George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland

Lieutenant-General George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG, PC (Oxford, December 28 1665 – June 28 1716, Epsom) 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 October 1 1674, he was created Earl of Northumberland, Baron of Pontefract (Yorkshire) and Viscount Falmouth (Cornwall). On April 6 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 (January 10) and installed (April 8) 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 and Lord Lieutenant of Surrey. 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 January 10, 1710, he became Lieutenant-General. On April 7 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 at Epsom on June 28 1716. He had no legitimate offspring. Mary died at Frogmore House in 1738.

Ancestry

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