Charles Beauclerk, 2nd Duke of St Albans
Charles Beauclerk, 2nd Duke of St Albans, KG KB (6 April 1696 – 27 July 1751) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1718 until 1726 when he succeeded to a peerage as Duke of St Albans..
![Arms of the 2nd Duke of St Albans](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Blason_Charles_II_Beauclerk_%281696-1751%29_2e_duc_de_Saint-Albans.svg/150px-Blason_Charles_II_Beauclerk_%281696-1751%29_2e_duc_de_Saint-Albans.svg.png)
Early life
Beauclerk was the son of Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, and his wife Diana Beauclerk, Duchess of St Albans. His paternal grandparents were Charles II of England and Nell Gwynne.[1] He was styled Earl of Burford until 1726. He was educated at Eton College from 1706 and matriculated at New College, Oxford on 24 April 1714.[2] From 1716 to 1717 he undertook a Grand Tour in Italy.[3] On 13 December 1722, he married Lucy Werden [4] the eldest daughter and coheir of Sir John Werden, 2nd Baronet.
Career
Beauclerke was returned as Member of Parliament for Bodmin at a by-election on 26 February 1718. At the 1722 general election he was returned as MP for Windsor. He sat until 1726 when on the death of his father he succeeded to the peerage and vacated his seat in the House of Commons. He was appointed master of the hawks in 1726 and held office until his death. He was Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire from 1727 to his death. In 1730 he was appointed Constable and governor of Windsor castle and Warden of Windsor forest. He was appointed Lord of the bedchamber in 1738 and held the position until his death. He was High steward of Windsor.[3]
Death and legacy
Beauclerk died in 1751, aged 55 in London and was interred in Westminster Abbey. He and his wife had two children:
- George Beauclerk, 3rd Duke of St Albans (1730–1786)
- Lady Diana Beauclerk (c. 1746–1766), married the Rev. and Hon. Shute Barrington (a son of the 1st Viscount Barrington).
By his mistress and first-cousin Renee Lennox (1709–1774), illegitimate daughter of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond and his mistress Jacqueline de Mezieres he had a daughter.
- Diane Beauclerk-Lennox (1727–?) who became the mistress of Baron Alessandro Mompalalao Cuzkeri.
And by his mistress Marie-Françoise de la Rochefoucauld, daughter of Casimir-Jean Charles, lord of Fontpastour and Chey he had a daughter.
- Suzanne Beauclerk, married Jean IX Nolasque, marquess of Noves and count of Mimet.
References
- ^ Thepeerage.com - C Beauclerk, 1st Duke
- ^ "'Barrowby-Benn', in Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714, ed. Joseph Foster (Oxford, 1891), pp. 79-105". British History Online. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ a b "BEAUCLERK, Charles, Earl of Burford (1696-1751)". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ "Portrait of a lady, possibly Lucy Duchess of St Albans". Archived from the original on 15 February 2013.
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- 1696 births
- 1751 deaths
- House of Stuart
- Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies
- Dukes of St Albans
- Knights of the Garter
- Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath
- Lord-Lieutenants of Berkshire
- Beauclerk family
- British MPs 1715–22
- British MPs 1722–27
- Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for constituencies in Cornwall
- Peerage of England duke stubs
- Great Britain MP (1707–1800) for England stubs