Maria, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
Maria Walpole the Countess Waldegrave
and Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh
, was a member of the British Royal Family
, the wife of Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
. Her marriage to the Duke without the knowledge of King George III
led to the passing of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
.
and Dorothy Clement. Her grandfather was Robert Walpole
, considered to be the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
(1721–41). She grew up at Frogmore House
in Windsor
, but her parents were not married, and her illegitimate status hindered her social standing despite her family connections.
On 15 May 1759, she married James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave
, the son of James Waldegrave, 1st Earl Waldegrave
and Mary Webbe. After her marriage Maria was styled Countess Waldegrave. The Earl Waldegrave
died on 28 April 1763, leaving Maria a widow. They had three children.
There is a portrait of Maria in 1764-65, shortly after she was widowed, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds
, in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery
.
On 6 September 1766 she married Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester
(14 November 1743 – 25 August 1805) at her home in Pall Mall
, London
. The Duke was the third son of Frederick, Prince of Wales
, and a brother of George III
. The marriage was conducted in secret as the British Royal Family
would not have approved of a marriage between a Royal Prince and a widow of non-royal rank and illegitimate birth. They lived at St Leonard's Hill in Clewer
, near Windsor, and had three children.
Their marriage, and that of the Duke's other brother, the Duke of Cumberland, led to the passing of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
, which would require all the descendants of George II
to seek the Sovereign's approval before marriage. However, the provisions could not be applied retroactively, thus Maria and the Duke's wedding was considered legal by Parliament. As such, Maria became styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh. Due, however, to the anger of George III
at the marriage, she was never received at court.
Princess Caroline died aged nine months following a smallpox
inoculation, intended to protect her from the disease. As great-grandchildren in the male line of King George II
, the Gloucester's children were styled Highness from birth and used the territorial designation of Gloucester in conjunction with their princely styles. After William Frederick
married his cousin Princess Mary
, he and his surviving sister Sophia
received the style of Royal Highness
.
Earl Waldegrave
Earl Waldegrave is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1729 for James Waldegrave, 2nd Baron Waldegrave. The Waldegrave family descends from Sir Richard Waldegrave, Speaker of the House of Commons from 1381 to 1382. His son and namesake, Sir Richard Waldegrave, was a soldier...
and Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Duke of Gloucester
Duke of Gloucester is a British royal title , often conferred on one of the sons of the reigning monarch. The first four creations were in the Peerage of England, the next in the Peerage of Great Britain, and the last in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; this current creation carries with it the...
, was a member of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
, the wife of Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of George II and a younger brother of George III.-Early life:...
. Her marriage to the Duke without the knowledge of King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
led to the passing of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
Royal Marriages Act 1772
The Royal Marriages Act 1772 is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which prescribes the conditions under which members of the British Royal Family may contract a valid marriage, in order to guard against marriages that could diminish the status of the Royal House...
.
Early life
Maria Walpole was the daughter of Edward WalpoleEdward Walpole
Sir Edward Walpole KB PC was a British politician, and a younger son of Sir Robert Walpole, Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742....
and Dorothy Clement. Her grandfather was Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, considered to be the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
(1721–41). She grew up at Frogmore House
Frogmore House
Frogmore House is a 17th-century country house standing at the centre of the Frogmore Estate, amongst beautiful gardens, about a half a mile south of Windsor Castle in the Home Park at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is a Grade I listed building.-Early tenants:The original house on...
in Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, but her parents were not married, and her illegitimate status hindered her social standing despite her family connections.
Countess Waldegrave
James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave
James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave KG PC FRS was a British statesman.The eldest son of the 1st Earl Waldegrave, Waldegrave was educated at Westminster and Eton and he inherited his father's titles in 1741...
, the son of James Waldegrave, 1st Earl Waldegrave
James Waldegrave, 1st Earl Waldegrave
James Waldegrave, 1st Earl Waldegrave KG PC was a British ambassador.Waldegrave was the son of the 1st Baron Waldegrave and Henrietta FitzJames, the illegitimate daughter of James II and Arabella Churchill....
and Mary Webbe. After her marriage Maria was styled Countess Waldegrave. The Earl Waldegrave
Earl Waldegrave
Earl Waldegrave is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1729 for James Waldegrave, 2nd Baron Waldegrave. The Waldegrave family descends from Sir Richard Waldegrave, Speaker of the House of Commons from 1381 to 1382. His son and namesake, Sir Richard Waldegrave, was a soldier...
died on 28 April 1763, leaving Maria a widow. They had three children.
- The Lady Elizabeth Laura WaldegraveElizabeth Waldegrave, Countess WaldegraveElizabeth Laura Waldegrave, Countess Waldegrave , was a British noblewoman, courtier and society beauty. She served at court as a Lady of the Bedchamber to Charlotte, Princess Royal, eldest daughter of King George III...
(1760–1816) who married her cousin, the 4th Earl WaldegraveGeorge Waldegrave, 4th Earl WaldegraveGeorge Waldegrave, 4th Earl Waldegrave, PC, ADC was a British statesman.The eldest son of the 3rd Earl of Waldegrave, he was educated at Eton and was commissioned into the 3rd Foot Guards in 1768. He purchased a Lieutenantcy in 1773. In 1778 he transferred to the Coldstream Guards as a... - The Lady Charlotte Maria Waldegrave (1761–1808) who married the 4th Duke of GraftonGeorge FitzRoy, 4th Duke of GraftonGeorge Henry FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton, KG was a British peer and Whig politician, known as Earl of Euston from birth until 1811....
- The Lady Anna Horatia Waldegrave (1762–1801) who married Admiral Lord Hugh SeymourLord Hugh SeymourVice-Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour was a senior British Royal Navy officer of the late 18th century who was the fifth son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford and became known for being both a prominent society figure and a highly competent naval officer...
-son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of HertfordFrancis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of HertfordFrancis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford KG, PC, PC was a British courtier and politician.He was born in Chelsea, London the son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Lord Conway and Charlotte Shorter and died in Surrey, England...
. Anna and Hugh were the great grandparents of Charles Spencer, 6th Earl SpencerCharles Spencer, 6th Earl SpencerCharles Robert Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer KG, GCVO, PC, VRD , styled The Honourable Charles Spencer until 1905 and known as The Viscount Althorp between 1905 and 1910, was a British courtier and Liberal politician. An MP from 1880 to 1895 and again from 1900 to 1905, he served as Vice-Chamberlain of...
, who was the great-grandfather of Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
. The Earls SpencerEarl SpencerEarl Spencer is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created on 1 November 1765, along with the title Viscount Althorp, of Althorp in the County of Northamptonshire, for John Spencer, 1st Viscount Spencer, a great-grandson of the 1st Duke of Marlborough...
are descended from John Churchill, 1st Duke of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
; the Seymour-Conways are descended from Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of SomersetEdward Seymour, 1st Duke of SomersetEdward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
.
There is a portrait of Maria in 1764-65, shortly after she was widowed, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds
Joshua Reynolds
Sir Joshua Reynolds RA FRS FRSA was an influential 18th-century English painter, specialising in portraits and promoting the "Grand Style" in painting which depended on idealization of the imperfect. He was one of the founders and first President of the Royal Academy...
, in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery
Dunedin Public Art Gallery
The Dunedin Public Art Gallery holds the main public art collection of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. Located in The Octagon in the heart of the city, it is close to the city's public library, municipal chambers, and other facilities such as the Regent Theatre.-History:The gallery was founded by...
.
Duchess of Gloucester
Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of George II and a younger brother of George III.-Early life:...
(14 November 1743 – 25 August 1805) at her home in Pall Mall
Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall is a street in the City of Westminster, London, and parallel to The Mall, from St. James's Street across Waterloo Place to the Haymarket; while Pall Mall East continues into Trafalgar Square. The street is a major thoroughfare in the St James's area of London, and a section of the...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The Duke was the third son of Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales was a member of the House of Hanover and therefore of the Hanoverian and later British Royal Family, the eldest son of George II and father of George III, as well as the great-grandfather of Queen Victoria...
, and a brother of George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. The marriage was conducted in secret as the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
would not have approved of a marriage between a Royal Prince and a widow of non-royal rank and illegitimate birth. They lived at St Leonard's Hill in Clewer
Clewer
Clewer is an ecclesiastical parish and region of Windsor making up three wards of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire.-History:...
, near Windsor, and had three children.
- HRH Princess Sophia of GloucesterPrincess Sophia of GloucesterPrincess Sophia of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, a great granddaughter of George II and niece of George III.-Early life:...
(1773–1844) - HH Princess Carolina Augusta Maria of Gloucester (1774–1775)
- HRH Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and EdinburghPrince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and EdinburghPrince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, a great-grandson of George II and nephew of George III.-Early life:...
(1776–1834)
Their marriage, and that of the Duke's other brother, the Duke of Cumberland, led to the passing of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
Royal Marriages Act 1772
The Royal Marriages Act 1772 is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which prescribes the conditions under which members of the British Royal Family may contract a valid marriage, in order to guard against marriages that could diminish the status of the Royal House...
, which would require all the descendants of George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
to seek the Sovereign's approval before marriage. However, the provisions could not be applied retroactively, thus Maria and the Duke's wedding was considered legal by Parliament. As such, Maria became styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh. Due, however, to the anger of George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
at the marriage, she was never received at court.
Princess Caroline died aged nine months following a smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
inoculation, intended to protect her from the disease. As great-grandchildren in the male line of King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, the Gloucester's children were styled Highness from birth and used the territorial designation of Gloucester in conjunction with their princely styles. After William Frederick
Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, a great-grandson of George II and nephew of George III.-Early life:...
married his cousin Princess Mary
Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh
The Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, the eleventh child and fourth daughter of George III....
, he and his surviving sister Sophia
Princess Sophia of Gloucester
Princess Sophia of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, a great granddaughter of George II and niece of George III.-Early life:...
received the style of Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
.
Titles and styles
- 10 July 1736 – 15 May 1759: Miss Maria Walpole
- 15 May 1759 – 28 April 1763: The Rt Hon The Countess Waldegrave
- 28 April 1763 – 6 September 1766: The Rt Hon The Dowager Countess Waldegrave
- 6 September 1766 – 22 August 1807: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh