Anne Horton

Anne
Duchess of Cumberland and Strathearn
Born	(1743-01-24)24 January 1743 Marylebone, London
Died	28 December 1808(1808-12-28) (aged 65)
Spouse	Christopher Horton ​ ​ (m. 1765; died 1768)​ Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn ​ ​ (m. 1771)​
Father	Simon Luttrell, 1st Earl of Carhampton
Mother	Judith Maria Lawes

Anne Horton (née Anne Luttrell, later the Duchess of Cumberland and Strathearn) (24 January 1743 – 28 December 1808) was a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn.

Early life

Anne was born in Marylebone, London. She was the daughter of Simon Luttrell, later first Earl of Carhampton, and his wife, Judith Maria Lawes.

Her father was a Member of the House of Commons before being created Baron Irnham in 1768, Viscount Carhampton in 1781 and Earl of Carhampton in 1785.

Marriages

Anne was first married to a commoner, Christopher Horton (sometimes spelled Houghton) of Catton Hall, on 4 August 1765.

She later married Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn, the sixth child of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, and a younger brother of George III. Their marriage took place at Hertford Street in Mayfair, London on 2 October 1771.

George III did not approve of the marriage as Anne was a commoner and previously married. He later had the Royal Marriages Act 1772 passed to prevent any descendant of George II marrying without the consent of the sovereign, a law which remained in effect until passage of the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which, in addition to several other modifications, limited the requirement to obtain royal consent to only the first six persons in line to the throne (rather than all descendants).

Character and appearance

Some sources describe Anne as being rather loose with her favours, given one wag's comment that she was "the Duke of Grafton's Mrs Houghton, the Duke of Dorset's Mrs Houghton, everyone's Mrs Houghton."

Horace Walpole wrote "her coquetry was so active, so varied and yet so habitual, that it was difficult not to see through it and yet as difficult to resist it." While she was generally considered a great beauty, Walpole considered her merely " pretty", except for her eyes, which were enchanting. That her eyes were remarkably expressive is confirmed in the several portraits of Anne by Thomas Gainsborough.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 24 January 1743 – 4 August 1765: Miss Anne Luttrell
• 4 August 1765 – 13 October 1768: Mrs Christopher Horton
• 13 October 1768 – 2 October 1771: The Honourable Mrs Horton
• 2 October 1771 – 28 December 1808: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cumberland and Strathearn
  • Her father was created 1st Earl of Carhampton on 23 June 1785, entitling her as the daughter of an earl to the title "Lady", but as her marriage to Prince Henry already entitled her to the style Her Royal Highness and the title of "Duchess of Cumberland and Strathearn", it was not used.