Duke of Westminster

Duke of Westminster is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. It is the most recent dukedom conferred on someone not related to the British royal family.^[2]

Dukedom of Westminster
Quarterly: 1st and 4th, Azure a Portcullis with chains pendant Or on a Chief of the last between two united Roses of York and Lancaster a Pale charged with the Arms of King Edward the Confessor (City of Westminster); 2nd and 3rd, Azure a Garb Or (Grosvenor).^[1]
Creation date	27 February 1874
Created by	Queen Victoria
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster
Present holder	Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster
Heir apparent	None
Remainder to	1st Duke's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles	Marquess of Westminster Earl Grosvenor Viscount Belgrave Baron Grosvenor Baronet, of Eaton
Seat(s)	Eaton Hall and Abbeystead House
Motto	VIRTUS NON STEMMA (Virtue, not ancestry)

Grosvenor Baronets
Azure, a garb Or, with canton of baronet
Creation date	1622
Created by	King James VI and I
Baronetage	Baronetage of England
First holder	Richard Grosvenor
Present holder	Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster
Remainder to	1st Baronet's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten

The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Dukes were each grandsons of the first. The present holder of the title is Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke, who inherited the dukedom on 9 August 2016 on the death of his father, Gerald. The present duke is a godfather of Prince George of Wales.^[3]

The Duke of Westminster's seats are at Eaton Hall, Cheshire, and at Abbeystead House, Lancashire. The family's London town house was Grosvenor House, Park Lane, while Halkyn Castle was built as a sporting lodge for the family in the early 1800s. The traditional burial place of the Dukes is the Old Churchyard adjacent to St Mary's Church, Eccleston.

History of the Grosvenor family

Richard Grosvenor was created Baronet of Eaton in January 1622.^[4] Sir Richard Grosvenor, the 7th Baronet, was created Baron Grosvenor in 1761, and in 1784 became both Viscount Belgrave (Belgrave, Cheshire) and Earl Grosvenor under George III. The title Marquess of Westminster was bestowed upon Robert Grosvenor, the 2nd Earl Grosvenor, at the coronation of William IV in 1831.

In 1677 Sir Thomas Grosvenor wed Mary Davies. Her dowry included 500 acres to the west of what was then the boundary of London.^[5]

The subsidiary titles are: Marquess of Westminster (created 1831), Earl Grosvenor (1784), Viscount Belgrave, of Belgrave in the County of Chester (1784), and Baron Grosvenor, of Eaton in the County of Chester (1761). The Dukedom and Marquessate are in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; the rest are in the Peerage of Great Britain. The courtesy title of the eldest son and heir to the Duke is Earl Grosvenor.

Grosvenor Baronets, of Eaton (1622)

• Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baronet (1584–1645) was an MP
• Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet (1604–1664), a son of the 1st Baronet
  • Roger Grosvenor (c. 1628–1661), a son of the 2nd Baronet, predeceased his father
• Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet (1656–1700), son of Roger
• Sir Richard Grosvenor, 4th Baronet (1689–1732), eldest son of the 3rd Baronet, died without issue
• Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 5th Baronet (1693–1733), second son of the 3rd Baronet, died unmarried
• Sir Robert Grosvenor, 6th Baronet (1695–1755), third and youngest son of the 3rd Baronet
• Sir Richard Grosvenor, 7th Baronet (1731–1802) (created Baron Grosvenor in 1761)

Barons Grosvenor (1761)

Created by George III of Great Britain
#	Name (lifespan)	Period	Spouse	Notes	Other titles
1st	Richard Grosvenor (1731–1802)	1761–1802	Henrietta Vernon	Later created Earl Grosvenor	—

Earls Grosvenor (1784)

Created by George III of Great Britain
#	Name (lifespan)	Period	Spouse	Notes	Other titles
1st	Richard Grosvenor (1731–1802)	1784–1802	Henrietta Vernon	Already Baron Grosvenor	Viscount Belgrave, Baron Grosvenor
2nd	Robert Grosvenor (1767–1845)	1802–1845	Eleanor Egerton	Son of the preceding, later created Marquess of Westminster

Marquesses of Westminster (1831)

 

St Mary's Church, Eccleston, Grosvenor Chapel: Cenotaph and Garter banner of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster

Created by William IV of the United Kingdom
#	Name (lifespan)	Period	Spouse	Notes	Other titles
1st	Robert Grosvenor (1767–1845)	1831–1845	Eleanor Egerton	Already Earl Grosvenor	Earl Grosvenor Viscount Belgrave Baron Grosvenor
2nd	Richard Grosvenor (1795–1869)	1845–1869	Elizabeth Leveson-Gower	Son of the preceding
3rd	Hugh Grosvenor (1825–1899)	1869–1899	Constance Sutherland-Leveson-Gower	Son of the preceding, later created Duke of Westminster

 

Jockey Colours of Duke of Westminster

Dukes of Westminster (1874)

Created by Queen Victoria
#	Name (lifespan)	Period	Spouse	Notes	Other titles
1st	Hugh Grosvenor (1825–1899)	1874–1899	Constance Sutherland-Leveson-Gower Katherine Cavendish	Already Marquess of Westminster	Marquess of Westminster Earl Grosvenor Viscount Belgrave Baron Grosvenor
2nd	Hugh Grosvenor (1879–1953)	1899–1953	Constance Cornwallis-West Violet Nelson Loelia Ponsonby Anne Sullivan	Grandson of the preceding
3rd	William Grosvenor (1894–1963)	1953–1963	unmarried	Cousin of the preceding
4th	Gerald Grosvenor (1907–1967)	1963–1967	Sally Perry	Cousin of the preceding
5th	Robert Grosvenor (1910–1979)	1967–1979	Viola Lyttelton	Brother of the preceding
6th	Gerald Grosvenor (1951–2016)	1979–2016	Natalia Phillips	Son of the preceding
7th	Hugh Grosvenor (b. 1991)	since 2016	—	Son of the preceding

Line of succession

There is no heir to the Dukedom of Westminster. The Earl of Wilton is heir presumptive to the Marquessate.

Family tree

v t e Grosvenor and Grey family tree: Dukes of Westminster, Marquesses of Westminster Earls: Grosvenor, Sussex (5th creation), and of Wilton Viscounts: Belgrave, Grey de Wilton, and de Longueville and Barons: Grey de Wilton, Grey of Ruthin (Ruthyn), Grey de Radcliffe, Ebury, Grosvenor, and Stalbridge

Baron Grey de Wilton (1st creation), 1285 Reginald Grey d. 1308 1st Baron Grey de Wilton John Grey c. 1268–1323 2nd Baron Grey de Wilton Baron Grey of Ruthin, 1324 Henry Grey 1281–1342 3rd Baron Grey de Wilton Roger Grey d. 1352/1353 1st Baron Grey of Ruthin King Edward III 1312–1377 Reynold Grey 1311–1370 4th Baron Grey de Wilton Reynold Grey c. 1322 – c. 1388 2nd Baron Grey of Ruthin John of Gaunt 1340–1399 Thomas Holland Earl of Kent c. 1314–1360 Henry Grey c. 1340–1396 5th Baron Grey de Wilton Reynold Grey c. 1362 – c. 1440 3rd Baron Grey of Ruthin Elizabeth of Lancaster bef. 1363–1426 John Holland Earl of Huntingdon Duke of Exeter c. 1352–1400 Richard Grey c. 1393–1442 6th Baron Grey de Wilton John Grey c. 1387–1439 Constance Holland 1387–1437 Reynold Grey c. 1421–1493/94 7th Baron Grey de Wilton Edmund Grey c. 1362 – c. 1440 1st Earl of Kent, 4th Baron Grey of Ruthin See Template:Dukes of Kent family tree Edmund Grey d. 1499 8th Baron Grey de Wilton George Grey 2nd Earl of Kent, 5th Baron Grey of Ruthin c. 1460–1503 Edmund Grey c. 1469–1511 9th Baron Grey de Wilton Richard Grey 3rd Earl of Kent, 6th Baron Grey of Ruthin 1481–1524 Henry Grey 4th Earl of Kent, 7th Baron Grey of Ruthin c. 1495–1562 George Grey c. 1493–1514/1515 10th Baron Grey de Wilton Thomas Grey c. 1496–1517 11th Baron Grey de Wilton Richard Grey c. 1505–1523 12th Baron Grey de Wilton William Grey c. 1509–1562 13th Baron Grey de Wilton Henry Grey 1520–1545 Arthur Grey 1536–1593 14th Baron Grey de Wilton Reginald Grey d. 1573 5th Earl of Kent, 8th Baron Grey of Ruthin Henry Grey 1541–1615 6th Earl of Kent, 9th Baron Grey of Ruthin Charles Grey c. 1545–1623 7th Earl of Kent, 10th Baron Grey of Ruthyn Bridget Grey d. 1648 Thomas Grey 1575–1614 15th Baron Grey de Wilton Susan Grey Henry Grey c. 1583–1639 8th Earl of Kent, 11th Baron Grey of Ruthyn Barony Grey de Wilton (1st creation) extinct, 1614 Baronet of Egerton and Oulton, 1617 Roland Egerton d. 1646 1st Baronet Charles Longueville 1612–1643 12th Baron Grey de Ruthyn John Egerton d. 1674 2nd Baronet Susan Longueville d. 1676 13th Baroness Grey de Ruthyn suo jure Viscount de Longueville (1st creation), 1690 John Egerton d. 1729 3rd Baronet Charles Yelverton 1657–1679 14th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Henry Yelverton c. 1664–1703/1704 1st Viscount de Longueville, 15th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Earl of Sussex (5th creation), 1717 Holland Egerton c. 1689–1730 4th Baronet Talbot Yelverton c. 1664–1703/1704 1st Earl of Sussex, 2nd Viscount de Longueville, 16th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Edward Egerton bef. 1721–1743/1744 5th Baronet Thomas Grey Egerton c. 1721–1756 6th Baronet George Augustus Yelverton 1727–1758 2nd Earl of Sussex, 3rd Viscount de Longueville, 17th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Henry Yelverton 1728–1799 3rd Earl of Sussex, 4th Viscount de Longueville, 18th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Earldom of Sussex (5th creation) and Viscountcy de Longueville (1st creation) extinct, 1799 Baron Grosvenor of Eaton in the County of Chester, 1761 Earl Gosvenor and Viscount Belgrave of Belgrave in the County of Chester, 1784 Baron Grey de Wilton (2nd creation), 1784 Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton, 1801 Richard Grosvenor 1731–1802 7th Baronet of Eaton, 1st Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor Thomas Egerton 1749–1814 7th Baronet of Egerton and Oulton, 1st Earl of Wilton, Viscount Grey de Wilton, and Baron Grey de Wilton Barbara Yelverton d. 1781 Barony Grey de Wilton (2nd creation) extinct, 1784 Marquess of Westminster, 1831 Robert Grosvenor 1767–1845 1st Marquess of Westminster, 2nd Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor Eleanor Egerton 1770–1846 Henry Yelverton 1780–1810 19th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Baron Ebury of Ebury Manor in the County of Middlesex, 1857 Richard Grosvenor 1795–1869 2nd Marquess of Westminster, 3rd Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor Thomas Grosvenor (Egerton) 1799–1882 2nd Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton Robert Grosvenor 1801–1893 1st Baron Ebury Barbara Rawdon-Hastings 1810–1858 20th Baroness Grey de Ruthyn suo jure George Augustus Francis Rawdon-Hastings 1808–1844 Marquess of Hastings Duke of Westminster, 1874 Baron Stalbridge of Stalbridge in the County of Dorset, 1886 Baron Grey de Radcliffe in the County Palatine of Lancaster, 1875 Barony Grey de Ruthin (Ruthyn) abeyance terminated, 1885 Hugh Lupus Grosvenor 1825–1899 1st Duke of Westminster, 3rd Marquess of Westminster, 4th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor Richard de Aquila Grosvenor 1837–1912 1st Baron Stalbridge Arthur Edward Holland Grey Egerton 1833–1885 3rd Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton, Baron Grey de Radcliffe Seymour John Grey Egerton 1839–1898 4th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton Robert Wellesley Grosvenor 1834–1918 2nd Baron Ebury Bertha Lelgarde Clifton 1835–1887 22nd Baroness Grey de Ruthyn suo jure Henry Weysford Charles Plantagenet Rawdon-Hastings 1842–1868 Marquess of Hastings, Earl of Loudoun, 21st Baron Grey de Ruthyn, Baron Botreaux, Baron Hungerford, Baron de Moleyns, Baron Hastings Barony Grey de Radcliffe extinct, 1885 Barony Grey de Ruthyn abeyant, 1868 Victor Alexander Grosvenor 1853–1884 styled Earl Grosvenor Henry George Grosvenor 1861–1914 Hugh Grosvenor 1880–1949 2nd Baron Stalbridge Arthur George Egerton 1863–1915 5th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton Robert Victor Grosvenor 1868–1921 3rd Baron Ebury Ella Cicely Mary Clifton 1856–1912 Rawdon George Grey Clifton 1858–1912 23rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn Cecil Talbot Clifton 1862–1934 24th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Barony Stalbridge extinct, 1949 Barony Grey de Ruthyn abeyant, 1934 Barony Grey de Ruthyn abeyance terminated, 1940 Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor 1879–1953 2nd Duke of Westminster, 4th Marquess of Westminster, 5th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor William Grosvenor 1894–1963 3rd Duke of Westminster, 5th Marquess of Westminster, 6th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor Hugh William Grosvenor 1884–1914 Seymour Edward Frederick Egerton 1896–1927 6th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton Francis Egerton Grosvenor 1883–1932 4th Baron Ebury John Lancelot Wykeham Butler-Bowden 1883–1963 25th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Barony Grey de Ruthyn abeyant, 1963 Gerald Hugh Grosvenor 1907–1967 4th Duke of Westminster, 6th Marquess of Westminster, 7th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor Robert George Grosvenor 1910–1979 5th Duke of Westminster, 7th Marquess of Westminster, 8th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor Seymour William Arthur John Egerton 1921–1999 7th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton Robert Grosvenor 1914–1957 5th Baron Ebury Francis Grosvenor b. 1934 8th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton, 6th Baron Ebury Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor 1951–2016 6th Duke of Westminster, 8th Marquess of Westminster, 9th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor Julian Grosvenor b. 1959 styled Viscount Grey de Wilton Heir apparent to the 8th Earldom of Wilton and heir presumptive to the Marquessate of Westminster Hugh Grosvenor b. 1991 7th Duke of Westminster, 9th Marquess of Westminster, 10th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor

See also

• Earl of Wilton
• Baron Ebury
• Baron Stalbridge
• Duchess of Westminster

References

1. Duke of Westminster nominations 21 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine, CVQO. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
2. "Duke - Debrett's". Debrett's. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
3. "Prince George's godparents announced". BBC News. 23 October 2013. from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
4. George Edward Cokayne Complete Baronetage Volume 1 1900
5. Neate, Rupert; correspondent, Rupert Neate Wealth (25 April 2023). "Duke of Westminster: the London property baron born with 'longest silver spoon'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 December 2023.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grosvenor Dukes of Westminster.

• "Grosvenor family history".
• "Grosvenor Group website".