Charles Stanley, 8th Earl of Derby

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Charles Stanley, 8th Earl of Derby (January 19, 1628 – December 21, 1672), an English nobleman was the only son of James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby and Charlotte de la Tremoüille.

As Lord Strange, he took little part in the English Civil War. In France at the time of his father's condemnment in 1651, he petitioned unsuccessfully for the latter's life. After succeeding to the Earldom, he lived quietly at Bidston Hall, Cheshire, emerging to support Booth's unsuccessful rising in 1659. Attainted for so doing, he was restored the following year and the family's lands in the Isle of Man were returned to him.

He married Dorothea Helena Kirkhoven (d. 1674), daughter of Jehan, Lord of Heenvliet and his wife, Katherine (later Countess of Chesterfield) in 1650 and had two sons:

• William Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby (c. 1655–1702)
• James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby (1664–1736)

Dorothea Helena Kirkhoven, wife of the 8th Earl of Derby, had an extra marital liaison with King Charles II of England which resulted in a child. Their son George was raised by the wife of a Gunner at Windsor named Swan. George assumed the surname Swan.^{[citation needed]}

The brother of Swan's wife, Bartholomew Gibson, was the king's farrier in Edinburgh. It would further appear that Gibson obtained, on trust for George Swan from Charles II or his brother the Duke of York, a grant of land in New Jersey, where Gibson's son died about 1750, as would appear from a notice in the London Chronicle in 1771.

George Swan was recognised by King Charles II as his son. When asked why he had not ennobled him, as he had his other illegitimate children, the king replied,"I did not dare to make a deuck (Scots for 'duck') of him, but I made a nobler bird". George Swan became a burgess in Edinburgh in later life.^{[citation needed]}

George Swan had, at least, two daughters, Hannah Swan (married name Robertson) born 1724, died 1808, in Edinburgh and Elizabeth Swan born 1726 and died 1790. Elizabeth married William Mercer in 1746. Both are buried at Kinnoull, Perth, Scotland.

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• Images at the National Portrait Gallery

Honorary titles
English Interregnum	Vice-Admiral of Cheshire 1661–1672	Vacant Title next held by The Earl of Derby
	Vice-Admiral of Lancashire 1661–1672	Succeeded by William Bankes
	Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire jointly with The Lord Brereton 1662–1664 and Lancashire 1660–1672	Succeeded by The Earl of Bridgewater
Peerage of England
Preceded by James Stanley	Earl of Derby 1651–1672	Succeeded by William Stanley
Head of State of the Isle of Man
Preceded by Thomas Fairfax	Lord of Mann 1660–1672	Succeeded by William II Stanley