Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton

His Grace
The Duke of Grafton
KG PC FRS
Lord High Steward
for the coronation of King George I
In office
19 October 1714  20 October 1714
Monarch George I
Preceded by The Duke of Devonshire
Succeeded by The Earl Cowper
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
In office
18 June 1720  6 May 1724
Preceded by The Duke of Bolton
Succeeded by The Lord Carteret
Personal details
Born (1683-10-25)25 October 1683
Died 6 May 1757(1757-05-06) (aged 73)
Spouse(s) Lady Henrietta Somerset
Children Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore
Charles FitzRoy, Earl of Euston
George FitzRoy, Earl of Euston
Lord Augustus FitzRoy
Lord Charles FitzRoy
Caroline Stanhope, Countess of Harrington
Lady Harriet FitzRoy
Isabella Seymour-Conway, Countess of Hertford
Parents Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton
Isabella Bennet, 2nd Countess of Arlington

Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton KG PC FRS (25 October 1683 – 6 May 1757) was an Irish and English politician.

Early life

He was the only child and heir of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton (1663-1690) (an illegitimate son of King Charles II by his mistress Barbara Villiers) by his wife Isabella Bennet, 2nd Countess of Arlington. He succeeded to his father's titles on 9 October 1690.

Career

He was Lord High Steward at King George I's coronation, becoming a Privy Counsellor in 1715 and a Knight of the Garter in 1721. He also served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1720 to 1724[1] and Lord Chamberlain from 1724 until his death. In 1719 he was one of the main subscribers to the Royal Academy of Music, a corporation that produced baroque opera on the stage. In 1739 he supported the creation of what was to become one of London's most notable charities, the Foundling Hospital. He sat on that charity's original Court of Governors with such fellow Governors as the Duke of Bedford, the Lord Vere and the Lord Mayor of London.

Marriage and children

Isabella, Countess of Hertford by Alexander Roslin (1765)
Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow

He married Lady Henrietta Somerset, daughter of Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester and Rebecca Child; they had seven children:

The Duke also fathered an illegitimate son, Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore. Grafton Street in Dublin was named after him.

References

  1. Rachel Wilson, 'The Vicereines of Ireland and the Transformation of the Dublin Court, c. 1703-1737' in The Court Historian, xix, no. 1 (2014).
  2. Leo van der Pas. George Fitzroy, Earl of Euston (1715–1747) at the Wayback Machine (archived April 20, 2004) from Brigitte Gastel-Lloyd's Worldroots website. Retrieved in cached version on 7 October 2009.

Sources

Political offices
Preceded by
The Duke of Bolton
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
1720–1724
Succeeded by
The Lord Carteret
Preceded by
The Duke of Newcastle
Lord Chamberlain
1724–1757
Succeeded by
The 4th Duke of Devonshire
Honorary titles
Vacant
Title last held by
The 1st Duke of Devonshire
Lord High Steward
1714
Vacant
Title next held by
The Lord Cowper
Preceded by
The Earl of Dysart
Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk
1705–1757
Succeeded by
The Duke of Grafton
Vice-Admiral of Suffolk
1705–1757
Vacant
Title next held by
The Marquess of Hertford
Peerage of England
Preceded by
Henry FitzRoy
Duke of Grafton
1690–1757
Succeeded by
Augustus FitzRoy
Preceded by
Isabella Bennett
Earl of Arlington
1723–1757
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