Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort


Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort was an English courtier and politician. He was the only son of Charles Noel Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort and Elizabeth Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort. Styled Marquess of Worcester from 1746, at his father's death on 28 October 1756, he succeeded him as 5th Duke of Beaufort, 7th Marquess of Worcester, 11th Earl of Worcester, and 13th Baron Herbert.

Life

On 18 October 1760 he began his studies at Oriel College, Oxford, graduating on 7 July 1763 with a Doctor of Civil Laws degree.
He held the office of Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England between 1767 and 1772. From 1768 to 1770, he was Master of the Horse to the Queen Consort. He was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Monmouthshire in 1771 and Lord-Lieutenant of Brecknockshire in 1787, holding both offices until his death in 1803, as well as that of Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire from 1787 to 1799. He was invested as a Knight of the Order of the Garter on 2 June 1786. His last will was dated from 21 June 1789 to 11 September 1800. On 4 June 1803, shortly before his death, he succeeded to the title of 5th Lord Botetourt.
The 5th Duke of Beaufort is buried at St Michael and All Angels Church, Badminton.

Family

On 2 January 1766 he married Elizabeth Boscawen, daughter of Hon. Edward Boscawen, Admiral of the Blue, and sister to George Boscawen, 3rd Viscount Falmouth. Elizabeth died 15 June 1828. Together they had four daughters and nine sons:
  1. Henry Charles Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort, his heir and successor
  2. Lord Charles Henry Somerset
  3. Lord Edward Somerset
  4. Lord Norborne Berkeley Henry Somerset
  5. Lady Elizabeth Somerset, who married, on 27 June 1796, Very Reverend Charles Talbot, Dean of Salisbury, grandson of Charles Talbot, 1st Baron Talbot, with whom she had three daughters and three sons
  6. Lady Frances Elizabeth Somerset
  7. Lady Harriet Isabella Elizabeth Somerset, married Colonel Hugh Henry Mitchell and had two daughters and one son
  8. Lord Robert Edward Henry Somerset
  9. Lord Arthur John Henry Somerset
  10. Rev. Lord William George Henry Somerset, Prebendary of Bristol, who was married twice; on 29 June 1813 to Elizabeth Molyneux, daughter of Lt.-Gen. Sir Thomas Molyneux, 5th Baronet, with whom he had five sons, and in 1844 to Frances Westby Brady. They had no children.
  11. Lady Anne Elizabeth Somerset
  12. Col. Lord John Thomas Henry Somerset, married Lady Catherine Annesley, daughter of Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Mountnorris on 4 December 1814
  13. Fitzroy James Henry Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

    Ancestry

Y-DNA of his descendants did not match Richard III, meaning that somewhere in his pedigree, there was a false paternity event.