The Duke of Wellington | |
---|---|
Member of the House of Lords | |
as an elected hereditary peer 17 September 2015 | |
By-election | 17 September 2015 |
Preceded by | The 3rd Baron Luke |
Member of the European Parliament for Surrey West Surrey (1979–1984) | |
In office 1979–1989 | |
Preceded by | Constituency established |
Succeeded by | Tom Spencer |
Personal details | |
Born | Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley 19 August 1945 H.R.H. Princess Christian Hospital,Windsor,Berkshire,England |
Spouse | |
Children | Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Mornington Lady Honor Montagu Lady Mary Wellesley Lady Charlotte Santo Domingo Lord Frederick Wellesley |
Parent(s) | Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington Diana McConnel |
Education | Eton College |
Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington, 9th Prince of Waterloo, 10th Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, 9th Duke of Victoria, GE, OBE, DL (born 19 August 1945), styled Earl of Mornington between 1945 and 1972 and Marquess of Douro between 1972 and 2014, is a British peer and politician. He served as Conservative Member of the European Parliament for Surrey (1979–1984) and Surrey West (1984–1989) and is eligible to sit as a hereditary peer in the House of Lords.
Wellington was born on 19 August 1945 at H.R.H Princess Christian Hospital in Windsor, Berkshire, the eldest son of Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington and Diana McConnel. He grew up in London and at Stratfield Saye House, his family's estate in Hampshire, and was educated at Ludgrove School, Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. [1] [2]
Wellington stood as Conservative Party candidate for Islington North in 1974, losing to Labour's incumbent Michael O'Halloran. He was a member of Basingstoke Borough Council from 1978 to 1979. He subsequently served as Conservative MEP for Surrey from 1979 to 1984, and as Conservative MEP for Surrey West from 1984 to 1989.
In September 2015, he was elected to a seat in the House of Lords as a Conservative in a by-election following the retirement of Lord Luke. [3] On 4 September 2019, he quit the Conservative Party. He sat as a "non-affiliated" member of the House of Lords from September 2019 to September 2020. Since September 2020 he has sat as a crossbench peer. [4]
In 2021 he put forward an amendment to the Environment Bill to attempt to reduce pollution from the dumping of sewage in rivers. The initial amendment was rejected by MPs, which led to a backlash on social media. The Environment Secretary George Eustice proposed making measures a legal duty, but Wellington put forward the amendment again to attempt to ensure changes came into force. [5]
He carried Queen Mary's Crown in the royal procession at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla. [6] With the Duchess, he was invited to ride in the King's procession at Royal Ascot 2023. [7]
Wellington has worked for a number of non-profit or charitable organisations. He was a patron of British Art at the Tate Gallery (1987–90), a member of the Royal College of Art between (1992–97), Chair of British-Spanish Tertulias (1993–98) and Trustee of the Phoenix Trust from 1996 to 2001). He was appointed OBE in 1999 for services to British-Spanish business relations. He was appointed a Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire in 1999. In 2003 he was given a four-year appointment as a Commissioner for English Heritage.
On 1 October 2007, he became Chairman of the Governing Council of King's College London, an institution of which his wife Princess Antonia is an alumna, and of which his ancestor Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was instrumental in the foundation.
He married Princess Antonia of Prussia on 3 February 1977 at St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London. The couple are friends of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. [8]
They have five children:
Apart from his British titles, the Duke of Wellington also holds the hereditary titles of 9th Prince of Waterloo ("Prins van Waterloo") of both the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Belgium, and 9th Duke of Victoria ("Duque da Vitória") of the Kingdom of Portugal with its subsidiary titles Marquis of Torres Vedras ("Marquês de Torres Vedras") and Count of Vimeiro ("Conde de Vimeiro"). These were granted to the first Duke as victory titles for his distinguished services as victorious commanding general in the Peninsular War (in Spain and Portugal), and at the Battle of Waterloo (in what is now Belgium).
Wellington is also the 10th Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo ("Duque de Ciudad Rodrigo") of the Kingdom of Spain, which on 10 March 2010 was ceded to him by his father. In accordance with Spanish procedure, Wellington (then styled as Marquess of Douro) made a formal claim to the title with the Spanish Ministry of Justice. [13] King Juan Carlos of Spain, through his minister, granted the succession to the Dukedom of Ciudad Rodrigo to Wellington in May 2010. [14]
His full title and style is: His Serene Highness Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, Prince of Waterloo, Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, Duke of Victoria, Marquess of Wellington, Marquess Douro, Marquess of Torres Vedras, Earl of Mornington, Earl of Wellington, Count of Vimeiro, Viscount Wellesley, Viscount Wellington, Baron Mornington, Baron Douro.
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was an Anglo-Irish statesman, soldier, and Tory politician who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of the United Kingdom. He is among the commanders who won and ended the Napoleonic Wars when the Seventh Coalition defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Duke of Wellington is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The name derived from Wellington in Somerset. The title was created in 1814 for Arthur Wellesley, 1st Marquess of Wellington, the Anglo-Irish military commander who is best known for leading the decisive victory with Field Marshal von Blücher over Napoleon's forces at Waterloo in Brabant. Wellesley later served twice as British prime minister. In historical texts, unqualified use of the title typically refers to the 1st Duke.
Richard Colley Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, was an Anglo-Irish politician and colonial administrator. He was styled as Viscount Wellesley until 1781, when he succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of Mornington. In 1799, he was granted the Irish peerage title of Marquess Wellesley of Norragh. He was also Lord Wellesley in the Peerage of Great Britain.
Lieutenant-General Arthur Richard Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington,, styled Lord Douro between 1812 and 1814 and Marquess of Douro between 1814 and 1852, was a British soldier and politician. The eldest son of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, victor of Waterloo and Prime Minister, he succeeded his father in the dukedom in 1852 and held minor political office as Master of the Horse from 1853 to 1858. In 1858, he was made a Knight of the Garter.
Wellesley may refer to:
Earl of Mornington is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1760 for the Anglo-Irish politician and composer Garret Wellesley, 2nd Baron Mornington. On the death of the fifth earl in 1863, it passed to the Duke of Wellington; since that date, the title has generally been used by courtesy for the heir apparent to the heir apparent to the dukedom.
Earl Cowley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1857 for the diplomat Henry Wellesley, 2nd Baron Cowley. He was Ambassador to France from 1852 to 1867. He was made Viscount Dangan, of Dangan in the County of Meath, at the same time as he was given the earldom. This title is also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Lord Cowley was the eldest son of Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley, who like his son served as Ambassador to France. In 1828 he was created Baron Cowley, of Wellesley in the County of Somerset, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. A member of the prominent Wellesley family, Cowley was the fifth and youngest son of Garret Wellesley, 1st Earl of Mornington, and the younger brother of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, and Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley.
Prince of Waterloo is a title in the Dutch and Belgian nobility, held by the Duke of Wellington. The title was created by King William I of the Netherlands for Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington as a victory title in recognition of defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The Duke of Wellington and all his descendants along the male line belong to Dutch and Belgian nobility, in which all the descendant dukes carry the title of "Prince of Waterloo" with the style "Serene Highness". The rest of his family retain the Dutch honorific Jonkheer or Jonkvrouw.
Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee. It was conferred by Ferdinand VII on the British General Arthur Wellesley, then 1st Viscount Wellington, later 1st Duke of Wellington in 1812, after his important victory at the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo that same year, as a victory title. As all dukedoms but one in the peerage of Spain, it has Grandeeship attached.
Garret Colley Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington was an Anglo-Irish politician and composer, as well as the father of several distinguished military commanders and politicians of Great Britain and Ireland.
Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley GCB was an Anglo-Irish diplomat and politician. He was the younger brother of the soldier and politician the first Duke of Wellington. He is known particularly for his service as British Ambassador to Spain during the Peninsular War where he acted in cooperation with his brother to gain the support of Cortes of Cádiz. His later postings included being Ambassador in Vienna where he dealt with Metternich and British Ambassador to France during the reign of Louis Philippe I.
Henry Valerian George Wellesley, 6th Duke of Wellington, styled as Earl of Mornington between 1912 and 1934 and Marquess of Douro between 1934 and 1941, was a British peer and politician.
Princess Antonia of Prussia, Duchess of Wellington is a British aristocrat and philanthropist. She serves as the President of The Guinness Partnership, an affordable housing community benefit society in the United Kingdom. A member of the House of Hohenzollern by birth, she is a great-granddaughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and a great-great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Through her marriage, she is also the Princess of Waterloo, Duchess of Victoria, and Duchess of Ciudad Rodrigo.
Duke of Victoria is a Portuguese title of nobility retained by the Duke of Wellington.
Diana Ruth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington, was the wife of Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington, and a British intelligence officer during World War II.
Brigadier Arthur Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington,, styled Marquess of Douro between 1943 and 1972, was a senior British peer and a brigadier in the British Army. His main residence was Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire.
Lady Charlotte Anne Santo Domingo is an English socialite and photography producer. She is married to Colombian-American businessman Alejandro Santo Domingo.
Charlotte Sloane Paget, Marchioness of Anglesey, formerly known as Lady Charlotte Wellesley, was the second wife of Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey.
Anne Wellesley, Countess of Mornington, was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat. She was the wife of the 1st Earl of Mornington and mother of the victor of the Battle of Waterloo, Field Marshal The 1st Duke of Wellington.