Knowledge

Catherine Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington

Source 📝

38: 312:
the proposition he had made some years ago" on his behalf. Pakenham feared that Wellesley felt bound by promises he had made ten years earlier and was in two minds as to whether to accept the proposal. Despite his more formal proposal after he had obtained her brother's permission, she insisted that he should see her in person before committing himself. Wellesley travelled to Ireland to meet her, and although he was obviously disappointed in the change in her (he remarked to his brother "She has grown ugly, by Jove!"), went ahead with the marriage. The couple were married on 10 April 1806,
360:, that he had "repeatedly tried to live in a friendly manner with her ... but it was impossible ... & it drove him to seek that comfort & happiness abroad that was denied him at home". Harriet, the nature of whose own relations with Wellesley remains a subject of speculation, had a rather low opinion of Pakenham—"she is such a fool"—but disputed Wellesley's claim that she cared nothing for his happiness; in a rare moment of sympathy, she wrote that Pakenham wanted above all to make her husband happy, but had no idea how to do it. 433: 426: 1155: 1008: 998: 446:
United Kingdom (Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington) impaling Quarterly of 4: 1st: Quarterly or and gules, in the first quarter an eagle displayed vert (Pakenham); 2nd: Argent, on a bend indented sable cotised azure three fleurs-de-lis argent each cotise charged with three bezants ; 3rd: Ermine, a griffin segreant azure armed and langued gules beaked or; 4th: Per bend crenellée argent and gules (Edward Pakenham, 2nd Baron Longford).
311:
Pakenham had been a pretty, vivacious girl when Wellesley had met her ten years before, but she had been very ill in 1795–6, during his absence, and was thin, pale and in poor health by the time he informed their mutual friend Olivia Sparrow that he was returning to England and that she should "renew
331:
Though she regained something of her former health, the two did not get on well together. Wellesley was a man of action, as well as frugal and reserved, with a sharp wit; Pakenham was protective and possessive. With little in common, Wellesley could not help but give the impression that he found her
445:
Quarterly, I and IV gules, a cross argent, in each quarter five plates; II and III, Or, a lion rampant gules armed and langued Azure gorged with a coronet Or. For augmentation, an inescutcheon charged with the crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick combined, being the union badge of the
409:
she had once given him, "She found it, as she would have at any time these past twenty years, had she cared to look for it" remarked Wellington. "How strange it was", he went on to say, "that people could live together for half a lifetime and only understand each other at the end". She died on 24
355:
Wellesley remained in Portugal and Spain during the entire Peninsular War, not returning to England until 1814. Pakenham aged quickly and became short-sighted, causing her to squint when talking. Wellesley found her vain and vacuous. It appears that she indeed loved him, but contented herself by
290:
Pakenham had met Wellesley in Ireland when they were both young, and Wellesley, after numerous visits to the Longfords' Dublin home, made his feelings towards her clear. At the time, her family disapproved of the match as Wellesley was the third son of a large family and had little in the way of
291:
prospects. After the rejection by the Pakenhams, Wellesley became serious about his military career, was posted to the Netherlands and India, enjoyed a spectacular rise, and seemingly forgot about Pakenham. Although she remained hopeful that they would be reunited, she admitted to a friend,
303:, but Sparrow, who was in contact with Wellesley, revealed that he still considered himself attached to her. After much soul-searching, Pakenham broke off the engagement to Cole, although she believed the stress of the affair had damaged her health. 390:
After comparison with crowds of other beaux spirits, fine ladies and fashionable scramblers for notoriety, her graceful simplicity rises in our opinion, and we feel it with more conviction of its superiority.
690: 380:. Lady Elizabeth Yorke commented that "her appearance, unfortunately, does not correspond with one's notion of an ambassadress or the wife of a hero, but she succeeds uncommonly well in her part". 1044: 683: 324:, Wellesley returned to England. Pakenham followed him and after a stay with his brother, while Wellesley continued to inhabit his bachelor's lodging, they set up home together in 1340: 1374: 1297: 676: 1369: 1139: 1442: 1011: 1171: 279: 1356: 1037: 368:
She became the Duchess of Wellington on Wellesley's creation as the Duke of Wellington on 3 May 1814 and eventually joined him in France when he was appointed
369: 1361: 1001: 699: 93: 1030: 868: 275: 745: 1102: 848: 512: 405:
She became seriously ill in 1831, which brought Wellington to her bedside. She ran a finger up his sleeve to find if he was still wearing an
1144: 730: 755: 263: 1097: 259: 1074: 1053: 333: 204: 139: 106: 1134: 808: 340:, in 1808, they lived apart for most of the time and occupied separate rooms in the house when they were together. Her brother, 1432: 1091: 770: 1462: 1085: 818: 813: 775: 760: 581: 547: 232: 1397: 923: 853: 255: 220: 160: 1422: 1417: 1412: 798: 1452: 1119: 1107: 843: 823: 658: 639: 609: 765: 750: 489: 479: 1129: 313: 1335: 1328: 735: 1437: 873: 1323: 1318: 37: 348:
and Wellesley's regard for him helped to smooth his relations with Pakenham, until Ned's death at the
1447: 1427: 1457: 1195: 833: 707: 474: 267: 240: 176: 1237: 1183: 1113: 191: 1310: 1222: 1188: 1079: 918: 913: 478: 356:
doting on her sons and four adopted children. Wellesley confided to his closest female friend,
337: 144: 1282: 1124: 883: 725: 570: 536: 432: 349: 569: 535: 1407: 1402: 1022: 898: 373: 296: 271: 394: 8: 1242: 863: 740: 720: 317: 300: 236: 1212: 1259: 1227: 858: 1247: 1232: 1217: 715: 668: 654: 635: 605: 577: 543: 504: 357: 1200: 1176: 983: 953: 948: 928: 893: 793: 1305: 973: 383: 341: 248: 1207: 968: 963: 933: 878: 785: 345: 295:, after many years that she thought the "business over". She became engaged to 292: 228: 224: 1391: 1287: 978: 908: 903: 803: 325: 1154: 425: 1277: 1254: 943: 888: 244: 81: 452:
On either side a Lion Gules gorged with an Eastern Coronet and chained Or.
938: 958: 838: 484: 321: 25: 386:, however, found her "delightful" and "amiable" and commented that: 199:; 14 January 1773 – 24 April 1831), known before her marriage as 406: 216: 62: 1052: 419:
Coat of arms of Catherine Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington
377: 320:), by Wellesley's clergyman brother, Gerald. After a brief 572:
A Right Royal Scandal: Two Marriages That Changed History
227:
Catherine Pakenham" when her father succeeded as the 2nd
186:
Catherine Sarah Dorothea Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington
698: 215:Catherine Pakenham was born on 14 January 1773 in 94:Spouse of the prime minister of the United Kingdom 567: 563: 561: 559: 1443:Spouses of prime ministers of the United Kingdom 1389: 306: 223:, and the former Catherine Rowley, she became " 1103:William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington 556: 493:. Vol. 43. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1038: 684: 332:poor company and although they had two sons, 497: 1069:Catherine Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington 1045: 1031: 691: 677: 473: 316:(while it was using a temporary chapel in 264:Elizabeth Rowley, 1st Viscountess Langford 36: 1098:Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley 629: 538:Wellington: The Path to Victory 1769–1814 260:Elizabeth Cuffe, 1st Countess of Longford 1054:Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington 595: 593: 363: 344:, served under Wellesley throughout the 205:Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington 140:Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington 107:Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington 648: 632:The Life And Letters of Maria Edgeworth 527: 1390: 1092:Anne Wellesley, Countess of Mornington 599: 467: 1086:Garret Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington 1026: 672: 634:. Kessinger Publishing. p. 260. 590: 542:. Yale University Press. p. 40. 233:Thomas Pakenham, 2nd Earl of Longford 190: 122: 568:Major, Joanne; Sarah Murden (2016). 533: 256:Thomas Pakenham, 1st Baron Longford 161:Edward Pakenham, 2nd Baron Longford 13: 700:Spouses of British prime ministers 431: 424: 397:described Pakenham as "adorable". 14: 1474: 1108:Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley 480:"Pakenham, Hercules Robert"  262:. Her maternal grandparents were 231:in 1776. Among her siblings were 49:Catherine Sarah Dorothea Pakenham 1153: 1007: 1006: 997: 996: 515:from the original on 8 July 2017 490:Dictionary of National Biography 285: 254:Her paternal grandparents were 118: 651:Wellington: A Personal History 16:Wife of the Duke of Wellington 1: 1433:British duchesses by marriage 1336:Wellington College, Berkshire 649:Hibbert, Christopher (2001). 576:. Pen and Sword. p. 22. 460: 210: 1463:Irish expatriates in England 874:Charlotte Campbell-Bannerman 307:Marriage to Arthur Wellesley 7: 1398:People from County Longford 505:"Langford, Baron (I, 1800)" 314:St. George's Church, Dublin 10: 1479: 622: 604:. London: Harper Collins. 511:. Heraldic Media Limited. 1423:People from County Dublin 1418:19th-century Irish people 1413:18th-century Irish people 1349: 1296: 1270: 1162: 1151: 1060: 992: 784: 706: 630:Edgeworth, Maria (2004). 602:Wellington: The Iron Duke 475:Chichester, Henry Manners 219:, Ireland. A daughter of 172: 153: 132: 100: 89: 70: 44: 35: 30:The Duchess of Wellington 23: 1453:Women of the Regency era 1196:Second Anglo-Maratha War 653:. Da Capo. p. 480. 600:Holmes, Richard (2002). 400: 299:, the second son of the 268:Hercules Langford Rowley 241:Hercules Robert Pakenham 177:Hercules Langford Rowley 1184:Fourth Anglo-Mysore War 1114:Lady Anne Culling Smith 869:Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil 413: 1238:Third Siege of Badajoz 1223:Second Battle of Porto 1189:Battle of Seringapatam 919:Elizabeth Douglas-Home 436: 429: 392: 145:Lord Charles Wellesley 1315:Wellington monuments 1283:Stratfield Saye House 884:Margaret Lloyd George 746:Mary Watson-Wentworth 731:Harriet Pelham-Holles 435: 428: 388: 364:Duchess of Wellington 350:Battle of New Orleans 342:Edward "Ned" Pakenham 1118:Nephews and nieces: 899:Clementine Churchill 297:Galbraith Lowry Cole 272:Member of Parliament 1438:Daughters of barons 1341:Cultural depictions 1311:Wellington's Column 1243:Battle of Salamanca 864:Catherine Gladstone 829:Catherine Wellesley 741:Elizabeth Grenville 534:Muir, Rory (2013). 420: 301:Earl of Enniskillen 239:; and Lt.-Gen. Sir 237:Sir Edward Pakenham 1260:Battle of Waterloo 1228:Battle of Talavera 859:Mary Anne Disraeli 849:Emma Smith-Stanley 509:Cracroft's Peerage 437: 430: 418: 280:County Londonderry 203:, was the wife of 1385: 1384: 1248:Battle of Vitoria 1233:Battle of Sabugal 1218:Battle of Vimeiro 1172:Flanders Campaign 1020: 1019: 914:Dorothy Macmillan 761:Elizabeth FitzRoy 716:Catherine Walpole 583:978-1-4738-6342-2 549:978-0-300-19860-7 458: 457: 395:Germaine de Staël 358:Harriet Arbuthnot 183: 182: 84:, London, England 1470: 1448:Wives of knights 1428:Wellesley family 1375:Hyde Park Corner 1213:Battle of Roliça 1201:Battle of Assaye 1177:Battle of Boxtel 1157: 1047: 1040: 1033: 1024: 1023: 1010: 1009: 1000: 999: 984:Victoria Starmer 954:Samantha Cameron 929:Audrey Callaghan 894:Anne Chamberlain 809:Louisa Jenkinson 794:Ursula Addington 776:Dorothy Bentinck 726:Catherine Pelham 693: 686: 679: 670: 669: 664: 645: 616: 615: 597: 588: 587: 575: 565: 554: 553: 541: 531: 525: 524: 522: 520: 501: 495: 494: 482: 471: 421: 417: 194: 165:Catherine Rowley 126: 124: 120: 77: 58: 56: 40: 21: 20: 1478: 1477: 1473: 1472: 1471: 1469: 1468: 1467: 1458:Pakenham family 1388: 1387: 1386: 1381: 1345: 1306:Wellington Arch 1292: 1266: 1164: 1158: 1149: 1056: 1051: 1021: 1016: 988: 844:Frances Russell 780: 702: 697: 667: 661: 642: 625: 620: 619: 612: 598: 591: 584: 566: 557: 550: 532: 528: 518: 516: 503: 502: 498: 472: 468: 463: 416: 403: 384:Maria Edgeworth 366: 336:, in 1807, and 309: 288: 249:King William IV 221:Edward Pakenham 213: 168: 149: 128: 116: 112: 109: 85: 79: 75: 66: 60: 59:14 January 1773 54: 52: 51: 50: 31: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1476: 1466: 1465: 1460: 1455: 1450: 1445: 1440: 1435: 1430: 1425: 1420: 1415: 1410: 1405: 1400: 1383: 1382: 1380: 1379: 1378: 1377: 1372: 1370:Royal Exchange 1364: 1359: 1353: 1351: 1347: 1346: 1344: 1343: 1338: 1333: 1332: 1331: 1326: 1321: 1313: 1308: 1302: 1300: 1294: 1293: 1291: 1290: 1285: 1280: 1274: 1272: 1268: 1267: 1265: 1264: 1263: 1262: 1252: 1251: 1250: 1245: 1240: 1235: 1230: 1225: 1220: 1215: 1208:Peninsular War 1205: 1204: 1203: 1193: 1192: 1191: 1181: 1180: 1179: 1168: 1166: 1160: 1159: 1152: 1150: 1148: 1147: 1142: 1137: 1132: 1127: 1122: 1116: 1110: 1105: 1100: 1094: 1088: 1082: 1077: 1071: 1064: 1062: 1058: 1057: 1050: 1049: 1042: 1035: 1027: 1018: 1017: 1015: 1014: 1004: 993: 990: 989: 987: 986: 981: 976: 971: 969:Carrie Johnson 966: 964:Marina Wheeler 961: 956: 951: 946: 941: 936: 934:Denis Thatcher 931: 926: 921: 916: 911: 906: 901: 896: 891: 886: 881: 879:Margot Asquith 876: 871: 866: 861: 856: 851: 846: 841: 836: 831: 826: 824:Sarah Robinson 821: 816: 814:Mary Jenkinson 811: 806: 801: 799:Anne Grenville 796: 790: 788: 786:United Kingdom 782: 781: 779: 778: 773: 768: 763: 758: 753: 748: 743: 738: 733: 728: 723: 718: 712: 710: 704: 703: 696: 695: 688: 681: 673: 666: 665: 659: 646: 640: 626: 624: 621: 618: 617: 610: 589: 582: 555: 548: 526: 496: 465: 464: 462: 459: 456: 455: 454: 453: 450: 447: 443: 438: 415: 412: 402: 399: 365: 362: 346:Peninsular War 308: 305: 293:Olivia Sparrow 287: 284: 229:Baron Longford 225:The Honourable 212: 209: 201:Kitty Pakenham 181: 180: 174: 170: 169: 167: 166: 163: 157: 155: 151: 150: 148: 147: 142: 136: 134: 130: 129: 114: 110: 105: 104: 102: 98: 97: 91: 90:Known for 87: 86: 80: 78:(aged 58) 72: 68: 67: 61: 48: 46: 42: 41: 33: 32: 29: 24: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1475: 1464: 1461: 1459: 1456: 1454: 1451: 1449: 1446: 1444: 1441: 1439: 1436: 1434: 1431: 1429: 1426: 1424: 1421: 1419: 1416: 1414: 1411: 1409: 1406: 1404: 1401: 1399: 1396: 1395: 1393: 1376: 1373: 1371: 1368: 1367: 1365: 1363: 1360: 1358: 1355: 1354: 1352: 1348: 1342: 1339: 1337: 1334: 1330: 1327: 1325: 1322: 1320: 1317: 1316: 1314: 1312: 1309: 1307: 1304: 1303: 1301: 1299: 1295: 1289: 1288:Walmer Castle 1286: 1284: 1281: 1279: 1276: 1275: 1273: 1269: 1261: 1258: 1257: 1256: 1253: 1249: 1246: 1244: 1241: 1239: 1236: 1234: 1231: 1229: 1226: 1224: 1221: 1219: 1216: 1214: 1211: 1210: 1209: 1206: 1202: 1199: 1198: 1197: 1194: 1190: 1187: 1186: 1185: 1182: 1178: 1175: 1174: 1173: 1170: 1169: 1167: 1161: 1156: 1146: 1143: 1141: 1138: 1136: 1133: 1131: 1128: 1126: 1123: 1121: 1117: 1115: 1111: 1109: 1106: 1104: 1101: 1099: 1095: 1093: 1089: 1087: 1083: 1081: 1078: 1076: 1072: 1070: 1066: 1065: 1063: 1059: 1055: 1048: 1043: 1041: 1036: 1034: 1029: 1028: 1025: 1013: 1005: 1003: 995: 994: 991: 985: 982: 980: 979:Akshata Murty 977: 975: 972: 970: 967: 965: 962: 960: 957: 955: 952: 950: 947: 945: 942: 940: 937: 935: 932: 930: 927: 925: 922: 920: 917: 915: 912: 910: 909:Clarissa Eden 907: 905: 904:Violet Attlee 902: 900: 897: 895: 892: 890: 887: 885: 882: 880: 877: 875: 872: 870: 867: 865: 862: 860: 857: 855: 852: 850: 847: 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 832: 830: 827: 825: 822: 820: 817: 815: 812: 810: 807: 805: 804:Jane Perceval 802: 800: 797: 795: 792: 791: 789: 787: 783: 777: 774: 772: 769: 767: 764: 762: 759: 757: 754: 752: 749: 747: 744: 742: 739: 737: 734: 732: 729: 727: 724: 722: 721:Maria Walpole 719: 717: 714: 713: 711: 709: 708:Great Britain 705: 701: 694: 689: 687: 682: 680: 675: 674: 671: 662: 660:0-7382-0148-0 656: 652: 647: 643: 641:1-4191-6937-8 637: 633: 628: 627: 613: 611:0-00-713750-8 607: 603: 596: 594: 585: 579: 574: 573: 564: 562: 560: 551: 545: 540: 539: 530: 514: 510: 506: 500: 492: 491: 486: 481: 476: 470: 466: 451: 448: 444: 441: 440: 439: 434: 427: 423: 422: 411: 408: 398: 396: 391: 387: 385: 381: 379: 375: 371: 361: 359: 353: 351: 347: 343: 339: 335: 329: 327: 326:Harley Street 323: 319: 315: 304: 302: 298: 294: 286:Personal life 283: 281: 277: 273: 269: 265: 261: 257: 252: 250: 246: 242: 238: 234: 230: 226: 222: 218: 208: 206: 202: 198: 195: 193: 187: 179:(grandfather) 178: 175: 171: 164: 162: 159: 158: 156: 152: 146: 143: 141: 138: 137: 135: 131: 108: 103: 99: 95: 92: 88: 83: 74:24 April 1831 73: 69: 64: 47: 43: 39: 34: 27: 22: 19: 1278:Apsley House 1255:Hundred Days 1068: 1002:Category:GBR 974:Hugh O'Leary 944:Cherie Blair 889:Lucy Baldwin 854:Emily Temple 828: 819:Joan Canning 771:Louisa Petty 756:Anne FitzRoy 650: 631: 601: 571: 537: 529: 517:. Retrieved 508: 499: 488: 469: 404: 393: 389: 382: 376:'s exile to 367: 354: 330: 310: 289: 276:County Meath 253: 245:aide-de-camp 214: 200: 196: 189: 185: 184: 82:Apsley House 76:(1831-04-24) 18: 1408:1831 deaths 1403:1773 births 1012:Category:UK 949:Sarah Brown 939:Norma Major 924:Mary Wilson 751:Hester Pitt 736:Mary Stuart 485:Lee, Sidney 96:(1828–1830) 1392:Categories 1135:Priscilla 1096:Brothers: 1073:Children: 959:Philip May 839:Julia Peel 766:Anne North 461:References 449:Supporters 442:Escutcheon 370:Ambassador 318:Drumcondra 211:Early life 55:1773-01-14 1357:Aldershot 1298:Memorials 1145:Georgiana 834:Mary Grey 352:in 1815. 322:honeymoon 173:Relatives 65:, Ireland 26:Her Grace 1329:Somerset 1165:and wars 1112:Sister: 1090:Mother: 1084:Father: 519:30 April 513:Archived 477:(1895). 374:Napoleon 197:Pakenham 133:Children 1366:London 1362:Glasgow 1350:Statues 1163:Battles 1140:William 1120:Richard 1080:Charles 623:Sources 487:(ed.). 410:April. 338:Charles 235:; Gen. 154:Parents 127:​ 115:​ 111:​ 1324:London 1319:Dublin 1075:Arthur 1067:Wife: 1061:Family 657:  638:  608:  580:  546:  407:armlet 372:after 334:Arthur 266:, and 258:, and 217:Dublin 121:  101:Spouse 63:Dublin 1271:Homes 1130:Henry 483:. In 401:Death 125:) 117:( 113: 1125:Anne 655:ISBN 636:ISBN 606:ISBN 578:ISBN 544:ISBN 521:2020 414:Arms 378:Elba 278:and 274:for 123:1806 71:Died 45:Born 247:to 192:née 1394:: 592:^ 558:^ 507:. 328:. 282:. 270:, 251:. 243:, 207:. 119:m. 1046:e 1039:t 1032:v 692:e 685:t 678:v 663:. 644:. 614:. 586:. 552:. 523:. 188:( 57:) 53:(

Index

Her Grace

Dublin
Apsley House
Spouse of the prime minister of the United Kingdom
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington
Lord Charles Wellesley
Edward Pakenham, 2nd Baron Longford
Hercules Langford Rowley
née
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Dublin
Edward Pakenham
The Honourable
Baron Longford
Thomas Pakenham, 2nd Earl of Longford
Sir Edward Pakenham
Hercules Robert Pakenham
aide-de-camp
King William IV
Thomas Pakenham, 1st Baron Longford
Elizabeth Cuffe, 1st Countess of Longford
Elizabeth Rowley, 1st Viscountess Langford
Hercules Langford Rowley
Member of Parliament
County Meath
County Londonderry
Olivia Sparrow
Galbraith Lowry Cole

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.