Charles Stuart, Duke of Cambridge

Who was Charles Stuart, Duke of Cambridge?

Charles Stuart was the first of four sons and eight children born from the marriage between James, Duke of York and his first wife, Anne Hyde. He was styled Duke of Cambridge, but never formally created so, due to the fact that he died so young.

He was conceived seven months before his parents' official marriage and if royal advisors and Henrietta Maria of France had their way, he could have been declared illegitimate, as his mother, Anne, was not of royal blood.

However, Charles II of England, James' brother, approved of the marriage and the wedding between James and Anne was held on 3 September 1660 in London. Charles was born on 22 October and was baptised on 1 January 1661 at Worcester House. However, he died before reaching the age of one, after becoming ill with smallpox. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, on 6 May 1661. He died before the patent for this title was passed and his younger brother, James was formally created Duke of Cambridge. After James' death in 1667, at the age of three, another younger brother, Edgar was styled as such, but he, too, died at the age of three and all titles became extinct until the birth of the another son, also named Charles, in 1677.