Person    | Female  Born 26/7/1756  Died 27/3/1837

Mrs Fitzherbert

Categories: Royalty

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).

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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...

Read More

Other Subjects

Richard Penderel

Richard Penderel

Born Tong Shropshire, one of 5 catholic brothers. In 1651, following his father's beheading in 1649, Charles II was running from Cromwell's army. The Penderels disguised him and helped him on his...

Person, Royalty

1 memorial
Baynard’s Castle

Baynard’s Castle

There have been two buildings known as Baynard's Castle, on different sites. Just to the east of where Blackfriars station now stands Ralph Baynard erected a Norman fortification in about 1000.  Th...

Building, Property, Royalty

1 memorial
Edward the Confessor

Edward the Confessor

King of England. Son of Ethelred the Unready. Born between 1003 and 1005 at Islip, near Oxford. He is regarded as the last king of the house of Wessex. Little is known of his early life, except tha...

Person, Royalty, France

4 memorials
King William IV, Duke of Clarence

King William IV, Duke of Clarence

The Duke of Clarence became King William IV (The Sailor King), reigning 1830 to 1837. Had a long live-in affair with the actress Mrs Jordan which produced 10 children, all given the surname FitzCla...

Person, Race Issues, Royalty

8 memorials