Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Brigadier His Grace The Duke of Wellington KG LVO OBE MC
The Duke in 1984, by Allan Warren

Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 4 January 1972 – 11 November 1999 Hereditary Peerage
Preceded by	The 7th Duke of Wellington
Succeeded by	Seat abolished

Personal details
Born	Arthur Valerian Wellesley (1915-07-02)2 July 1915 Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Died	31 December 2014(2014-12-31) (aged 99) Stratfield Saye House
Resting place	Stratfield Saye House
Nationality	British
Spouse	Diana McConnel (m. 1944; died 2010)
Children	Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington Lord Richard Wellesley Lady Jane Wellesley Lord John Wellesley Lord James Wellesley
Parents	Gerald Wellesley, 7th Duke of Wellington Dorothy Violet Ashton
Residence	Stratfield Saye House
Alma mater	New College, Oxford
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Years of service	1936–1968
Rank	Brigadier
Commands	22nd Armoured Brigade Household Cavalry Regiment Royal Horse Guards Regiment
Battles/wars	Second World War North African Campaign Cyprus dispute
Awards	Knight of the Garter Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross

Brigadier Arthur Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington (born July 2, 1915 – died December 31, 2014) was an important British noble and a high-ranking officer in the British Army. He was known as the Marquess of Douro from 1943 to 1972. His main home was Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire, England.

He was a member of the House of Lords from 1972 until 1999. The House of Lords is part of the UK Parliament. He lost his seat because of a new law called the House of Lords Act.

Early Life and School
Military Service
- Special Military Roles
Later Life and Family
- Marriage and Children
Titles and Special Honors
- Awards and Decorations
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and School

Arthur Valerian Wellesley was born in Rome, Italy, on July 2, 1915. His father was Lord Gerald Wellesley, who later became the 7th Duke of Wellington. His mother was Dorothy Violet. He had one younger sister, Lady Elizabeth Clyde. Her son is the actor and musician Jeremy Clyde.

When Arthur was born, his father was the third son in the family. This meant it was unlikely he would inherit the family's titles and lands. But things changed during the Second World War. Arthur was 28 when his cousin, Henry, the 6th Duke, died in battle in Italy. After this, Arthur's father became the 7th Duke. Arthur then received the special title Marquess of Douro. He used this title until 1972, when his father passed away and he became the 8th Duke.

Arthur went to Eton, a famous school, and then studied at New College, Oxford.

Military Service

The Duke of Wellington at Battlesbury Barracks, May 2006.

Arthur Wellesley started his military career in 1936 as a second lieutenant in the Territorial Army. In 1940, he joined the Royal Horse Guards Regiment. He fought in the Second World War with the 1st Household Cavalry Regiment. He served in the Middle East and Italy. During this time, he was given the Military Cross for his bravery. He was also promoted to captain.

After the war, his regiment was disbanded. He returned to the Royal Horse Guards. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1946 and then to captain later that year. He continued to rise through the ranks, becoming a major in 1951 and a lieutenant colonel in 1954. He then took command of his regiment. He served in Cyprus from 1956 to 1958. In 1958, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

He later commanded the Household Cavalry Regiment starting in 1959. In 1960, he became a colonel. He also commanded the 22nd Armoured Brigade. He worked as a defense attaché (a military expert working in an embassy) in Spain from 1964. He left the Army in 1968 and was given the honorary rank of brigadier.

Special Military Roles

In 1974, Arthur Wellesley was given the special role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. This was unique because he was not a member of the royal family. When this regiment joined with another to form the Yorkshire Regiment, he became a Deputy Colonel-in-Chief. He also held other honorary positions, such as Deputy Colonel of The Blues and Royals.

Later Life and Family

Arthur Wellesley was also involved in business. He was a director for companies like Massey Ferguson Holdings Ltd and Motor Iberica SA (Spain). He continued to attend public events even in his later years. One of his last public appearances was in June 2014.

He passed away peacefully at his home, Stratfield Saye Estate, on December 31, 2014. This was just six months before the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. It was also six months before his 100th birthday.

Marriage and Children

On January 28, 1944, he married Diana Ruth McConnel (1922–2010) in Jerusalem. They had five children together:

Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley, who became the 9th Duke of Wellington (born 1945). He married Princess Antonia of Prussia.
Lord Richard Gerald Wellesley (born 1949). He married Joanna Sumner and they have two daughters.
Lady (Caroline) Jane Wellesley (born 1951).
Lord John Henry Wellesley (born 1954). He married Corinne Vaes and they have two children. He is the father-in-law of singer James Blunt.
Lord (James) Christopher Douglas Wellesley (born 1964). He has children from two marriages. His daughter Skye passed away at age 15 from a condition called Rett syndrome. A foundation was started in her memory.

Titles and Special Honors

Arthur Valerian Wellesley held several important titles throughout his life:

From 1915 to 1943: Valerian Wellesley
From 1943 to 1972: Marquess of Douro
From 1972 to 2014: His Grace The Duke of Wellington (in the UK)
He was also the 9th Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo in Spain. In 2010, he passed this Spanish title to his eldest son, Charles.
He was also known as His Serene Highness The Prince of Waterloo in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Awards and Decorations

Arthur Wellesley received many awards for his service and contributions:

	Knight of the Order of the Garter (KG)	This is a very high honor in the UK, given in April 1990.
	Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO)	Awarded in 1952, and his title changed to Lieutenant in 1984.
	Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)	Given in 1958 for his military service.
	Military Cross (MC)	Awarded in 1941 for his brave actions during the war.
	Officer of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (OStJ)
	1939–1945 Star
	Africa Star
	Italy Star
	France and Germany Star
	Defence Medal
	War Medal 1939–1945
	General Service Medal	with 'Cyprus' clasp and MID
	Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal	1953
	Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal	1977
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	2012
	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic	From Spain.
	Officer of the Légion d'honneur	From France.
	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael of the Wing	From Portugal.