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
Queen Eleanor’s Cross
The last of 12 Eleanor Crosses erected to celebrate Eleanor's last journey. Queen Eleanor of Castile died near Lincoln, with her husband, King Edward I, at her bedside, and was to be buried in Wes...
King Olav V of Norway
Born Prince Alexander of Denmark in Sandringham, Norfolk. Parents: Haakon VII (first King of Norway following the dissolution of the union with Sweden) and Maud of Wales (daughter of our Edward VII...
King Leopold II of the Belgians
Son of King Leopold I. King of the Belgians 1865 -1909. Leopold's cruel exploitation of the Congo was carried out in his name and under his instruction. The Queen Mary College students, succinctly,...
Empress Matilda / Empress Maud
Maud / Maude / Matilda was the daughter of King Henry I. Married aged 12 to the future Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V, she moved to Germany and then Italy. When her husband died, 1125, her father move...
King Edward I
Born Westminster. Nicknamed "Longshanks". Reigned 1272 - 1307. Responsible for the expulsion of Jews from England. Died near Carlisle on route to a battle with the king of Scotland, Robert the Bruc...