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

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
Seat(s)Euston Hall

The Duke of Grafton holds three subsidiary titles, all created in 1675 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 being ended 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 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.

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

Dukes of Grafton (1675)
Arms of the Dukes of Grafton
Other titles (all): Earl of Euston, Viscount Ipswich and Baron Sudbury (1675)
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).[8]

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

See also

References
  1. 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. Obituary Earl of Euston – Telegraph.co.uk, 25 October 2009
  7. "News from Debrett's 2011-- Marquesses, Dukes and Royal Dukes". Groups.google.com. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  8. "GRAFTON - Births Announcements - Telegraph Announcements". 8 March 2014. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2022.

Further reading
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