Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk
Encyclopedia
Henrietta Howard was a mistress
of King George II of Great Britain
.
She was the daughter of Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet
, a Norfolk landowner who was killed in a duel when Henrietta was aged eight. Her mother Elizabeth (née Maynard) died a few years later.
Having become the ward of the Earl of Suffolk
, she married his youngest son, Charles Howard
, in 1706, hoping to provide for her siblings. They had one son, Henry Howard, 10th Earl of Suffolk
. The marriage was unhappy; Charles was a wife-beater and compulsive gambler.
In 1714, they travelled to Hanover
, hoping to ingratiate themselves with the future George I of Great Britain
. Henrietta met and became mistress to his son, the future George II, and was appointed a Woman of the Bedchamber to his wife, Caroline of Ansbach
. In 1723, the prince made a financial settlement with her husband in exchange for her services as royal mistress.
She and her husband officially separated, and after Charles Howard's death in 1733, Henrietta re-married, in 1735, the Hon. George Berkeley
, son of the Earl of Berkeley
.
After leaving the position of mistress to George II, Henrietta purchased land on the banks of the river Thames
, having received a very large financial settlement from him. Marble Hill House
in Twickenham
was built for her on this site by the architect Roger Morris
, who collaborated in its design with the Earl of Pembroke, one of the 'architect earls'.
When her second husband died, in 1746, she retired there permanently. Her many friends included Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough
, and Alexander Pope
, who wrote of her, in his poem "On a certain lady at court":
Her correspondents also included Horace Walpole (a near neighbour in later life) and Jonathan Swift
.
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
of King George II of Great Britain
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
.
She was the daughter of Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet
Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet
Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet was an English Whig politician and baronet.-Background:He was the oldest son of Sir John Hobart, 3rd Baronet and his first wife Mary Hampden, daughter of John Hampden...
, a Norfolk landowner who was killed in a duel when Henrietta was aged eight. Her mother Elizabeth (née Maynard) died a few years later.
Having become the ward of the Earl of Suffolk
Henry Howard, 5th Earl of Suffolk
Henry Howard, 5th Earl of Suffolk was the youngest son of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, but inherited the title, because none of his brothers left surviving sons.He married three times:...
, she married his youngest son, Charles Howard
Charles Howard, 9th Earl of Suffolk
Charles Howard, 9th Earl of Suffolk was an English nobleman and politician, styled Hon. Charles Howard from 1691 to 1731....
, in 1706, hoping to provide for her siblings. They had one son, Henry Howard, 10th Earl of Suffolk
Henry Howard, 10th Earl of Suffolk
Henry Howard, 10th Earl of Suffolk was the only child of Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk and Charles Howard, 9th Earl of Suffolk. He was styled Lord Walden from 1731 to 1733...
. The marriage was unhappy; Charles was a wife-beater and compulsive gambler.
In 1714, they travelled to Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, hoping to ingratiate themselves with the future George I of Great Britain
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
. Henrietta met and became mistress to his son, the future George II, and was appointed a Woman of the Bedchamber to his wife, Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
. In 1723, the prince made a financial settlement with her husband in exchange for her services as royal mistress.
She and her husband officially separated, and after Charles Howard's death in 1733, Henrietta re-married, in 1735, the Hon. George Berkeley
George Berkeley (MP)
The Honourable George Berkeley was a member of Parliament for Dover in 1720 and in the following two parliaments, and for Hedon, Yorkshire in 1734....
, son of the Earl of Berkeley
Charles Berkeley, 2nd Earl of Berkeley
Charles Berkeley, 2nd Earl of Berkeley PC KB FRS , was a British nobleman and diplomat, known as Sir Charles Berkeley from 1661 to 1679 and styled Viscount Dursley from 1679 to 1698....
.
After leaving the position of mistress to George II, Henrietta purchased land on the banks of the river Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, having received a very large financial settlement from him. Marble Hill House
Marble Hill House
Marble Hill House is a Palladian villa on the River Thames in southwest London, situated halfway between Richmond and Twickenham. The architect was Roger Morris, who collaborated with Henry Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, one of the "architect earls", in adapting a more expansive design by Colen...
in Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
was built for her on this site by the architect Roger Morris
Roger Morris (1695-1749)
Roger Morris was an English architect whose connection with Colen Campbell brought him to the attention of Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke, with whom Morris collaborated on a long series of projects.-Biography:...
, who collaborated in its design with the Earl of Pembroke, one of the 'architect earls'.
When her second husband died, in 1746, she retired there permanently. Her many friends included Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough
Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough
Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough and 1st Earl of Monmouth, KG, PC was an English nobleman and military leader. He was the son of John Mordaunt, 1st Viscount Mordaunt, and his wife Elizabeth, the daughter and sole heiress of Thomas Carey, the second son of Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth...
, and Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
, who wrote of her, in his poem "On a certain lady at court":
- I knew a thing that’s most uncommon
- (Envy be silent and attend!)
- I knew a reasonable woman,
- Handsome and witty, yet a friend.
Her correspondents also included Horace Walpole (a near neighbour in later life) and Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
.