The royal lineage born from a mistress and an actress

Countries & Cities · Published 9 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1684, King Charles II elevated his illegitimate son to a dukedom. This title, created for the son of the actress Nell Gwyn, established a lineage that transitioned from royal favor to landed wealth, and eventually to a modern existence without inherited estates.

The Dukedom of St Albans was established in 1684 for Charles Beauclerk, the 1st Duke, who was only 14 years old at the time. He was the illegitimate son of King Charles II and the celebrated actress Nell Gwyn. The King granted this title just as he conferred dukedoms on his other illegitimate sons who had married, marking a significant moment of royal recognition for his offspring. The family's status was cemented through vast landholdings and subsidiary titles, including the Earldom of Burford and the Barony of Vere. By the 19th century, the family held significant country seats like Bestwood Lodge in Nottinghamshire and Redbourne Hall in Lincolnshire. In 1883, the Duke's estate was recorded as producing a combined annual income of £10,955 from over 9,000 acres of land.

The 10th Duke notably oversaw the construction of a Gothic Revival-style house at Bestwood Lodge between 1862 and 1865. The 20th century marked a period of transition and decline for the family's landed power. The Lincolnshire estates were sold in 1917, and the Nottinghamshire estate was sold in 1939. By the time of the 13th Duke, the family no longer inherited landed estates or country houses. While the title remains in the Peerage of England, the modern dukes have moved from sprawling country seats to more modest residences, reflecting a shift from landed aristocracy to a titular lineage.

The 10th Duke's son, the 11th Duke, was confined in Ticehurst Asylum from 1899 until his death in 1934. This period of family upheaval preceded the sale of the major family seats, which were eventually converted into hotels or sold into private ownership.

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