Charlotte Sophia Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort

Charlotte Sophia Somerset
Duchess of Beaufort
from a group portrait of the Gower family by George Romney
Born11 January 1771
Died12 August 1854
Spouse(s)Henry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort
16 May 1791[1]
​
​
(m. 1835, died)​
Issue12, including
FatherGranville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford
MotherSusanna Leveson-Gower, Marchioness of Stafford

Charlotte Sophia Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort (11 January 1771 – 12 August 1854),[1] formerly Lady Charlotte Sophia Leveson-Gower, was the wife of Henry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort.

Early life

She was the daughter of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford, and his wife, the former Lady Susanna Stewart.[2]

Personal life

She married the future duke, then Marquess of Worcester, on 16 May 1791 at Lambeth Church, London. They had four sons and eight daughters:[3][4]

In 1803, her husband succeeded his father as Duke of Beaufort, and she rose from marchioness to duchess. Her portrait was painted by Sir Francis Grant.[5] The duke died in 1835 and was buried in St Michael and All Angels Church, Badminton. The dowager duchess then lived with her youngest daughter at her London home in Grosvenor Square.[6] She died in 1854, aged 83, at Westbrook Hall,[1] Hertfordshire.

Legacy

She was included in the "Gallery of Beauties" series commissioned by Prince Regent (later King) George IV.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c Smith, John (1884). British Mezzotinto Portraits. H. Sotheran. p. 1270.
  2. ^ G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume II, page 55.
  3. ^ Debrett's, 1840 edition, p. 71.
  4. ^ Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003. Page 307
  5. ^ "Charlotte Sophia (née Leveson-Gower), Duchess of Beaufort". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Grosvenor Square: Individual Houses built before 1926 Pages 117-166 Survey of London: Volume 40, the Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair, Part 2 (The Buildings)". British History Online. LCC 1980. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Charlotte, Duchess of Beaufort (1771-1854)". Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved 24 June 2021.