The British Monarchy Miscellany

by Alex David

  Described as voluptuous and shrewd, Elizabeth decided to become George’s mistress to improve her family’s station, and succeeded on establishing herself as his last official mistress. He became besotted with her and most famously he was seen winking at her during his

  coronation ceremony. She was once called nothing but a hand to accept pearls and diamonds, and after George died she left the royal palace with the Stuart Sapphire in her pocket (see The Crown Jewels), which she only handed back to the Crown after much wrangling.

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  Dorothy Jordan

  (1761-1816)

  Mistress to William IV when Duke of Clarence

  Originally born in Ireland as Dorothea Bland, Dorothy moved to England where she became one of the most

  famous stage actresses of her day. She eventually

  attracted the attention of William, then Duke of Clarence, who took her as a mistress and lived with her as a

  common-law wife for 20 years. She bore him 10

  illegitimate children whilst also continuing to act occasionally. After their affair ended she was given a yearly allowance on condition that she never act again, but she forfeited it when she decided to go back to the stage. She eventually died in poverty in France where she had moved to escape creditors.

  Lillie Langtry

  (1853-1929)

  Mistress to Edward VII when Prince of Wales

  Lillie was one of the best known celebrities of late Victorian England, famous for her beauty which was

  captured on portraits by the best artists of the day. She began a three-year affair with Edward when he was

  Prince of Wales after he became infatuated with her, and the two often met in a house in Bournemouth, on the southern English coast, away from prying eyes. She had a genius for self-promotion and after her affair ended she used her fame to become first an actress, then a stage producer, and later a racehorse owner.

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  Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick

  (1861-1938)

  Mistress to Edward VII when Prince of Wales

  Daisy followed in the footsteps of her ancestress Barbara Villiers by seeking a place as a royal mistress when Edward was Prince of Wales. Her indiscretions and

  tendency to boast however forced Edward to discard her, and crucially she was also disliked by Edward's wife Alexandra who thought her manipulative and insincere.

  After Edward died she tried to blackmail the Royal Family by threatening to publish personal letters she had

  received from him, but was eventually prevented from doing so.

  Alice Keppel

  (1868-1947)

  Mistress to Edward VII

  Edward’s last illicit love was described as the perfect mistress. A woman with perfect social graces and the ability to make everyone feel at ease, she was 29 when she started her affair with the 56 year-old king. Called ‘La Favorita’ in royal circles, she acted as friend, adviser and lover to Edward, all with the tacit approval of Queen Alexandra. As Edward lay dying, she was allowed to see him one last time to say her farewells and had to be dragged away in hysterics.

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  Wallis Simpson

  (1896-1986)

  Mistress to Edward VIII

  In the words of one of her biographers, Hugo Vickers,

  “the precise nature of Mrs Simpson's appeal to Edward could only be understood by him; probably he hardly understood it himself.” Twice divorced and with other lovers, Wallis started as just one of Edward’s mistresses before he became besotted with her and determined to make her his wife. There is evidence that Wallis preferred to remain a royal mistress instead, but Edward insisted in giving up the throne to marry her. They were wed six months after his abdication.

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  Royal Illegitimate Children

  Illegitimate children of kings played an important part in the history of the monarchy until the 19th century, at which time bastards ceased to be acknowledged publicly.

  Below is a selection of the most notable illegitimate royal offspring since the Norman Conquest of 1066.

  Robert Fitzroy, Earl of Gloucester

  (c.1090-1147)

  Illegitimate son of Henry I, before his accession, by an unidentified mistress

  Robert was most probably the first of Henry’s many

  illegitimate children, and later became the most powerful noble in the realm during King Stephen’s reign. A capable commander and respected earl, he played a key role in the Anarchy as the main ally and military commander of Empress Matilda, his half-sister.

  Juliane de Fontevraud

  (c.1090-after 1136)

  Illegitimate daughter of Henry I, before his accession, by a woman named Ansfrida

  Juliane became famous in her time for going to war

  against her father after Henry allowed her young

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  daughters to be taken hostage and be blinded by one of her enemies. As a revenge, Juliane tried to kill Henry with a crossbow as he was entering a castle once. They

  eventually reconciled, and she later entered a convent.

  Matilda Fitzroy, Countess of Perche

  (c.1090-1120)

  Illegitimate daughter of Henry I before his accession by a woman named Edith

  After marrying Count Rotrou III of Perche (between

  Normandy and Maine in France) Matilda drowned in

  1120 in the White Ship disaster off the coast of

  Normandy. The story was told that Henry’s legitimate heir to throne, William Adelin, her half-brother, lost his life in an attempt to save her.

  Sybilla de Normandy, Queen of Scotland

  (c.1092-c.1122)

  Illegitimate daughter of Henry I, before his accession, by Sybilla Corbet

  Although illegitimate, Sybilla was married to King

  Alexander I of Scotland after Henry’s accession and became the first daughter of an English king to become a Scottish Queen, starting a tradition that lasted 400 years.

  Her marriage was childless and she died young, but she and her husband founded Scone Abbey in Perthshire, the original site of the Scottish coronation stone.

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  Matilda Fitzroy, Duchess of Brittany

  (before 1100-after 1128)

  Illegitimate daughter of Henry I before his accession by an unknown woman

  Matilda married Conan III, Duke of Brittany and,

  differently from some her illegitimate siblings, she and her husband allied themselves with King Stephen during the Anarchy. Her great-granddaughter, Constance of

  Brittany, married one of the sons of King Henry II.

  Reginald de Dunstanville, Earl of Cornwall

  (c.1110-1175)

  Illegitimate son of Henry I by Sybilla Corbet

  Also called Rainaldus or Rainaud, he took Matilda’s side during the Anarchy and was made Earl of Cornwall by his half-brother Robert Earl of Gloucester. He later became a trusted advisor to Matilda’s son, King Henry II, his own half-nephew, as well as one of the most powerful men in the kingdom thanks to the revenues from his Cornwall estates.

  Gervaise of Blois, Abbot of Westminster

  (c.1115/20-1160)

  Illegitimate son of Stephen before his accession by woman named Dameta

  Made Abbot of Westminster by his father, Gervaise is said to have mismanaged the abbey’s lands and to have given property away to his mother. He was dismissed 347

  from his post by his father’s successor, King Henry II. His tomb can still be seen in Westminster Abbey today.

  Geoffrey, Archbishop of York

  (c.1152-1212)

  Illegitimate son of Henry II before his accession by a woman named Ykenai

  Said to have been his father’s favourite of all his children, Geoffrey helped Henry put down rebellions launched by his legitimate sons, prompting Henry to famously declare

  “My other sons are the real bastards, this is the only one who’s proved himself legitimate!” He was made Bishop of Lincoln and Chancellor
of England by his father, then Archbishop of York by his half-brother Richard I, but he quarrelled over church taxation with his other half-brother King John, and died in exile in France.

  William Longspee, Earl of Salisbury

  (c.1167-1226)

  Illegitimate son of Henry II by Ida de Tosny

  Called ‘the flower of earls’ by medieval chroniclers, William was known for his military prowess, loyalty and chivalry. He had good relationships with his royal half-brothers: Richard I married him to a wealthy heiress and created him Earl of Salisbury, and later he became a close ally of King John. He was one of the regents who

  governed England during the minority of his half-nephew Henry III.

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  Morgan, Provost of Beverley

  (c.1180-c.1217)

  Illegitimate son of Henry II by Nesta of Iorweth ab Owain, wife of Sir Ralph Bloet

  Morgan was born of an adulterous liaison, but his

  adoptive father, Sir Ralph Bloet, decided to raise him as if he was his own son. King John, Morgan’s half-brother, made him Provost of Beverley and later nominated him to be Bishop of Durham, but Pope Innocent III refused to consecrate him on the grounds that he was known to be illegitimate. As a compromise, the pope offered Morgan to allow being consecrated if he would swear that he was the son of Nesta and Ralph Bloet. Morgan however

  refused to disavow Henry as his real father and was refused consecration, dying shortly after.

  Joan, Lady of Wales

  (c.1191-1237)

  Illegitimate daughter of John before his accession by a woman named Clementina

  Although born illegitimate, Joan was eventually declared legitimate by the pope on the grounds that her parents had not been married to other people at the time of her birth. She was married to Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales, and enjoyed a happy marriage despite one brief affair Joan had with an English knight. Llywelyn was heartbroken when she died before him.

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  Oliver Fitzroy

  (c.1191-c.1218/19)

  Illegitimate son of John, before his accession, by a woman named Hawise

  Oliver fought at his father’s side during the First Barons War, and after John’s death he took part in the Fifth Crusade during which died at the siege of Damietta in Egypt. His body was brought back to England and he is buried in Westminster Abbey.

  Arthur Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle

  (c.1461/64-1542)

  Illegitimate son of Edward IV by Elizabeth Lucy

  Arthur grew up at the court of his father Edward IV and later also became part of Henry VII’s court. He was much loved by his half-nephew King Henry VIII who arranged an advantageous marriage for him and made him Constable of Calais in 1533. His luck turned however in 1540 when members of his household in Calais were accused of

  treason and Arthur was imprisoned in the Tower of

  London. After two years’ imprisonment Henry VIII

  released him and cleared him of any wrongdoing, but Arthur was so excited at the news that he had a heart attack and died soon after.

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  John of Gloucester

  (c.1468/70-c.1499)

  Illegitimate son of Richard III, before his accession, by an unknown woman

  John was the only bastard officially acknowledged by Richard III, who knighted him in 1483 and made him

  Captain of Calais the year afterwards. He lost his position after his father died in 1485 and was initially tolerated by Henry VII who even granted him a pension. He was later imprisoned however when Henry faced challenges from pretenders, and was probably executed in the Tower of London around 1499.

  Richard of Eastwell

  (c.1469-1550)

  Illegitimate son of Richard III, before his accession, by an unknown woman

  An old Kent tradition says that in 1546 an old man

  working as a bricklayer in Eastwell was discovered to be an illegitimate son of Richard III. He said he had been given into the care of a Kentish family when an infant, and found out that he was Richard III’s son when he was taken to see his father on the eve of the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. He began to conceal his identity after Richard’s death in fear for hishis life, until he was discovered in old age in Eastwell. There are no historical records backing this claim, except the burial records in Eastwell itself giving his name as Richard Plantagenet.

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  Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset

  (1519-1536)

  Illegitimate son of Henry VIII by Elizabeth Blount Henry was the only surviving male child born to Henry VIII during his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. He was

  beloved of his father who bestowed title after title on him including a double dukedom, Lord High Admiral, and Lord President of the Council of the North, all before he turned 8 years old. He resembled his father in intelligence and athletic skills, and the relationship between the two was one of great affection. There was speculation at the time of Henry VIII’s divorce from Anne Boleyn that he might legitimise him and make him his heir, but he died suddenly at the age of 17 of an illness.

  James Scott, Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch

  (1649-1685)

  Illegitimate son of Charles II, before his restoration to the throne, by Lucy Walter

  Charles’s firstborn son, born whilst he was in exile, resembled his father in looks and gentlemanly qualities but lacked Charles’ virtues of patience and common

  sense. As a Protestant he became the focus of

  discontented Whigs who wanted him to inherit the

  throne instead of Charles’ Catholic brother James. He actively pursued his claim to the crown in the Exclusion Crisis of 1678-80, greatly displeasing Charles who exiled him abroad as a punishment. After James II’s accession 352

  he came back to England to try depose his uncle in the failed Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 for which he was

  sentenced to death. The current line of the Dukes of Buccleuch is descended from him.

  Charles FitzCharles, Earl of Plymouth

  (1657-1680)

  Illegitimate son of Charles II, before his restoration to the throne, by Catherine Pegge

  Born abroad while his father was in exile, Charles was raised in Europe. He arrived in England as a teenager in 1672 and was immediately acknowledged by Charles who granted him a pension. Newfound wealth and status

  however warped his character and he began to live a life of laziness and debauchery. He tried to redeem himself by joining military service and in 1679 commanded an English military expedition to Tangier, Morocco. He distinguished himself in leadership and bravery but he died of dysentery during the fighting there, aged only 23.

  Anne Fitzroy, Countess of Sussex

  (1661-1722)

  Illegitimate daughter of Charles II by Barbara Villiers Anne was the most colourful of Charles’ illegitimate children, allegedly conceived the night after Charles came back to England to reclaim his throne. Beautiful but also wilful and extravagant, she was rumoured to have had a 353

  lesbian relationship with Hortense Mancini, one of

  Charles’ mistresses. She had a stormy relationship both with her husband, Thomas Lennard, Earl of Sussex, and her mother Barbara Villiers who tried to calm her spirits by sending her to a convent in France from which she escaped. She finally abandoned her husband in 1688, when she later the country at the Glorious Revolution to live with her exiled uncle James II in France.

  Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Grafton

  (1663-1690)

  Illegitimate son of Charles II by Barbara Villiers Said to be the most beautiful of Charles’ children, Henry was also considered the most able and the most popular because of his gallantry and common touch. He served both in the navy and in the army, and fought against his half-brother the Duke Monmouth during the Monmouth

  rebellion of 1685. He later supported William III’s invasion of England against his uncle James II and died in Ireland at the Siege of Cork fighting on behalf of William.

  He was an a
ncestor of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the current line of the Dukes of Grafton is descended from him.

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  Charlotte Fitzroy, Countess of Lichfield

  (1664-1718)

  Illegitimate daughter of Charles II by Barbara Villiers Charlotte was the favourite of Charles’ children and inherited many of his character traits, like kindness and amiability. He looked visibly moved when he personally gave her away at her wedding to Edward Lee, Earl of Lichfield in 1677. She was the most prolific of his children, giving birth to at least 18 children over a 28-year period, ten of whom made it to adulthood. She was also a

  favourite of her uncle James II, and she supported his cause after he lost the throne in 1688.

  George Fitzroy, Duke of Northumberland

  (1665-1716)

  Illegitimate son of Charles II by Barbara Villiers After training in the army abroad under Louis XIV, and possibly working as a spy in Venice, George rose to be colonel of the Life Guards regiment in England and held several offices under both James II and William III. He married rashly and secretly in 1686 to a widow of a regimental captain who was the daughter of a London poulterer. He later tried to divorce her, and when she refused he kidnapped her and sent her hostage to a

  convent in Flanders. They were forced to reconcile when the marriage was held to be binding by his uncle James II, though they had no children.

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