Mistress/wife of George, Prince of Wales, King George IV to be. Her first husband, Edward Weld, died three months after the wedding, falling off his horse, and before he had signed his new will, thus leaving his widow unprovided for. She married Mr Fitzherbert three years later and three years after that he died, but this time the young widow successfully inherited. Thus enabled to move in high society she met the Prince of Wales and married him on 15 December 1785, in her Mayfair home in Park Street. The Prince did not obtain permission from his father King George III so the marriage, carried out by Robert Burt, was not considered valid. However if he had gained permission, and the wedding had been valid he would have been disqualified from inheriting the throne since Mrs F was a Catholic. So it seems the couple chose for her not to become queen rather than for him not to become king.
His relationship with Mrs F did not stop the Prince having an affair with Lady Jersey or, in 1795, marrying, legally this time, Caroline of Brunswick (for her money).
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Mrs Fitzherbert
Commemorated ati
Garden of rest
Holly Road Garden of rest This garden was first laid out for public use in 19...
Other Subjects
Catherine Howard
As lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves Catherine attracted Henry's ever-roving eye. Anne was dumped (via the annulment method) and the obese, 49-year old Henry married the 20-year old Catherine. Sh...
Field Marshal, HRH Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge
KG, KT, KP, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, KJStJ, ADC, Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, Colonel in Chief of the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, 17th Lancers, 60th Rifles and 77th Regiment. Commander-in-Chief o...
King John II of France
French monarch, known as 'John the Good'. In 1356 at the Battle of Poitiers, he was captured by the Black Prince and imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he lived a pleasant regal lifestyle. A...
King James I
Born Edinburgh Castle, son of Mary Queen of Scots. By the age of 13 months his father, Darnley had been murdered and his mother forced to abdicate, making him King James VI of Scotland. He had been...