The descendants of Charles II of England, Stuart monarch of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France, are numerous; lines from his many illegitimate children exist to this day. Although Charles's wife Catherine of Braganza was barren, he stayed with her but had numerous mistresses. Some of Charles's illegitimate children were born before his marriage. This article deals with the most senior figures who were descended from Charles's illegitimate sons; the names of his daughters are also mentioned.
Although some of Charles's children made claims to the throne, most notably his first son The Duke of Monmouth, their illegitimacy meant that after Charles's death, his brother James, Duke of York, became king. Over the centuries, several of Charles's descendants have made names for themselves, including Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, who became Prime Minister of Great Britain, the cricket pioneer Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, and the parliamentary reformer Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond.
Diana, Princess of Wales, was descended from two of Charles's illegitimate sons; Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton, and Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond. This means that her son, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, will become the first descendant of Charles II to occupy the British throne, if he succeeds as expected.
Read more about Descendants Of Charles II Of England: Children By Catherine Pegge, Children By Barbara Palmer Née Villiers, Child By Moll Davis, Charles II Line of Descent To Prince William and Prince Harry, Other Notable Descendants
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