Elizabeth Spencer, Duchess of Marlborough ( – 7 October 1761), formerly the Hon. Elizabeth Trevor, was the wife of

Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, (22 November 170620 October 1758), styled as The Honourable Charles Spencer between 1706 and 1729 and as The Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British soldier, nobleman, and politician fr ...

Early life

She was the daughter of Thomas Trevor, 2nd Baron Trevor of

Bromham, Bedfordshire Bromham is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, west of the town of Bedford. It is within commuting distance of London via Bedford railway station. Name Bromham (Bruneham in Domesday) is probably the enclosed meadow on which th ...

. Her paternal grandparents were the former Elizabeth Searle and

Thomas Trevor, 1st Baron Trevor Thomas Trevor, 1st Baron Trevor, (8 March 165819 June 1730) was a British judge and politician who was Attorney-General and later Lord Privy Seal. Biography Trevor was the second son of John Trevor (1626–1672). and was educated privately bef ...

, a

Chief Justice of the Common Pleas The chief justice of the Common Pleas was the head of the Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, which was the second-highest common law court in the English legal system until 1875, when it, along with the othe ...

and Lord President of the Council.

Personal life

She married Charles Spencer, then Earl of Sunderland on 23 May 1732, becoming Countess of Sunderland. The Earl's grandmother, Sarah, Dowager Duchess of Marlborough, disapproved of the marriage because Elizabeth's grandfather, the 1st Baron Trevor, had been a political opponent. The dowager commented that "she has very bad teeth, which I think is an objection alone in a wife, and they will be sure to grow worse with time." Elizabeth became a duchess in the following year when her husband inherited the dukedom. Together, they had five children:Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes. Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999. Page 1868 * Lady

Diana Spencer Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

(1734–1808), who married

Frederick St John, 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke Frederick St John, 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke, 3rd Viscount St John (21 December 1732 – 5 May 1787), was a British Viscount and landowner. His father was John St John, 2nd Viscount St John, half-brother of Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke ...

. After his death, she married

Topham Beauclerk Topham Beauclerk ( ; 22 December 1739 – 11 March 1780) was a celebrated wit and a friend of Dr Johnson and Horace Walpole. Life Topham Beauclerk was born on 22 December 1739, the only son of Lord Sidney Beauclerk and a great-grandson of King ...

, and had children from both marriages. *

Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

(1737–1831), who married

Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke, 7th Earl of Montgomery (3 July 173426 January 1794) of Wilton House in Wiltshire, was an English peer, politician and courtier who served as a Lord of the Bedchamber to King George III in 1769. He was renown ...

, and had children. *

George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, (26 January 1739 – 29 January 1817), styled Marquess of Blandford until 1758, was a British courtier, nobleman, and politician from the Spencer family. He served as Lord Chamberlain between 1762 a ...

(1739–1817). *

Lord Charles Spencer Lord Charles Spencer PC (31 March 1740 – 16 June 1820) was a British courtier and politician from the Spencer family who sat in the House of Commons between 1761 and 1801. Background Spencer was the second son of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of ...

(1740–1820), who married Hon. Mary Beauclerk, and had children. *

Lord Robert Spencer Lord Robert Spencer (8 May 1747 – 23 June 1831) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons several times between 1768 and 1818. Early life Spencer was born on 8 May 1747. He was the son of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, ...

(1747–1831), who married Henrietta Bouverie. She also acted as godmother to

George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer, (1 September 1758 – 10 November 1834), styled Viscount Althorp from 1765 to 1783, was a British Whig politician. He served as Home Secretary from 1806 to 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents. He was ...

in 1758. The couple lived at a lodge in the "Little Park" at Windsor, by the permission of Sarah Churchill, but the dowager was unhappy with the alterations made by the new duke, and forced them to move out in 1737, replacing them with Charles's younger brother John and his new wife.

Legacy

Her portrait, by

Jean-Baptiste Van Loo Jean-Baptiste van Loo (14 January 1684 – 19 December 1745) was a French subject and portrait painter. Life and career He was born in Aix-en-Provence, and was instructed in art by his father Louis-Abraham van Loo, son of Jacob van Loo. Hav ...

, hangs in Blenheim Palace.

References

External links

Portrait of Elizabeth, Duchess of Marlborough
, attributed to

Maria Verelst Maria Verelst (1680–1744) was an 18th-century English painter. Biography Verelst was born in Vienna, but moved with her family to London at the age of three. Her father was the Dutch painter Harman Verelst, who taught her and her brothers ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marlborough, Elizabeth Spencer, Duchess of 1710s births 1761 deaths Daughters of barons English duchesses by marriage

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...