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Duke of Grafton

Duke of Grafton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1675 by Charles II of England for Henry FitzRoy, his second illegitimate son by the Duchess of Cleveland. The most notable duke of Grafton was Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, who served as Prime Minister from 1768–1770.

The Duke of Grafton holds three subsidiary titles, all created in 1672 in the peerage of England: Earl of Euston, Viscount Ipswich, and Baron Sudbury. Between 1723 and 1936 the dukes, being descended from the 1st Duke's wife Isabella FitzRoy, 2nd Countess of Arlington, also held the titles Earl of Arlington, Viscount Thetford, and Baron Arlington. Those titles fell into abeyance between the 9th Duke's sisters, with the abeyance of the barony of Arlington ending in 1999.

The Dukes "created" and owned the London district of Fitzrovia, so named for their family name.

The title of the dukedom refers to the Honour of Grafton in the southeast of Northamptonshire, the titular village now being called Grafton Regis.

The Duke of Grafton is fourth in the order of precedence after the dukes of Norfolk, Somerset, and Richmond.

Estates

The family seat is Euston Hall in Suffolk, an 11,000-acre estate straddling the Norfolk-Suffolk border. The main burial places of the senior branch of the family are in and beside the parish church of Saint Genevieve at Euston, Suffolk.

London Residences

William Henry FitzRoy, 6th Duke of Grafton took a new London residence at No. 4 Grosvenor Place, Belgravia in April 1874. Following his death in 1882, he was succeeded by his brother Augustus FitzRoy, 7th Duke of Grafton, who sold the house in Grosvenor Place in March 1890, and leased a new London house overlooking The Mall at No. 17 Carlton House Terrace from 1891 until 1901.

The family’s London house was No. 6, Chesterfield Gardens from 1902 until early 1930. Following the death of Alfred FitzRoy, 8th Duke of Grafton in January 1930, he was succeeded by his 15-year-old grandson John FitzRoy, 9th Duke of Grafton. The eighth Duke’s widow Susanna, Duchess of Grafton (step-grandmother of the 9th Duke) and their daughter Lady Cecilia FitzRoy took a new London house at No. 18 Prince's Gate, Knightsbridge in mid-1930, which continued to be the Duchess’ London home until her death in 1961. 18 Prince’s Gate continued to be the London home of Lady Cecilia, who later sold the house in 1965.

Dukes of Grafton (1675)

Other titles (all): Earl of Euston, Viscount Ipswich and Baron Sudbury (1672)
Other titles (2nd–9th Dukes): Earl of Arlington, Viscount Thetford and Baron Arlington (1672)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, Alfred James Charles FitzRoy, Earl of Euston (b. 2012).

Arms

Family tree and simplified line of succession

  • Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton (1683–1757)
  • Lord Augustus FitzRoy (1716–1741)
  • Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (1735–1811)
  • George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton (1760–1844)
  • Henry FitzRoy, 5th Duke of Grafton (1790–1863)
  • William FitzRoy, 6th Duke of Grafton (1819–1882)
  • Augustus FitzRoy, 7th Duke of Grafton (1821–1918)
  • Alfred FitzRoy, 8th Duke of Grafton (1850–1930)
  • William Henry Alfred FitzRoy, Viscount Ipswich (1884–1918)
  • John FitzRoy, 9th Duke of Grafton (1914–1936)
  • Lord Charles Edward FitzRoy (1857–1911)
  • Charles FitzRoy, 10th Duke of Grafton (1892–1970)
  • Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton (1919–2011)
  • James FitzRoy, Earl of Euston (1947–2009)
  • Henry FitzRoy, 12th Duke of Grafton (born 1978)
  • (1). Alfred James Charles FitzRoy, Earl of Euston (born 2012)
  • (2). Lord Rafe Simon Lennox FitzRoy (born 2017)
  • (3). Lord Charles Patrick Hugh FitzRoy (born 1957)
  • (4). Nicholas Augustus Charles FitzRoy (born 1991)
  • (5). George James Hugh FitzRoy (born 1993)
  • Lord Edward Anthony Charles FitzRoy (1928–2007)
  • male issue and descendants in remainder
  • Admiral Lord William FitzRoy (1782–1857)
  • Francis Horatio FitzRoy (1823–1900)
  • Cyril Duncombe FitzRoy (1861–1939)
  • Charles Francis Mark FitzRoy (1909–1994)
  • male issue and descendants in remainder
  • Charles FitzRoy, 1st Baron Southampton (1737–1797)
  • George Ferdinand FitzRoy, 2nd Baron Southampton (1761–1810)
  • Charles FitzRoy, 3rd Baron Southampton (1804–1872)
  • Charles Henry FitzRoy, 4th Baron Southampton (1867–1958)
  • Barons Southampton
  • Hon. Edward FitzRoy (1869–1943) m. Muriel FitzRoy, 1st Viscountess Daventry (1869–1962)
  • Viscounts Daventry

See also

References

Further reading

  • Falk, Bernard. The Royal Fitz Roys; Dukes of Grafton through Four Centuries. Hutchinson, 1950.

External links