Descendants of Charles II of England

The descendants of Charles II of England, Stuart monarch of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France, are numerous; lines from his many illegitimate children exist to this day. Although Charles's wife Catherine of Braganza was barren, he stayed with her but had numerous mistresses. Some of Charles's illegitimate children were born before his marriage. This article deals with the most senior figures who were descended from Charles's illegitimate sons; the names of his daughters are also mentioned.

Although some of Charles's children made claims to the throne, most notably his first son James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, their illegitimacy meant that after Charles's death, his brother James, Duke of York, became king. Over the centuries, several of Charles's descendants have made names for themselves, including Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, who became Prime Minister of Great Britain, the cricket pioneer Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, and the parliamentary reformer Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond.

Diana, Princess of Wales, was descended from two of Charles's illegitimate sons; Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton, and Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond. This means that her son, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, will become the first descendant of Charles II to occupy the British throne, if he succeeds as expected.

Child by Lucy Walter

James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth

Descendant	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth 1649–1685		9 April 1649[1] Rotterdam son of Charles II of England and Lucy Walter	Anne Scott, 1st Duchess of Buccleuch 20 April 1663 7 children	15 July 1685 Tower Hill aged 36
James Scott, Earl of Dalkeith 1685–1705		23 May 1674[2] son of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth and Anne Scott, 1st Duchess of Buccleuch	Henrietta Scott, Countess of Dalkeith 2 January 1693 6 children	14 March 1705 London aged 30
Francis Scott, 2nd Duke of Buccleuch 1705–1751		11 January 1694[3] son of James Scott, Earl of Dalkeith and Henrietta Scott, Countess of Dalkeith	Lady Jane Douglas 5 April 1720 1 child Alice Powell 4 September 1744 No children	22 April 1751 aged 57
Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch 1751–1812		2 September 1746[4] son of Francis Scott, Earl of Dalkeith and Caroline Campbell, Baroness Greenwich	Elizabeth Montagu 2 May 1767 7 children	11 January 1812 aged 65
Charles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch 1812–1819		24 May 1772[5] London son of Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch and Elizabeth Montagu	Harriet Katherine Townshend 24 March 1795 7 children	20 April 1819 Lisbon aged 46
Walter Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch 1819–1884		25 November 1806[6] Dalkeith son of Charles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch and Harriet Katherine Townshend	Charlotte Anne Thynne 13 August 1829 7 children	16 April 1884 Bowhill aged 77
William Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch 1884–1914		9 September 1831[7] Montagu House son of Walter Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch and Charlotte Anne Thynne	Lady Louisa Jane Hamilton 22 November 1859 8 children	5 November 1914 aged 83
John Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch 1914–1935		30 March 1864[8] son of William Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch and Lady Louisa Jane Hamilton	Lady Margaret Bridgeman 30 January 1893 8 children	19 October 1935 Bowhill aged 71
Walter Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 8th Duke of Buccleuch 1935–1973		30 December 1894[9] son of John Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch and Lady Margaret Bridgeman	Vreda Esther Mary Lascelles 21 April 1921 3 children	4 October 1973 aged 78
John Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch 1973–2007		28 September 1923[10] son of Walter Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 8th Duke of Buccleuch and Vreda Esther Mary Lascelles	Jane McNeill 10 January 1953 5 children	4 September 2007 aged 84
Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch 2007–present		14 February 1954[11] son of John Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch and Jane McNeill	Lady Elizabeth Marian Frances Kerr 31 October 1981 4 children

Children by Catherine Pegge

Catherine Pegge and Charles II also had a daughter together called Catherine FitzCharles but she died young or became a nun.

Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth

Descendant	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth 1657–1680		1657[12] son of Charles II of England and Catherine Pegge	Bridget Osborne 19 September 1678 No children	17 October 1680 Tangier aged 23

Children by Barbara Palmer née Villiers

Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, was perhaps the most notorious of Charles's mistresses. Some of the children claimed by Palmer as belonging to Charles are in doubt. Anne Lennard, Countess of Sussex, was claimed to be Charles's daughter and he recognised her, though some sources regard Roger Palmer as her father. Palmer claimed Lady Barbara FitzRoy was Charles's daughter, but he never recognised her and most sources consider John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, more likely. Palmer and Charles had another daughter together, Charlotte Lee, Countess of Lichfield, and three sons who were recognised by Charles, their lines are featured below.

Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland

Descendant	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland 1662–1730		18 June 1662[13] London son of Charles II of England and Barbara Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine	Mary Wood 1671 No children Anne Pulteney 1694 6 children	9 September 1730 St. James's Square aged 68
William FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Cleveland 1730–1774		19 February 1698[14] son of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland and Anne Pulteney	Lady Henrietta Finch 22 January 1731 No children	18 May 1774 Raby Castle aged 76
Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington 1774–1792		1726[15] son of Lady Grace FitzRoy and Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington	Margaret Lowther 22 January 1731 3 children	8 September 1792 Raby Castle aged 66
William Henry Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland 1792–1842		27 July 1766[15][16] son of Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington and Margaret Lowther	Lady Catherine Powlett 17 September 1787 8 children Elizabeth Russell 27 July 1813 No children	29 January 1842 aged 75
Henry Vane, 2nd Duke of Cleveland 1842–1864		6 August 1788[17][18] son of William Henry Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland and Lady Catherine Powlett	Lady Sophia Poulett 16 November 1809 No children	18 January 1864 Raby Castle aged 75
William John Frederick Vane, 3rd Duke of Cleveland 1864		3 April 1792[19][20] son of William Henry Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland and Lady Catherine Powlett	Lady Grace Lowther 3 July 1815 No children	6 September 1864 Raby Castle aged 72
Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Cleveland 1864–1891		19 April 1803[21][22] son of William Henry Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland and Lady Catherine Powlett	Lady Catherine Stanhope 2 August 1854 No children	21 August 1891 Cleveland House aged 88

Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton

Descendant	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton 1663–1690		28 September 1663[23] son of Charles II of England and Barbara Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine	Isabella FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton 1 August 1672 2 children	9 October 1690 aged 27
Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton 1690–1757		25 October 1683[24] son of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton and Isabella FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton	Lady Henrietta Somerset 30 April 1713 7 children	6 May 1757 aged 73
Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton 1757–1811		28 September 1735[25] son of Augustus FitzRoy and Elizabeth Cosby	Anne Liddell 29 January 1756 3 children Elizabeth Wrottesley 24 June 1769 6 children	14 March 1811 aged 75
George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton 1811–1844		14 January 1760[26] son of Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton and Anne Liddell	Charlotte Maria Waldegrave 16 November 1784 1 child	28 September 1844 aged 84
Henry FitzRoy, 5th Duke of Grafton 1844–1863		10 February 1790[27] son of George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton and Charlotte Maria Waldegrave	Mary Caroline Berkeley 20 June 1812 5 children	26 March 1863 aged 73
William FitzRoy, 6th Duke of Grafton 1863–1882		5 August 1819[28] son of Henry FitzRoy, 5th Duke of Grafton and Mary Caroline Berkeley	Marie Anne Baring 10 February 1858 No children	21 May 1882 aged 62
Augustus FitzRoy, 7th Duke of Grafton 1882–1918		22 June 1821[29] son of Henry FitzRoy, 5th Duke of Grafton and Mary Caroline Berkeley	Anna Balfour 9 June 1847 4 children	4 December 1918 aged 97
Alfred FitzRoy, 8th Duke of Grafton 1918–1930		3 March 1850[30] son of Henry FitzRoy, 5th Duke of Grafton and Mary Caroline Berkeley	Margaret Rose Smith 27 April 1875 3 children Susanna Mary Stewart 8 January 1916 2 children	10 January 1930 aged 79
John FitzRoy, 9th Duke of Grafton 1930–1936		1 August 1914[31] son of William Henry FitzRoy and Auriol Margaretta Brougham	never married	4 August 1936 Euston Hall aged 22
Charles FitzRoy, 10th Duke of Grafton 1936–1970		4 June 1892[32] son of Charles Edward FitzRoy and Ismay FitzRoy	Doreen Maria Buxton 24 January 1918 2 children Lucy Eleanor Barnes 6 October 1924 1 child Rita Carr-Ellison 18 July 1944 No children	11 November 1970 aged 78
Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton 1970–2011		3 April 1919[33] Cape Town son of Charles FitzRoy, 10th Duke of Grafton and Doreen Maria Buxton	Fortune FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton 12 October 1946 5 children	7 April 2011 aged 92
Henry FitzRoy, 12th Duke of Grafton 2011–present		6 April 1978[34] son of James Oliver Charles FitzRoy, Earl of Euston and Lady Claire Amabel Margaret Kerr	Olivia Margaret Sladen 14 August 2010 1 child

George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland

Descendant	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland 1665–1716		28 December 1665[35] Oxford son of Charles II of England and Barbara Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine	Catherine Wheatley 1686 No children Mary Dutton 1715 No children	28 June 1716 Epsom aged 50

Child by Nell Gwyn

Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans

Descendant	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans 1670–1726		8 May 1670[36] son of Charles II of England and Nell Gwynne	Diana de Vere 13 April 1694 8 children	10 May 1726 aged 56
Charles Beauclerk, 2nd Duke of St Albans 1726–1751		6 April 1696[37] son of Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans and Diana de Vere	Lucy Werden 13 December 1722 2 children	27 July 1751 aged 55
George Beauclerk, 3rd Duke of St Albans 1751–1786		25 June 1730[38] son of Charles Beauclerk, 2nd Duke of St Albans and Lucy Werden	Jane Roberts 23 December 1752 No children	1 February 1786 aged 55
George Beauclerk, 4th Duke of St Albans 1786–1787		5 December 1758[39] son of Col. Charles Beuclerk and Elizabeth Jones	never married	10 February 1787 aged 28
Aubrey Beauclerk, 5th Duke of St Albans 1787–1789		3 June 1740[40] son of Vere Beauclerk, 1st Baron Vere and Mary Chambers	Catherine Ponsonby 4 May 1763 5 children	4 September 1789 aged 49
Aubrey Beauclerk, 6th Duke of St Albans 1789–1815		21 August 1765[41] son of Aubrey Beauclerk, 5th Duke of St Albans and Catherine Ponsonby	Mary Moses 9 July 1788 1 child Louisa Grace Manners 15 August 1802 1 child	12 August 1815 aged 49
Aubrey Beauclerk, 7th Duke of St Albans 1815–1816		7 April 1815[42] son of Aubrey Beauclerk, 6th Duke of St Albans and Louisa Grace Manners	never married	19 February 1816 aged 10 months
William Beauclerk, 8th Duke of St Albans 1816–1825		18 December 1766[43] son of Aubrey Beauclerk, 5th Duke of St Albans and Catherine Ponsonby	Charlotte Thelwall 20 July 1791 No children Maria Janetta Nelthorpe 4 March 1799 7 children	17 July 1825 aged 58
William Beauclerk, 9th Duke of St Albans 1825–1849		24 March 1801[44] son of William Beauclerk, 8th Duke of St Albans and Maria Janetta Nelthorpe	Harriet Mellon 16 June 1827 No children Elizabeth Catherine Gubbins 29 May 1839 2 children	27 May 1849 aged 48
William Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St Albans 1849–1898		15 April 1840[45] son of William Beauclerk, 9th Duke of St Albans and Elizabeth Catherine Gubbins	Sybil Mary Grey 20 June 1867 3 children Grace Osborne 2 January 1874 5 children	10 May 1898 aged 58
Charles Beauclerk, 11th Duke of St Albans 1898–1934		26 March 1870[46] son of William Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St Albans and Sybil Mary Grey	never married	19 September 1934 aged 64
Osborne Beauclerk, 12th Duke of St Albans 1934–1964		16 October 1874[47] son of William Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St Albans and Grace Osborne	Beatrix Frances Petty-Fitzmaurice 19 August 1918 No children	2 March 1964 aged 89
Charles Beauclerk, 13th Duke of St Albans 1964–1988		16 August 1915[48] son of Aubrey Topham Beauclerk and Gwendolen Loftus Hughes	Nathalie Chatham Walker 21 March 1938 1 child Suzanne Marie Adèle Fesq 19 March 1947 4 children	8 October 1988 aged 73
Murray Beauclerk, 14th Duke of St Albans 1988–present		19 January 1939[49] son of Charles Beauclerk, 13th Duke of St Albans and Nathalie Chatham Walker	Rosemary Frances Scoones 31 January 1963 2 children Cynthia Theresa Howard 29 August 1974 No children Gillian Anita Northam 14 December 2002 No children

Child by Louise de Kérouaille

Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond

Descendant	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond 1672–1723		29 July 1672[50] son of Charles II of England and Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth	Anne Brudenell 10 January 1692 3 children	27 May 1723 aged 50
Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond 1723–1750		18 May 1701 Goodwood[51] son of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond and Anne Brudenell	Sarah Cadogan 4 December 1719 3 children	8 August 1750 Godalming aged 49
Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond 1750–1806		22 February 1735[52] son of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond and Sarah Cadogan	Mary Bruce 1 April 1757 No children	29 December 1806 aged 71
Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond 1806–1819		9 December 1764[53] Gordon Castle son of Lord George Lennox and Lady Louisa Kerr	Charlotte Gordon 20 September 1768 14 children[54]	28 August 1819 Canada aged 54
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond 1819–1860		3 August 1791[55] Richmond House son of Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond and Charlotte Gordon	Lady Caroline Paget 6 June 1817 8 children[56]	21 October 1860 London aged 69
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond 1860–1903		27 February 1818[57] Whitehall son of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond and Lady Caroline Paget	Frances Harriett Greville 10 April 1817 8 children[58]	27 September 1903 aged 85
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond 1903–1928		27 December 1845[59] Portland Place son of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond and Frances Harriett Greville	Amy Mary Ricardo 10 November 1868 5 children Isabel Sophie Craven 3 July 1882 2 children[60]	18 December 1928 Goodwood aged 82
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 8th Duke of Richmond 1928–1935		30 December 1870[61] son of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond and Amy Mary Ricardo	Hilda Madeleine Brassey 8 June 1893 5 children[62]	7 May 1935 aged 64
Frederick Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of Richmond 1935–1989		5 February 1904[63] son of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 8th Duke of Richmond and Hilda Madeleine Brassey	Elizabeth Grace Hudson 15 December 1927 2 children[64]	2 November 1989 aged 85
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 10th Duke of Richmond 1989–present		19 September 1929[65] son of Frederick Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of Richmond and Elizabeth Grace Hudson	Susan Monica Grenville-Gray 26 May 1951 4 children[66]

Child by Moll Davis

With Moll Davis Charles had one daughter, Lady Mary Tudor. Mary went on to marry Edward Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Derwentwater. Very soon after his death she married Henry Graham, and within a few months of his death she married James Rooke.

Lady Mary Tudor's sons James Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Derwentwater (1689–1716) and Charles Radclyffe (1693–1746) were both notable Jacobites and both were executed for treason following the Risings of 1715 and 1745 respectively.

Charles II Line of Descent to Prince William and Prince Harry

It was a well-known fact that Lady Diana Spencer, (later the Princess of Wales), was a direct descendant of Charles II, through two of his illegitimate sons. Diana married The Prince of Wales in 1981, and had two sons, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Currently, the Duke is 2nd in the line of Succession, his son Prince George is 3rd and Prince Harry is 4th in line. If any of them succeed to the British throne, they will be the first descendants of Charles II of England to accede to the throne. The following list details the line of descent from Charles II of England to Princes William and Harry.

Other notable descendants

Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, through Lady Charlotte Fitzroy
Andrew Russell, 15th Duke of Bedford, through Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
John Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, through Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton
Isabella Calthorpe, daughter of John Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe
Sarah, Duchess of York, through Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond and James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth
Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland, through Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond and James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth
Samantha Cameron, wife of Prime Minister David Cameron, through Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, Lady Charlotte Fitzroy and Lady Mary Tudor
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, through Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire, through Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
David Somerset, 11th Duke of Beaufort, through Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans

References