Duke of Grafton

This article is about the title in the Peerage of England. For the British prime minister, see Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton.

Dukedom of Grafton

Quarterly: 1st and 4th, France and England quarterly (Royal Arms of Charles II); 2nd, Scotland; 3rd, Ireland; the whole debruised by a baton sinister compony of six pieces argent and azure.
Creation date11 September 1675[1]
Created byCharles II
PeeragePeerage of England
First holderHenry FitzRoy
Present holderHenry FitzRoy, 12th Duke
Heir apparentAlfred FitzRoy, Earl of Euston
Remainder tothe 1st Duke's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles
  • Earl of Euston
  • Viscount Ipswich
  • Baron Sudbury
SeatEuston Hall

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.[2] The most notable duke of Grafton was Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, who served as Prime Minister from 1768–1770.[3]

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.[1] 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,[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] 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,[7] and leased a new London house overlooking The Mall at No. 17 Carlton House Terrace from 1891 until 1901.[8]

The family’s London house was No. 6, Chesterfield Gardens from 1902 until early 1930.[9][10] 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,[11] 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.[12][13]

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).[16]

Arms

Coat of arms of Duke of Grafton
Coronet
The coronet of a Duke
Crest
On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Lion statant guardant Or ducally crowned Azure and gorged with a Collar counter-compony Argent and of the fourth.
Escutcheon
The Royal Arms of Charles II, viz Quarterly: 1st and 4th, France and England quarterly; 2nd, Scotland; 3rd, Ireland; the whole debruised by a Baton sinister compony of six pieces Argent and Azure
Supporters
Dexter: a Lion guardant Or ducally crowned Azure; Sinister: a Greyhound Argent, each gorged with a Collar counter-compony Argent and Azure.
Motto
Et Decus Et Pretium Recti (The ornament and recompense of virtue)

Family tree and simplified line of succession

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Collins, Arthur (1741). The Peerage of England: Containing a Genealogical and Historical Account of All the Peers of that Kingdom. W. Strahan, J. F. and C. Rivington. p. 62. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  2. ^ Courthope, William, ed. (1838). Debrett's Complete Peerage of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (22nd ed., p. 8). London, UK: J. G. & F. Rivington
  3. ^ Eccleshall, R., & Walker, G. (Eds.). (2002). Biographical Dictionary of British Prime Ministers. (p. 61). Routledge
  4. ^ Hesilrige 1921, p. 414.
  5. ^ "The Duke of Grafton". Telegraph.co.uk.
  6. ^ "Duke of Grafton's new town mansion: 4 Grosvenor Place". The Bury and Norwich Post. 5 May 1874. p. 5. Retrieved 3 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Duke of Grafton sells No. 4 Grosvenor Place". The Alcester Chronicle. 15 March 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 3 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Sheppard, F. H. W., ed. (1940). "Carlton House Terrace". Survey of London: Volume 20, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Part III: Trafalgar Square and Neighbourhood. London County Council. Retrieved 3 March 2026. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  9. ^ "Duke of Grafton letter to Lady Hope". The Times. 8 December 1903. p. 10. Retrieved 3 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Court and Society". Evening Standard. 4 February 1930. p. 19. Retrieved 3 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Court and Society". Evening Standard. 21 June 1930. p. 19. Retrieved 3 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Forthcoming Marriages — Mr G. Howard and Lady Cecilia FitzRoy". The Cumberland News. 22 January 1949. p. 5. Retrieved 3 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Grand scale (Number 18 Prince's Gate, Knightsbridge)". Evening Standard. 18 November 1965. p. 5. Retrieved 3 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Obituary Earl of Euston – Telegraph.co.uk, 25 October 2009
  15. ^ "News from Debrett's 2011-- Marquesses, Dukes and Royal Dukes". Groups.google.com. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  16. ^ "GRAFTON - Births Announcements - Telegraph Announcements". 8 March 2014. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  17. ^ Morris, Susan; Bosberry-Scott, Wendy; Belfield, Gervase, eds. (2019). "Grafton, Duke of". Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Vol. 1 (150th ed.). London: Debrett's Ltd. pp. 1608–1614. ISBN 978-1-999767-0-5-1.
  18. ^ Morris, Susan; Bosberry-Scott, Wendy; Belfield, Gervase, eds. (2019). "Southampton, Baron". Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Vol. 1 (150th ed.). London: Debrett's Ltd. pp. 3271–3276. ISBN 978-1-999767-0-5-1.
  19. ^ Morris, Susan; Bosberry-Scott, Wendy; Belfield, Gervase, eds. (2019). "Daventry, Viscount". Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Vol. 1 (150th ed.). London: Debrett's Ltd. pp. 1100–1103. ISBN 978-1-999767-0-5-1.

Further reading

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