of the Peerage in The United Kingdom

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

 

The Peerage is a complex system of hereditary and lifetime titles within the United Kingdom. Know as Peers of the Realm, holders of these peerages were entitled to seats in the House of Lords – one of the two houses of the British Parliament. The Peerage actually consists of five different peerages:

  • The Peerage of England – titles created in England before the Act of Union in 1707
  • The Peerage of Scotland – titles created in Scotland before the Act of Union in 1707
  • The Peerage of Ireland – titles created in Ireland before the Act of Union in 1801, and some created later
  • The Peerage of Great Britain – titles created in Great Britain between 1707 and 1801
  • The Peerage of the United Kingdom – titles created since the Act of Union in 1801

Within these five peerages, there are different titles, listed below by rank:

  • Duke (Duchess) – comes from the Latin word dux, meaning leader
  • Marquess (Marchioness) – comes from the French word, marquis (derived from marche), referring to the borders between England, Scotland and Wales
  • Earl (Countess) – comes from the Old English word, eorl, meaning a military leader
  • Viscount (Viscountess) – comes from the Latin word vicecomes, meaning a vice-count
  • Baron (Baroness) – comes from the Old Germanic word baro, meaning a freeman.
  • Lord of Parliament – title in the Scottish peerage, equivalent to Baron in the other peerages. It ceased to be granted following the Act of Union 1707. (In Scotland, a Baron is traditionally the holder of a feudal dignity, not a peer.)

There are a few other titles that, while considered part of the aristocracy, are not actually part of the peerage:

  • Baronet (Baronetess) – baronetcies are hereditary titles, but are not part of the peerage.
  • Knight/Dame – those who have been knighted by the Sovereign, either independently, or as a member of one of the Orders of Chivalry.

History of the Peerage system
The Peerage, as we know it today, grew out of the medieval baronage system which existed in feudal times. Barons, in those times, were responsible for raising troops for military service, and held land as a tenant-in-chief, in addition to attending Parliament. Over time, many of those ceased to be called to Parliament, making their baronies personal titles as opposed to territorial. The titles were hereditary, but only upon payment of a fee – called relief – by the new holder. The Tenures Abolition Act of 1660 eliminated this practice.

The first Duke was named in 1337, when Edward the Black Prince was created Duke of Cornwall by his father, King Edward III.

The first Marquess was named in 1385, when Richard de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford was created Marquess of Dublin by King Richard II.

Earldoms existed prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066. But the first Earl named in the Peerage of England was in 1067, when Radulf Stalre (Ralph the Staller) was created Earl of East Anglia by King William I.

Viscountcies became a title in the peerage in 1440 when John Beaumont, 6th Baron Beaumont was created Viscount Beaumont by King Henry VI. Prior to then, Viscount was used as a judicial honorific, typically referring to a county sheriff.

Baronies – Barons first existed during the reign of King William I, who introduced the title to recognize those who had been loyal to him under the feudal system. They later became members of the King’s Council, a predecessor to the House of Lords.

Lords of Parliament have existed since the beginning of the Parliament of Scotland in the early 1200s.

Multiple Titles and Peerages
When a peerage is created, there is often more than one title granted. For example, when the Dukedom of Marlborough was created in 1702, John Churchill was created Duke of Marlborough and Marquess of Blandford, both in the Peerage of England. The Dukedom became his primary title, while the Marquessate became his most senior subsidiary title, in addition to several other titles he already held – Earl of Marlborough (England), Lord Churchill of Eyemouth (Scotland) and Baron Churchill of Sandridge (England).

There are also many peers who hold multiple titles in more than one peerage. For example, in 1675, King Charles II created his illegitimate son, Charles Lennox, Duke of Richmond, Earl of March and Baron Settrington, in the Peerage of England. A month later, he was also created Duke of Lennox, Earl of Darnley and Lord Torbolton in the Peerage of Scotland. He was then styled as Duke of Richmond and Lennox. Two hundred years later, the 6th Duke of Richmond and Lennox was also created Duke of Gordon and Earl of Kinrara in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The current holder, Charles Gordon-Lennox, is one of only 5 people to hold more than one dukedom, and the only one to hold three.

Here’s a fun fact about multiple titles – there are currently 31 Dukes, and they hold nearly 200 titles!

  • 37 Dukedoms
  • 21 Marquessates
  • 57 Earldoms
  • 17 Viscountcies
  • 45 Baronies
  • 21 Lordships of Parliament
  • (and also 4 Baronetcies – a lesser title which is not considered part of the peerage)

Hereditary Peers vs Life Peers
Hereditary Peers are those whose titles are passed down to future generations. Traditionally, the succession is in the male line, passing from father to son, with only males eligible to assume the title. There are, however, several exceptions where the title has been granted with a special remainder allowing a daughter to succeed. This has typically only been done in cases where there are no sons to inherit. A notable example is The Earl Mountbatten of Burma. As he only had daughters, the Letters Patent creating his title included a special remainder allowing his daughters to succeed him, but then reverting to their male descendants. Hereditary Peerages continue to exist as long as there are legitimate surviving descendants to inherit, based on the succession defined in the Letters Patent creating the title. When there are no eligible heirs, the peerage becomes extinct (ceases to exist).

Life Peers are those who are given peerages for themselves only, for the duration of their life. Life Peers are typically given the rank of Baron or Baroness, with only a few notable exceptions. Legitimate children of a life peer are accorded the style ‘The Honourable’, but they are unable to inherit the peerage itself.

The House of Lords Act 1999 reformed the House of Lords, which until that time had been comprised of several hundred hereditary peers. The Act removed most of them, leaving just 92 hereditary peers (and an additional 10 who were created life peers to allow them to remain). The House of Lords now consists primarily of Life Peers.

Precedence
In the very complex order of precedence in the United Kingdom, peers are amongst the highest level, preceded only by The Royal Family, Archbishops and High Officers of State. Wives and children of peers are also accorded precedence, as are widows – who take precedence over their successors. Former spouses do not hold any precedence, unless specifically decreed by the Sovereign.  (See Wikipedia: Orders of Precedence in the United Kingdom for a full list of precedence for peers and their families.)

Robes and Coronets
There are two kinds of robes worn by peers:

Parliamentary Robes of a Viscount (Viscount Nuffield) photo: By Simon Q from United Kingdom – Nuffield Place, HuntercombeUploaded by tm, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24237688

Parliamentary Robes – worn at a member’s introduction to the House of Lords, and at the State Opening of Parliament. They may also be worn when specifically directed, such as the Investiture of the Prince of Wales. These are worn by all peers and peeresses in their own right, but not by wives of peers. They feature a full-length garment of scarlet wool with a collar of white miniver fur, closed at the front with black silk satin ribbon ties. Bars of miniver fur (edged with gold oak-leaf lace) on the right side of the robe indicate the rank of the wearer:

  • DUKE – 4 bars
  • MARQUESS – 3-½ bars
  • EARL – 3 bars
  • VISCOUNT – 2-½ bars
  • BARON/LORD OF PARLIAMENT – 2 bars

Embed from Getty Images

Coronation Robes – worn only at the Coronation of a new Sovereign. They consist of a cloak of crimson velvet extending to the floor, open in the front, with white silk satin ribbon ties and trailing behind. Attached is a cape and collar of miniver fur, with the wearers rank indicated by the number of rows of ermine tails on the cape:

  • DUKE – 4 rows
  • MARQUESS – 3-½ rows
  • EARL – 3 rows
  • VISCOUNT – 2-½ rows
  • BARON/LORD OF PARLIAMENT – 2 rows
    (NOTE: Royal Dukes have six rows of ermine, and additional rows on the collar and the front edges of the robe.)

For peeresses in their own right, and wives of peers, the Coronation robes are slightly different in design. They consist of a crimson velvet kirtle, edged in miniver fur, and worn over evening dress. The robe is attached at the shoulder, taking the form of a long train of matching crimson velvet, edged in miniver. At the top of the train is a miniver cape which has rows of ermine indicating their rank (same as those listed above). In addition, the length of the train is indicative of their rank:

  • DUCHESS – 2 yards
  • MARCHIONESS – 1-¾ yards
  • COUNTESS – 1-½ yards
  • VISCOUNTESS – 1-¼ yards
  • BARONESS – 1 yard

In addition to their Coronation Robes, peers are entitled to a coronet. This is worn only at a coronation, and typically is featured in the holder’s coat of arms. Coronets are worn by peers, peeresses in their own right, and wives of peers. They are comprised of a silver-gilt circlet, chased as though it is jeweled, but no actual gems are used. They feature different symbols based upon the wearer’s rank:

  • DUKE- features 8 strawberry leaves
  • MARQUESS – features 4 strawberry leaves and 4 pearls
  • EARL – features 8 strawberry leaves and 8 pearls raised on stalks
  • VISCOUNT – features 16 pearls, all touching each other
  • BARON/LORD OF PARLIAMENT – features 6 pearls

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Sir Henry Ponsonby, Private Secretary to Queen Victoria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

General Sir Henry Ponsonby. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2931062

Major-General The Right Honourable Sir Henry Ponsonby was Queen Victoria’s Private Secretary from 1870-1895 and Keeper of the Privy Purse from 1878-1895.  Queen Victoria did not have an official Private Secretary until she appointed General Charles Grey to the office in 1861. Lord Melbourne informally served as Private Secretary while Prime Minister from 1837 – 1840. Prince Albert then informally served as Private Secretary from 1840 until he died in 1861. The official position of Private Secretary came about because it was realized that the monarch needed advice and support. The growth of the government had caused the government ministers to have insufficient time to provide daily advice and support. It was traditional for Queen Victoria’s Private Secretaries to be provided with homes at her various residences including apartments in the Norman Tower at Windsor Castle, apartments in St. James’s Palace in London, and Osborne Cottage on the grounds of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

The son of Major General Sir Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby and Lady Emily Charlotte Bathurst (a daughter of the 3rd Earl of Bathurst), Henry was born December 10, 1825 in Corfu, Greece, where his father was stationed with the British Army, commanding the troops in the Ionian Islands. He had five siblings:

  • Arthur Ponsonby (1827-1868) – married Catina Dahl
  • Georgina Ponsonby (1829-1895) – unmarried
  • Harriet Ponsonby (1830-1906) – unmarried
  • Selina Ponsonby (1835-1919) – married William Windham Baring
  • Frederick Ponsonby (1837-1894) – unmarried

Henry’s father had served as an Aide-de-Camp to the Prince Regent (later King George IV), and his mother occasionally served as a lady-in-waiting to The Duchess of Cambridge (the former Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel). His paternal aunt was Lady Caroline Lamb (née Ponsonby), the wife of the future Viscount Melbourne, Queen Victoria’s first Prime Minister.

After his father died in 1837, Henry’s mother was given apartment #39 at Hampton Court Palace, spanning three floors and overlooking the West Front and the main entrance to the Palace. Lady Emily remained there until her death in 1877. Later, his brother Arthur served as Chaplain of Hampton Court Palace.

In 1842, 17-year-old Henry entered the British Army, serving as an Ensign in the 49th Regiment of Foot. In 1844 he transferred to the Grenadier Guards, with whom he would be attached for many years. From 1847-1858, he served as an Aide-de-Camp to Lord Clarendon and Lord St. Germans, successive Lords Lieutenant of Ireland. During this time, he also served during the Crimean Campaigns of 1855-1856, receiving numerous medals and honours for his service. In 1857, Henry was appointed Equerry to Prince Albert, The Prince Consort, beginning his service in the Royal Household which would continue until just months before his death in 1895.

The Honourable Mary Bulteel, August 1854. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2906545

On April 30, 1861, at St. Paul’s Church in Knightsbridge, Henry married The Honourable Mary Elizabeth Bulteel, the daughter of John Crocker Bulteel and Lady Elizabeth Grey. They had known each other for some time, having been in the same social circles, and then through their service in the Royal Household. Mary had served as Maid of Honour to Queen Victoria from 1853-1861, and her maternal grandfather was Sir Charles Grey, Queen Victoria’s Private Secretary from 1861-1870. They were third cousins once removed through their mutual descent from Brabazon Ponsonby, 1st Earl of Bessborough. Henry and Mary had five children:

Frederick “Fritz” Ponsonby. source: Wikipedia

Henry’s son Fritz later played a prominent role in the Royal Household for over 40 years. He was first appointed Equerry to Queen Victoria in 1894, and Assistant Keeper of the Privy Purse and Assistant Private Secretary to The Queen in 1897. Following Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, he continued as Assistant Keeper of the Privy Purse and Assistant Private Secretary to King Edward VII until the King died in 1910. He served King George V as Assistant Private Secretary from 1910-1914 and Keeper of the Privy Purse from 1914-1935. In addition, he was named Lieutenant Governor of Windsor Castle from 1928-1935.

In February 1901, Fritz accompanied King Edward VII on a visit to the King’s elder sister Vicky (and Fritz’s godmother), the Dowager German Empress Friedrich who was dying. In a private meeting with Fritz, Vicky expressed her fear that her personal letters would fall into her son’s hands and asked Fritz to secretly take them back to England. That evening, two large boxes were delivered to Fritz’s rooms, which he marked as “Books” and “China”, and they were returned to England with the rest of his luggage. He kept the letters safely locked away at his home for over 25 years. In 1928, he edited the letters and they were published as Letters of The Empress Frederick.

Following their marriage, Henry and Mary settled at Windsor, leasing apt no.6 in the Horseshoe Cloister, in the Lower Ward of Windsor Castle. While they had considered finding a home in London, the home at Windsor fit better with their somewhat limited finances. Mary, who was required to leave her post as Maid of Honour, received a dowry from The Queen of £1,000, and Henry received £500 per year as Equerry, in addition to his smaller salary from the Grenadier Guards (which didn’t even cover the costs of the uniforms). Their financial position changed months later when The Prince Consort died in December 1861. Having depended on his Equerry’s salary, the couple were relieved when The Queen appointed Henry as an Extra Equerry, although at a reduced salary of £300 per year.

A group photo at Osborne, May 1867.  L-R: Mr Welsh; Mr Sahl; Sir John Cowell; Prince Leopold; Mr Legg; The Hon. Miss Macdonald; General Grey; Hon. Mrs Grey; Lady Caledon; Lady Churchill; Col. Henry Ponsonby; Hon. Mrs Ponsonby; Revd Mr Duckworth.  source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2901665.

Henry, accompanied by his wife, spent a year in Canada from 1862-1863, commanding a battalion of the Grenadier Guards stationed there during the American Civil War. Returning in 1863, he was elevated to Equerry in Ordinary to The Queen, serving several months at a time during the year. The rest of the time, he continued his ‘full-time job’ with the Grenadier Guards, having reached the rank of Colonel.

On April 8, 1870, Henry was appointed Private Secretary to The Queen, following the death of his wife’s grandfather, Sir Charles Grey. As was traditional for the Sovereign’s Private Secretary, Henry was provided with homes at the Queen’s various residences – apartments in the Norman Tower at Windsor Castle, apartments in St. James’s Palace in London, and Osborne Cottage on the grounds of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

The bronze memorial to Sir Henry Ponsonby, in St. Mildred’s Church. photo: © Geoff Allan, Isle of Wight Family History Society

After suffering a stroke several months earlier, Henry formally retired from his positions on May 9, 1895. He was succeeded by Sir Arthur Bigge as Private Secretary, and by Sir Fleetwood Edwards as Keeper of the Privy Purse. Sir Henry Ponsonby died at Osborne Cottage on the Isle of Wight on November 21, 1895, and is buried in the churchyard at St. Mildred’s Church in Whippingham. A memorial to Sir Henry is featured in the North Transept of the church. The memorial, in bronze, was created by Countess Feodora Gleichen, a great-niece of Queen Victoria (her grandmother was Queen Victoria’s sister, Princess Feodora of Leiningen, Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.)

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.

Recommended Books
– Henry & Mary Ponsonby: Life at the Court of Queen Victoria by William M. Kuhn
– Henry Ponsonby, Queen Victoria’s Private Secretary: His Life From His Letters by Arthur Ponsonby
– Serving Queen Victoria: Life in the Royal Household by Kate Hubbard

Sir Charles Grey, Private Secretary to Queen Victoria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Sir Charles Grey, by Maull & Polyblank, albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s. source: National Portrait Gallery, NPG Ax68094

General The Hon. Sir Charles Grey was Private Secretary to Queen Victoria from 1861 until 1870. Queen Victoria did not have an official Private Secretary until she appointed General Charles Grey to the office in 1861. Lord Melbourne informally served as Private Secretary while he was Prime Minister from 1837 – 1840. Prince Albert then informally served as Private Secretary from 1840 until he died in 1861. The official position of Private Secretary came about after it was realized that the monarch was in need of advice and support because the government’s growth had caused the government ministers to have insufficient time to provide daily advice and support. It was traditional for Queen Victoria’s Private Secretaries to be provided with homes at her various residences including apartments in the Norman Tower at Windsor Castle, apartments in St. James’s Palace in London, and Osborne Cottage on the grounds of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

Sir Charles Grey was born at Howick Hall in Howick, Northumberland, England on March 15, 1804, to Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey and The Honorable Mary Ponsonby. His father would later serve as Prime Minister from 1830-1834, and is the person for whom ‘Earl Grey Tea’ is named. Charles had fourteen siblings:

  • Lady Louisa Grey (1797) – married John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, had issue
  • Lady Elizabeth Grey (1798) – married John Crocker Bulteel, had issue
  • Lady Caroline Grey (1799) – married Captain George Barrington, had issue
  • Lady Georgiana Grey (1801) – unmarried
  • Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey (1802) – married Maria Copley, no issue
  • Admiral Sir Frederick Grey (1805) – married Barbarina Sullivan, no issue
  • Lady Mary Grey (1807) – married Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax, had issue
  • The Hon. William Grey (1808) – died in childhood
  • Admiral The Hon. George Grey (1809) – married Jane Stuart, had issue
  • The Hon. Thomas Grey (1810) – died in childhood
  • Rev. John Grey (1812) – married (1) Lady Georgiana Hervey, had issue; (2) Helen Spalding, no issue
  • Rev. Francis Grey (1813) – married Lady Elizabeth Howard, no issue
  • Captain The Hon. Henry Grey (1814) – unmarried
  • The Hon. William Grey (1819) – married Theresa Stedink, no issue

Charles also had a half-sister, Eliza Courtney (born February 1792), who was the daughter of his father and Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), The Duchess of Devonshire, who was married. Charles’s father and the Duchess had an affair prior to his marriage, and she became pregnant. The Duchess traveled to France to give birth and returned to England in September 1793. Upon returning, Eliza was raised by her paternal grandparents as though she was one of their own children. She never learned of her true parentage until after the death of the Duchess of Devonshire in 1806. Eliza is an ancestress of Sarah, Duchess of York.

In addition to his father’s service in the government, several of Charles’s family members also served in the royal household. His sister Caroline served as a Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria from 1837-1875, as well as being Lady Superintendent (Governess) to The Queen’s daughters.  His niece, Mary Bulteel, was a Maid of Honour to Queen Victoria from 1853-1861 before marrying Sir Henry Ponsonby (who would later succeed Charles as Private Secretary to Queen Victoria). Another niece, Alice, Countess of Morton, was an Extra Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Alexandra from 1901-1907.

After receiving a private education, Charles joined the British Army in 1820, and over the next 45 years, quickly rose through the ranks, reaching the rank of General in 1865. He also served as a Member of Parliament from 1832 until 1837, when he retired following Queen Victoria’s accession.

Caroline Eliza Grey (née Farquhar), by Elliott & Fry, albumen carte-de-visite, 1876. source: National Portrait Gallery, NPG x196260

On July 26, 1836, Charles married Caroline Eliza Farquhar, the daughter of Sir Thomas Farquhar, 2nd Baronet, and Sybella Rockcliffe. Caroline would later serve as an Extra Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria from 1870-1890. The couple had six children:

John Lambton, 1st Earl of Dunham, Charles’s brother-in-law. source: Wikipedia

In 1837, he was appointed as an Equerry to Queen Victoria, serving in that role until 1867. The following year, in 1838, Charles accompanied his brother-in-law, The Earl of Durham, to Canada where the Earl was appointed Governor-General. Charles was named a member of the Executive Council and Special Council for Lower Canada, serving from June to November 1838. After returning to Britain, he continued with his military service.

Charles Grey (far right) in a group photo taken at Balmoral, September 1858. Pictured l-r: Colonel Robert Bruce, Mr. Frederick Gibbs, Major Christopher Teesdale, HRH The Prince of Wales, Dr. Ernst Becker, Colonel Henry Ponsonby, General Charles Grey. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2906725

In October 1849, Charles was appointed Private Secretary to Prince Albert. He was given apartments at St. James’s Palace and lived in the Norman Tower at Windsor Castle, and at Osborne Cottage at Osborne House, and his children grew up as playmates of some of Victoria and Albert’s children. Over the next twelve years, he became an influential member of the royal household and a close confidante and advisor to Prince Albert. After Albert died in 1861, Charles seamlessly moved into the position of Private Secretary to The Queen, a role Prince Albert had largely filled since he and Victoria married in 1840. Charles was aided in his duties as Private Secretary by Sir Charles Phipps until Phipps died in 1866. During the nine years Charles served as Private Secretary, he was a great source of support to Queen Victoria, particularly in her darkest days of mourning in the weeks and months following Albert’s death.  In addition, from 1866-1867, Charles served with Col. Thomas Myddelton-Biddulph as Keeper of the Privy Purse.

General The Hon. Sir Charles Grey died on March 31, 1870. He is buried in St. Michael and All Angels Churchyard at Howick Hall in Howick, Northumberland, England.

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

Recommended Book – Serving Queen Victoria: Life in the Royal Household by Kate Hubbard

Princess Royal

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

Anne, Princess Royal; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Royal is a title usually granted to the eldest daughter of the Sovereign when the previous Princess Royal is no longer living. The title Princess Royal is not created by Letters Patent but is granted by a warrant through the College of Arms.  When and if an eligible princess is created Princess Royal is at the discretion of the Sovereign.

The holder of the title is styled Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. The current Princess Royal is Anne, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II. The next possible Princess Royal is Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. She could become Princess Royal after Anne’s death, providing her father Prince William, Duke of Cambridge is King.

History

      
The seven women who have been Princess Royal: Mary, Anne, Charlotte, Victoria, Louise. Mary, and Anne; Credit – Wikipedia

During the reign of King Henri IV of France, his eldest daughter Elisabeth was known as Madame Royale before her marriage, indicating her status as the eldest and most senior unmarried daughter of the king. After Elisabeth’s marriage, her next sister Christine became Madame Royale. When Christine married, her younger sister Henrietta Maria became Madame Royale.

In 1625, Henrietta Maria of France married King Charles I of England. She wanted to imitate the way the eldest unmarried daughter of the King of France was styled Madame Royale and so her eldest daughter Mary was created Princess Royal in 1642. In the English version, the holders retain the title for life so an eligible princess cannot receive the title during the lifetime of another Princess Royal. Queen Elizabeth II could have been created Princess Royal but her aunt Mary, Princess Royal lived until 1965, thirteen years into her niece’s reign.

Mary, the first Princess Royal; Credit – Wikipedia

The Princesses Royal

Name Years Princess Royal Parent

Husband

Mary, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange (1631 – 1660)

 1642 – 1660 King Charles I

Willem II, Prince of Orange

Anne, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange (1709 – 1759)

 1727 – 1759 King George II

Willem IV, Prince of Orange

Charlotte, Princess Royal, Queen of Württemberg (1766 – 1828)

 1789 – 1828 King George III

Friedrich I, King of Württemberg

Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress (1840 – 1901)

 1841 – 1901 Queen Victoria

Friedrich III, German Emperor

Louise, Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife (1867- 1931)

 1905 – 1931 King Edward VII

Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife

Mary, Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood (1897 – 1965)

 1932 – 1965 King George V

Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood

Anne, Princess Royal (born 1950)

 1987 – present Queen Elizabeth II

Mark Phillips

Timothy Laurence

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.

Sir Charles Phipps

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Col. The Honourable Sir Charles Phipps, c1859. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2910608

Sir Charles Phipps

Sir Charles Beaumont Phipps held several positions in the Royal Household of Queen Victoria from 1846 until 1866. He aided Sir Charles Grey in his duties as Private Secretary to Queen Victoria after the death of Prince Albert in 1861 until his death in 1866. Charles was born on December 27, 1801 at Mulgrave Castle in Yorkshire, the second son of Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave and Martha Maling. His siblings included:

  • Constantine Phipps, 1st Marquess of Normanby (1797) – married The Hon. Maria Liddell, had issue. Maria Liddell served as a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria from 1837-1841, and her sister, Georgiana Liddell, was a Maid of Honour from 1841-1845.
  • The Hon. Edmund Phipps (1808) – married Maria Campbell, had issue
  • The Hon. Augustus Phipps (1809) – married Lady Mary FitzRoy, had issue
  • Lady Lepell Charlotte Phipps – married Sir John Wallis Alexander, 4th Baronet, no issue

After his education at Harrow, Charles joined the British Army in August 1820, serving in the Scots Fusilier Guards. Over the next 34 years, he advanced in rank, retiring in 1854 with the rank of Colonel, although he had been unattached from the military for several years.

In 1832, Charles’ elder brother, Constantine was appointed Governor of Jamaica. Charles accompanied him and served as his private secretary. Three years later, he accompanied Constantine to his new appointment as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, this time serving as Steward of his household.

That same year, on June 25, 1835, Charles married Margaret Anne Bathurst, the daughter of the Right Reverend Henry Bathurst and Grace Coote. Charles and Margaret had four children:

  • Maria Phipps (1836) – married (1) Captain Frederick Sayer, had issue; (2) Lt. Col. WIlliam Chaine, had issue
  • Harriet Lepel Phipps (1841) – unmarried
  • Charles Phipps (1844) – married Susan Geddes, had issue
  • Albert Phipps (1847) – unmarried

The Phipps Family at Balmoral, August 1860. Sir Charles with (l-r) his younger son Albert, daughter Maria, wife Margaret, and daughter Harriet. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2906852

Three of Charles’ children also served in the Royal Household. His eldest daughter Maria served as Keeper of the State Apartments at Kensington Palace, and her husband served as Marshal of the Ceremonies and then Assistant Master of the Ceremonies to Queen Victoria from 1881 until 1901. His second daughter, Harriet, served as a Maid of Honour to Queen Victoria from 1862 until 1869, and then as a Woman of the Bedchamber from 1889 until 1901. And his son, Charles, served as a Page of Honour and Groom-in-Waiting to The Queen.

The Prince Consort and The Prince of Wales with guests at Buckingham Palace, April 1857. (l-r) Sir Charles Phipps, Mr. Frederick Gibbs, The Prince of Wales, The Prince Consort, Baron Christian Stockmar, Dr. Ernst Becker, Baron Ernst Stockmar. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2932751

On August 1, 1846, Charles was appointed Equerry in Ordinary to Queen Victoria, beginning his nearly 20 years of royal service. Just five months later, on January 1, 1847, he became Private Secretary to Prince Albert, serving for nearly three years. He resigned on October 10, 1849 to become Keeper of the Privy Purse, a position he held until his death in 1866. He was also appointed Treasurer and Cofferer to The Prince of Wales, and Treasurer to Prince Albert.

In December 1861, Prince Albert died at Windsor Castle. Sir Charles Grey – who had replaced Charles as private secretary to the Prince in 1849 – was named Private Secretary to The Queen. Charles assisted him in this role, although he was never officially titled as Private Secretary himself. In May 1862 he was appointed Receiver-General of the Duchy of Cornwall, and in January 1863 was appointed to the Council of the Prince of Wales. In February 1864 he was also appointed Secretary, Chamberlain, and Receiver-General and Keeper of the Signet to The Prince of Wales, in his role as Prince and Steward of Scotland.

After developing bronchitis, Sir Charles Phipps died at St. James’s Palace in London, England on February 24, 1866. He is buried in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

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.

Recommended Book – Serving Queen Victoria: Life in the Royal Household by Kate Hubbard

Royal Dukes

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

                 
(Prior to the accession of King Charles III in September 2022) – Coronet of the Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay; Coronet of the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex; Coronet of the late Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of York; Coronet of the Duke of Gloucester and Duke of Kent; Credit – 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=10963941

Duke is the highest title in the British peerage. A royal duke is a member of the British royal family, who is entitled to the style and title of His Royal Highness Prince <First Name> and who also has been created a duke. Usually, royal dukedoms are created when a Sovereign’s son or a Sovereign’s male-line grandson reaches the age of majority or marries.

Royal dukes are created by a Letters Patent from the Sovereign. All Letters Patent for royal dukes have followed the one below for the Duke of Edinburgh created by King George VI.

The KING has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm, bearing date the 20th of November 1947, to confer the dignity of a Duke of the United Kingdom upon Lieutenant His Royal Highness Sir Philip Mountbatten, K.G., R.N., and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, by the name, style and title of BARON GREENWICH, of Greenwich in the County of London, EARL OF MERIONETH, and DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

The phrase “the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten” means that the eldest surviving son of a lawful marriage shall inherit the title. Heirs of peerages use a subsidiary title of the title holder as a courtesy title. For instance, the heir of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester uses the subsidiary title Earl of Ulster as a courtesy title. Heirs that are HRH Prince do not use subsidiary titles. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the son of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is the heir apparent to his father’s Dukedom of Sussex, Earldom of Dumbarton, and Barony of Kilkeel. Earl of Dumbarton would be the courtesy title. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex instead decided that their son would be styled as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in accordance with their wish that he should live his life as a private citizen.  (This changed following the accession of King Charles III, when Archie became Prince Archie of Sussex, as a male-line grandchild of the Sovereign.)

The Dukedoms of Gloucester and Kent are now in their second generation. The heirs to these dukedoms are great-grandsons of a Sovereign and are not entitled to the style and title of HRH Prince. Instead, they are styled with their fathers’ senior subsidiary title. When they inherit the dukedom from their royal fathers, it will cease to be a royal dukedom.

The heirs of the current royal dukes are

Current Royal Dukes

Dukedom Name Year Created Subsidiary Titles
Duke of Cambridge Prince William, The Prince of Wales 2011

Earl of Strathearn

Baron Carrickfergus
Duke of Sussex Prince Harry 2018

Earl of Dumbarton

Baron Kilkeel
Duke of York Prince Andrew 1986

Earl of Inverness

Baron Killyleagh
Duke of Gloucester Prince Richard 1928, for his father Prince Henry, son of King George V

Earl of Ulster

Baron Culloden
Duke of Kent Prince Edward 1934, for his father Prince George, son of King George V

Earl of St Andrews

Baron Downpatrick
Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward 2023

Earl of Wessex

Earl of Forfar

Viscount Severn

Royal dukes are styled HRH The Duke of (X) and their wives are styled HRH The Duchess of (X). The royal eldest son of a royal duke does not use the subsidiary title of his father as is the practice in dukes of the British peerage. All royal children of a royal duke are styled HRH Prince/Princess <First Name> of (X).

On his wedding day in 1999, Prince Edward, the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II, was created Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn, breaking with the tradition of a dukedom being granted to the son of the Sovereign upon marriage. However, it was announced that Prince Edward will eventually be granted the Dukedom of Edinburgh, his late father’s title, at such time when it has reverted back to the Crown. In 2019, on the Earl of Wessex’s 55th birthday, it was announced that Queen Elizabeth II had granted him another title, Earl of Forfar, named after Forfar, a town in Angus, Scotland. When in Scotland, Edward and his wife Sophie will be known as TRH The Earl and Countess of Forfar. On March 10, 2023, Prince Edward was created Duke of Edinburgh by King Charles III.

At the time of the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, it was announced that Queen Elizabeth II had decided, in agreement with the wishes of the couple, that any children of their marriage would not use the style Royal Highness and the title Prince or Princess. Instead, any children would have courtesy titles of sons and daughters of an Earl. While the parents were styled HRH The Earl of Wessex and HRH The Countess of Wessex, their daughter was and still is styled The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and their son was styled Viscount Severn, his father’s subsidiary title. Upon their father being created Duke of Edinburgh, James will now use his father’s highest subsidiary title and will be styled James, Earl of Wessex.

Duke of Cornwall is a secondary title of the Sovereign’s eldest living son in England and Duke of Rothesay is a secondary title of the Sovereign’s eldest son and heir apparent in Scotland. Both titles are currently held by William, The Prince of Wales, the eldest son of King Charles III. They are automatic titles and when King Charles III succeeded to the throne his eldest son William automatically become Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay. See the articles Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay for a list of those dukes.

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History

King Edward III started creating his sons Dukes; Credit – Wikipedia

After the Norman Conquest in 1066, monarchs began to bestow peerages on their sons almost immediately. Prior to King Edward III, Earl was the title bestowed unless the title was foreign such as Duke of Normandy or Count of Poitiers.  Through the years, grandsons, brothers, and other male relatives of Sovereigns have also been created peers but the list below only includes sons of Sovereigns.

  • William I sons: Duke of Normandy (French)
  • Henry I sons: legitimate son had no title, illegitimate sons were Earl of Gloucester, Earl of Cornwall
  • Stephen sons: no English titles, Count of Boulogne
  • Henry II sons: no English titles; William: Count of Poitiers; Henry: the Young King; Richard:
  • Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Poitiers, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany; Geoffrey: Duke of Brittany; John: Lord of Ireland
  • John sons: Earl of Cornwall
  • Henry III sons: Earl of Lancaster, Earl of Leicester
  • Edward I sons: Earl of Cornwall, Earl of Chester, Earl of Norfolk, Earl of Kent
  • Edward II sons: Earl of Cornwall
  • Edward III sons: Duke of Clarence, Duke of Lancaster, Duke of York, Duke of Gloucester
  • Henry IV sons: Duke of Clarence, Duke of Bedford, Duke of Gloucester
  • Edward IV sons: Duke of York, Duke of Bedford
  • Richard III son: Earl of Salisbury
  • Henry VII son: Duke of York
  • Henry VIII: illegitimate son Duke of Richmond
  • James I sons: Duke of Kintyre (Scottish title)
  • Charles I sons: Duke of York (James II), Duke of Gloucester
  • Charles II illegitimate sons: Duke of Monmouth, Duke of Southampton, Duke of Cleveland, Duke of Grafton, Duke of Northumberland, Duke of Richmond and Duke of Lennox
  • James II’s sons: Duke of Cambridge (four sons), Duke of Kendal, Duke of Berwick (illegitimate son), Duke of Albemarle (illegitimate son)
  • Anne’s son: Duke of Gloucester
  • George I son: Duke of Cambridge
  • George II son: Duke of Cumberland
  • George III sons: Duke of York, Duke of Albany, Duke of Clarence, Duke of St. Andrews, Duke of Kent, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, Duke of Sussex, Duke of Cambridge
  • William IV illegitimate sons: Earl of Munster (only eldest son had a title; others were styled as Lord)
  • Victoria sons: Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Connaught, Duke of Albany
  • Edward VII sons: Duke of Clarence and Avondale, Duke of York
  • George V sons: Duke of York, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Kent, Duke of Windsor
  • Elizabeth II sons: Duke of York, Earl of Wessex
  • Charles III sons: Duke of Cambridge, Duke of Sussex

Beginning with King George I and the House of Hanover the use of royal duke titles became more consistent. Below is a list of royal dukes since 1707.

Name Royal Lineage Royal Dukedom(s)
George, later King George II only son of King George I Duke of Cambridge
Frederick, Prince of Wales 1st son of King George II Duke of Edinburgh
William Augustus 3rd son of King George II Duke of Cumberland
George, later King George III 1st son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, grandson of King George II Duke of Edinburgh
Edward Augustus 2nd son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, grandson of King George II Duke of York and Albany
William Henry 3rd son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, grandson of King George II Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Henry Frederick 4th son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, grandson of King George II Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn
Frederick 2nd son of King George III Duke of York and Albany
William, later King William IV 3rd son of King George III Duke of Clarence and St Andrews
Edward 4th son of King George III Duke of Kent and Strathearn
Ernest Augustus, later King of Hanover 5th son of King George III Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale
Augustus 6th son of King George III Duke of Sussex
Adolphus 7th son of King George III Duke of Cambridge
William Frederick only son of William Henry, great-grandson of King George II Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
George, later George V, King of Hanover only son of Ernest Augustus, grandson of King George III Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale
George only son of Adolphus, grandson of King George III Duke of Cambridge
Alfred 2nd son of Queen Victoria Duke of Edinburgh
Arthur 3rd son of Queen Victoria Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
Leopold 4th son of Queen Victoria Duke of Albany
Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick only son of George V, King of Hanover, great-grandson of King George III Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, deprived of British titles by the Titles Deprivation Act
Albert Victor 1st son of King Edward VII Duke of Clarence and Avondale
George, later King George V 2nd son of King Edward VII Duke of York
Carl Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha only son of Leopold, grandson of Queen Victoria Duke of Albany, deprived of British titles by the Titles Deprivation Act
Albert, later King George VI 2nd son of King George V Duke of York
Henry 3rd son of King George V Duke of Gloucester
George 4th son of King George V Duke of Kent
Alastair only son of Prince Arthur of Connaught, grandson of Arthur, Duke of Connaught, great-grandson of Queen Victoria Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
Philip, born Prince of Greece and Denmark husband of Queen Elizabeth II, female-line great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria Duke of Edinburgh
Richard 2nd son of Henry, grandson of King George V Duke of Gloucester
Edward 1st son of George, grandson of King George V Duke of Kent
Andrew 2nd son of Queen Elizabeth II Duke of York
Edward 3rd son of Queen Elizabeth II Earl of Wessex
William 1st son of King Charles III, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II Duke of Cambridge
Harry 2nd son of King Charles III, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II Duke of Sussex
Edward 3rd son of Queen Elizabeth II, brother of King Charles III Duke of Edinburgh

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Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

Credit – Wikipedia

Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom once during the reign of Queen Victoria: March 1894 – June 1895. Born on May 7, 1847 at his parents’ house on Charles Street in Mayfair, London, he was the eldest of the two sons and the third of the four children of Archibald Primrose, Lord Dalmeny and Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope (1819–1901), a historian and genealogist, the daughter of Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl Stanhope. Primrose’s father used the courtesy title of Lord Dalmeny as the heir of his father Archibald Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery.

Unfortunately, during the Christmas season of 1859, Rosebery’s father Lord Dalmeny was ill with pleurisy and during his recovery, he died of heart failure on January 23, 1851, at the age of 41. At that time 3 ½-year-old Rosebery became the heir to his grandfather’s peerage and was styled Lord Dalmeny. Upon his grandfather’s death in 1868, 21-year-old Rosebery became the 5th Earl of Rosebery.

Rosebery’s mother, born Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope, was a Maid of Honor at Queen Victoria’s coronation and one of the bridesmaids at her wedding. After her first husband’s death, she married again in 1854 to Lord Harry Vane, youngest son of William Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland who succeeded his brother as Duke of Cleveland in 1864, and changed his surname to Powlett. Wilhelmina was a historian and among her works were three volumes of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages, short histories concerning the origins of several hundred English families of Norman origin.

Rosebery had three siblings:

  • Lady Mary Catherine Constance Primrose (1844 – 1935), married Henry Walter Hope-Scott, had one child
  • Lady Constance Evelyn Primrose (1846 – 1939), married Henry Wyndham, 2nd Baron Leconfield, had nine children
  • Everard Henry Primrose (1848–1885), Colonel in the Grenadier Guards and the Military Attaché at Vienna, unmarried

After attending preparatory schools in Hertfordshire and Brighton, Rosebery attended Eton College from 1860 – 1863. He then attended Brighton College between 1863 and 1865 and then entered Christ Church, Oxford, graduating in 1869. When his grandfather died in 1868, Rosebery was eligible to sit in the House of Lords as in 1828, his grandfather had been created 1st Baron Rosebery in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The Earl of Rosebery was a Scottish peerage and Peerages of Scotland did not automatically entitle their holders a seat in the House of Lords.

Credit – Wikipedia

Rosebery literally had the good fortune to marry Hannah de Rothschild, the only child and sole heiress of Baron Mayer Amschel de Rothschild. Upon the death of her father in 1874, 23-year-old Hannah was the richest woman in the United Kingdom, inheriting Mentmore Towers which was a large country house in Buckinghamshire, a London mansion, a large art collection, and assets of more than two million pounds.

On March 20, 1878, Rosebery and Hannah were married at the Board Room of Guardians in Mount Street, London, and had a blessing at Christ Church in Down Street, Piccadilly, London. Rosebery’s mother was horrified at the thought of her son marrying a Jewish woman, even a Rothschild. No male member of the Rothschild family attended the wedding. However, the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) and Queen Victoria’s cousin Prince George, Duke of Cambridge attended and Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli gave the bride away. Rosebery felt that raising their children in the Jewish faith was an impassable barrier at this time and his four children were raised in the Church of England.

Hannah Primrose, Countess of Rosebery by George Frederick Watts. After her death, Rosebery always traveled with this portrait; Credit – Wikipedia

While Hannah gave Rosebery wealth, he gave his Jewish wife an entrance into the aristocracy, something that her wealth could not buy because of anti-Semitism. The Countess of Rosebery supported her husband in his political career and became a philanthropist concentrating on public health, especially with working-class Jewish women living in the poorer parts of London.

Sadly, Hannah died from typhoid fever on November 19, 1890, at the age of 39. She was also suffering from nephritis, a kidney disease, which had greatly weakened her condition, and would have killed her within two years. Hannah was buried following the rites of the Jewish religion and was buried with her birth family at Willesden Jewish Cemetery in London. Only male mourners attended the funeral service which included most of Prime Minister William Gladstone’s cabinet. Hannah’s death was particularly difficult for Rosebery. He confessed to Queen Victoria in a letter of the great pain he suffered when “another creed steps in to claim the corpse.”

Tomb of Hannah Primrose, Countess of Rosebery; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1881, Rosebery was appointed Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department by Prime Minister William Gladstone who owed Rosebery in part for the electoral success of the Liberal Party in 1880. He was appointed Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs in the new Gladstone Government in February 1886 but resigned in July with Gladstone. He served again as Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs in 1892-1894.

In early 1894, the 84-year-old Gladstone retired from active politics, almost blind and hard of hearing. However, Queen Victoria, who rejected the other leading Liberals, did not ask Gladstone who should succeed him but sent for Rosebery. His term as Prime Minister was unsuccessful. On June 21, 1895, Rosebery’s Government lost a vote in committee on army supply by just seven votes. Rosebery saw this as a vote of censure on his government and resigned as Prime Minister and in October 1896, he resigned as leader of the Liberal Party. In 1911, Rosebery made his last appearance in the House of Lords.

Captain The Honorable Neil Primrose; Credit – Wikipedia

On November 15, 1917, Rosebery’s youngest child 34-year-old Neil died from wounds received in action at Gezer, Palestine while leading his squadron against Turkish positions on the Abu Shusha Ridge during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the Third Battle of Gaza. He was buried in the Ramleh Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery now in Ramla, Israel. Neil had followed his father into politics and was elected in 1910 as a Member of Parliament for Wisbech. He served as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury. In June 1917, he became a member of the Privy Council. See Unofficial Royalty: November 1917: Royalty and World War I.

Rosebery in 1918; Credit – Wikipedia

A few days before the World War I Armistice (November 11, 1918), Rosebery suffered a stroke. While he regained his mental faculties, his movement, hearing, and sight remained impaired for the rest of his life. Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery died at one of his homes, The Durdans in Epsom, Surrey, England on May 21, 1929, at the age of 82. He was buried at the Dalmeny Parish Church in Dalmeny, Scotland near Dalmeny House, the ancestral seat of the Earls of Rosebery.

Dalmeny Parish Church; 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

  • Baird, Julia. Victoria The Queen. Random House, 2016.
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2018). Archibald Primrose, 5. Earl of Rosebery. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Primrose,_5._Earl_of_Rosebery [Accessed 3 Aug. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Primrose,_5th_Earl_of_Rosebery [Accessed 3 Aug. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Hannah Primrose, Countess of Rosebery. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Primrose,_Countess_of_Rosebery [Accessed 3 Aug. 2018].
  • Erickson, Carolly. Her Little Majesty: The Life of Queen Victoria.Simon and Schuster, 1997.
  • Hubbard, Kate. Serving Victoria: Life In The Royal Household. Harper Collins Publishers, 2012