Charles II's Illegitimate Children: Royal Bastards

Sarah-Beth Watkins

10/2023 · Pen and Sword History

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Charles II had at least twelve illegitimate children that we know of. Although his queen, Catherine of Braganza, fell pregnant several times she was not able to bear any children to full term. The king, who was known for his many mistresses, had his first recognized child out of wedlock in 1649; the child was James Croft who would become Duke of Monmouth and mastermind of an infamous rebellion. Not all of his children would gain such notoriety but they would live long and full lives creating a Stuart bloodline that descends to the present day.

There was Nell Gywn’s son, Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St Albans who was present at the siege of Belgrade in 1688. The French mistress, Louise de Keroualle’s son, Charles Lennox, Duke of Richmond who was an early patron of cricket. Catherine Pegge’s son, Charles Fitzcharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth who was a colonel in the King’s Own Royal Regiment and lost his life in Tangier and Moll Davis’ daughter Mary Tudor, Countess of Derwentwater who separated from her husband because she refused to be a Catholic.

Not to mention Charles’s offspring by Barbara Villiers, Lady Castlemaine and later Duchess of Cleveland – there was Anne who had an affair with one of her father’s mistresses, Charles who succeeded to the dukedom of Cleveland, Henry who became vice-admiral of England, George who was in the secret service in Venice, Barbara who after a torrid affair with the Earl of Arran gave birth to illegitimate twins and became a nun in France and Charlotte, who became Countess of Lichfield and had eighteen children!

And then there are the stories of other children like James de la Cloche and Charlotte Boyle whose births and lives are shrouded in mystery and rumor. This book will bring to life the king’s many illegitimate children and tell their stories.