Descendants of Charles II of England facts for kids
The descendants of Charles II of England are a fascinating group! Charles II was a king who ruled England, Scotland, and Ireland a long time ago. Even though his wife, Catherine of Braganza, didn't have any children, Charles had many children with other women. These children were born outside of his marriage, and their families are still around today.
You might wonder why this is important. Well, because these children were not born to his queen, they couldn't inherit the throne. So, after Charles II died, his brother James became king instead.
However, some of Charles's descendants became very famous. For example, Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton became a Prime Minister (a top leader) of Great Britain. Another, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, was important in the early days of cricket, a popular sport.
Interestingly, Diana, Princess of Wales, who was the mother of Prince William, was a descendant of two of Charles II's sons: Henry FitzRoy and Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond. This means that if Prince William becomes king, he will be the first direct descendant of Charles II to sit on the British throne! Even though William is part of the House of Windsor (the current royal family), he also has a connection to the old House of Stuart through Charles II.
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Children of Charles II
Charles II had several children with different women. Here's a look at some of the most well-known lines of his descendants.
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth
James Scott was Charles II's first son, born to Lucy Walter. He was born in Rotterdam in 1649. James was a very important figure during his time. He married Anne Scott, 1st Duchess of Buccleuch and they had seven children.
James tried to claim the throne after his father's death, but because he was born outside of marriage, his claim was not accepted. He died in 1685 at the age of 36. His family line continued through his son, James Scott, Earl of Dalkeith.
The family line of the Dukes of Buccleuch comes from James Scott. Over the centuries, many notable people have been part of this family, including:
- Francis Scott, 2nd Duke of Buccleuch (1694–1751)
- Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch (1746–1812)
- Walter Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch (1806–1884)
- John Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch (1864–1935)
- Today, the current head of this line is Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch, born in 1954.
Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth
Charles II also had a son named Charles FitzCharles with Catherine Pegge. Charles FitzCharles was born in 1657 and later became the 1st Earl of Plymouth. He married Bridget Osborne in 1678 but they did not have any children. He died young, at 31, in Tangier in 1680. Catherine Pegge and Charles II also had a daughter, Catherine FitzCharles, who died young.
Children by Barbara Villiers Palmer
Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland was another woman who had children with Charles II. They had three sons and a daughter who were recognized by the King.
Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland
Charles FitzRoy was born in 1662. He became the 2nd Duke of Cleveland. He married Anne Pulteney and they had six children. His line continued through his son, William FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Cleveland.
This family line eventually became connected to the Vane family, who held the title of Duke of Cleveland. Notable members included:
- Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington (1726–1792)
- William Henry Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland (1766–1842)
- Henry Vane, 2nd Duke of Cleveland (1788–1864)
- Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Cleveland (1803–1891)
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton
Henry FitzRoy was born in 1663. He became the 1st Duke of Grafton. He married Isabella FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton and they had two children. Henry died in 1690 at the age of 27.
His son, Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, continued the family line. This line includes:
- Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (1735–1811), who served as the Prime Minister of Great Britain.
- George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton (1760–1844)
- Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton (born 1919), the current Duke.
George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland
George FitzRoy was born in 1665. He became the 1st Duke of Northumberland. He married twice, first to Catherine Wheatley and then to Mary Dutton, but he had no children from either marriage. He died in 1716 at the age of 51, and his title became extinct (meaning it ended).
Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans
Charles Beauclerk was the son of Charles II and the famous actress Nell Gwyn. He was born in 1670 and became the 1st Duke of St Albans. He married Diana de Vere and they had eight children. He died in 1726 at 56 years old.
His descendants continued the line of the Dukes of St Albans. Some of the notable Dukes include:
- Charles Beauclerk, 2nd Duke of St Albans (1696–1751)
- William Beauclerk, 8th Duke of St Albans (1766–1825)
- William Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St Albans (1840–1898)
- Murray Beauclerk, 14th Duke of St Albans (born 1939), the current Duke.
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox was the son of Charles II and Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth. He was born in 1672 and became the 1st Duke of Richmond. He married Anne Brudenell and they had three children. He died in 1723 at the age of 51.
His family line includes many Dukes of Richmond, Lennox, and Gordon. This line is particularly famous for its connection to cricket and parliamentary reform. Key figures include:
- Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond (1701–1750)
- Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond (1735–1806), known for his work in parliamentary reform.
- Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond (1764–1819)
- Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond (1791–1860)
- Frederick Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of Richmond (1904–1989)
- Charles Gordon-Lennox, 10th Duke of Richmond (born 1929), the current Duke.
Lady Mary Tudor
Charles II also had a daughter named Lady Mary Tudor with a woman named Moll Davis. Mary married Edward Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Derwentwater. After he died, she married twice more.
Images for kids
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James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth
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Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch
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William Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch
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John Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch
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Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth
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Henry Vane, 2nd Duke of Cleveland
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Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Cleveland
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Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton
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Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton
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George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton
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George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland
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Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans
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William Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St Albans
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Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
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Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond
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Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond
