Walter Swan

Extra-marital tryst results in Walter's birth

Discussion

~• from Charles II's wikipedia page & this link highlighted above:

"Charles was popularly known as the Merry Monarch, in reference to both the liveliness and hedonism of his court and the general relief at the return to normality after over a decade of rule by Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans. Charles's wife, Catherine of Braganza, bore no live children, but Charles acknowledged at least twelve illegitimate children by various mistresses."

Walter's mother

" Dorothea Helena Kirkhoven (died 1674), daughter of Jehan, Lord of Heenvliet and his wife, Katherine Stanhope (later Countess of Chesterfield), in 1650. She remained the wife of Charles Stanley, 8th Earl of Derby during the following interlude.

Dorothea reportedly had an extramarital tryst with King Charles II of England which resulted in a child. Their son George, born 1658, was raised by the wife of a gunner at Windsor named Swan. George assumed the surname Swan."

Surrogate parents " (FNU) Swan of Windsor and his wife, nee Gibson

"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.[3] "

George recognized as Charles II's son

"George Swan (1658–1730) was recognized 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 Glasgow in later life.[4][5] "

children

" George Swan had, at least, two daughters,

1. Hannah Swan (married name Robertson; 1724–1800, Edinburgh) and
2. Elizabeth Swan (1726–1790). Elizabeth married William Mercer in 1746.

Both are buried at Kinnoull, Perth, Scotland. " ~• the subsequent generation sank to relative penury even though they were of royal heritage.

Reference in particular to Walter's parentage

1. The Life of Mrs Robertson, Grand-Daughter of Charles 11. Written by Herself. Derby, 1792
2. The family of Charles Stanley, 8th Earl of Derby