Elizabeth Sackville, Duchess of Dorset (c. 1689 – 12 June 1768), formerly Elizabeth Colyear, was a British court official and noble, the wife of

Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset (18 January 168810 October 1765) was a British politician who served as Lord President of the Council from 1745 to 1751. He also twice served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1730 to 1737 and aga ...

. She was the daughter of Lieutenant-General Walter Colyear (who was a brother of the Earl of Portmore). In 1703, at the age of fourteen, Elizabeth came to court as a

Maid of honour A maid of honour is a junior attendant of a queen in royal households. The position was and is junior to the lady-in-waiting. The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts. Tudors and Stuarts Traditi ...

to Queen Anne, a position she inherited from her aunt Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester. They were married in January 1709, but the marriage was not made public until the duchess became pregnant. The couple had five children in all: * Charles, Earl of Middlesex (later 2nd Duke of Dorset; 1711–1769) * Lord John Sackville (father of the 3rd Duke) * Lord George Sackville (later Lord George Germain and 1st Viscount Sackville) * Elizabeth (died 19 June 1729), who married

Thomas Thynne, 2nd Viscount Weymouth Thomas Thynne, 2nd Viscount Weymouth (21 May 1710 – 1751) of Longleat House in Wiltshire was an English peer, descended from Sir John Thynne (c.1515-1580) builder of Longleat. Origins He was born on 21 May 1710, the son of Thomas Thynne (d.1 ...

* Caroline, who married Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester. Between 1714 and 1737 She was a

Lady of the Bedchamber Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a British queen regnant or queen consort. The position is traditionally held by the wife of a peer. A lady of the bedchamber would gi ...

and to

Caroline of Ansbach Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach (Wilhelmina Charlotte Caroline; 1 March 1683 – 20 November 1737) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and List of Hanoverian royal consorts, Electress of Hanover from 11 J ...

, wife of King

George II of Great Britain George II (George Augustus; ; 30 October / 9 November 1683 – 25 October 1760) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Electorate of Hanover, Hanover) and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Em ...

. From 1723 to 1731 she was Caroline's

Mistress of the Robes The mistress of the robes was the senior lady in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, who would, by appointment, attend on the Queen (whether queen regnant or a queen consort). Queens dowager retained their own mistresses of the robes. In ...

, a title that can be held by no one of lower rank than a duchess. The arrangements for Caroline's appearance at her coronation in 1727 were, however, made by an experienced subordinate.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dorset, Elizabeth Sackville, Duchess of 1768 deaths British duchesses by marriage Ladies of the Bedchamber Mistresses of the Robes British maids of honour 18th-century English women 18th-century English nobility Elizabeth Year of birth uncertain Household of Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach