Lieutenant-General George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG, PC

From Wikipedia

(28 December 1665 – 28 June 1716) was the third and youngest illegitimate son of King Charles II and his mother Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine (also known as Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland). On 1 October 1674, he was created Earl of Northumberland, Baron of Pontefract (Yorkshire) and Viscount Falmouth (Cornwall). On 6 April 1683, he was created Duke of Northumberland.

The first Duke of Northumberland was born at Merton College, Oxford. In 1682, he was employed on secret service in Venice. Upon his return to England in 1684, he was elected (10 January) and installed (8 April) Knight of the Garter. That summer, he served as a volunteer on the side of the French at the Siege of Luxembourg. In 1687, Northumberland commanded the 2nd Troop of Horse Guards. A year later, he was appointed a lord of His Majesty's bedchamber. In 1701, he was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle, in 1710 Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, and in 1712, he became Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire as well. In 1703, he succeeded the Earl of Oxford as Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Horse. Seven years later, on 10 January 1710, he became Lieutenant-General. On 7 April 1713, he was sworn into the Privy Council and as Chief Butler of England.

In March 1686, Northumberland married Catherine Wheatley, the daughter of poulterer, Robert Wheatley of Bracknell in Berkshire. Catherine was the widow of Thomas Lucy of Charlecote Park, a captain in the Royal Horse Guards. Soon after the marriage, Northumberland and his brother, Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton, allegedly attempted to privately convey her abroad to an English convent in Ghent, Belgium. After the death of Catherine in 1714, Northumberland remarried to Mary Dutton, the sister of Captain Mark Dutton.

The Duke lived at Frogmore House at Windsor in Berkshire, but died suddenly aged 51 at Epsom on 28 June 1716. He had no legitimate offspring. Mary died at Frogmore House in 1738.

He had also an illegittimate son with Julia Fane, wife of Robert Monckton; their son was the 1st Viscount Galway.

Ancestors of George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland

 16. Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley 

8. James I of England
17. Mary, Queen of Scots
4. Charles I of England
18. Frederick II of Denmark
9. Anne of Denmark
19. Sofie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
2. Charles II of England
20. Antoine of Navarre
10. Henry IV of France
21. Jeanne III of Navarre
5. Henrietta Maria of France
22. Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
11. Marie de' Medici
23. Johanna of Austria
1. George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland
24. George Villiers
12. Edward Villiers
25. Audrey Saunders
6. William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison
26. John St. John
13. Barbara St. John
27. Lucy Hungerford
3. Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland
28. Paul Bayning
14. Paul Bayning, 1st Viscount Bayning
29. Susanna Norden
7. Mary Bayning
30. Henry Glemham
15. Anne Glemham
31. Anne Sackville
===Military offices===

Preceded by

Sir Philip Howard Captain and Colonel of
The Queen's Troop of Horse Guards 1685–1689

Succeeded by

The Earl of Ossory

Preceded by

The Earl of Oxford Colonel of the Royal Horse Guards 1703–1712

Succeeded by

Viscount Colchester

Preceded by

The Duke of Ormonde Captain and Colonel of The Queen's Troop of Horse Guards 1712–1715

Succeeded by

Earl of Hertford

Honorary titles

Preceded by

The Duke of Norfolk Constable of Windsor Castle
1702–1716

Succeeded by

The Lord Cobham

Preceded by

The Earl of Berkeley Lord Lieutenant of Surrey 1710–1714

Succeeded by The Earl of Halifax

Preceded by

The Lord Craven Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire 1712–1714

Succeeded by

The Duke of St Albans

Peerage of England

New creation

Duke of Northumberland

2nd creation

1683–1716 Extinct

Other References

• "Charles Fitzroy, Duke of Cleveland", Westminster Abbey