The Spencer family is an aristocratic family in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. From the 16th century, its members have held numerous titles including the dukedom of Marlborough, the earldoms of

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...

and Spencer, and the Churchill barony. Two prominent members of the family during the 20th century were Sir Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales.

History

Descent and claims

The House was founded in the 15th century by Henry Spencer (died c. 1478), from whom all members descend. In the 16th century the claim arose that the Spencers were a

cadet branch In history and heraldry, a cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets—realm, ti ...

of the ancient House Le Despencer, though this theory has since been debunked, in particular by

J. Horace Round (John) Horace Round (22 February 1854 – 24 June 1928) was an historian and genealogist of the English medieval period. He translated the portion of Domesday Book (1086) covering Essex into English. As an expert in the history of the British ...

in his essay ''The Rise of the Spencers''. The Spencers were first granted a coat of arms in 1504, ''"Azure a fess Ermine between 6 sea-mews’ heads erased Argent,"'' but this bears no resemblance to the arms used by the family after c. 1595, which were derived from the Despencer arms, ''"Quarterly Argent and Gules in the second and third quarters a Fret Or overall on a Bend Sable three Escallops of the first"'' (the scallops standing for the difference as a cadet branch). Round argued that the Despencer descent was fabricated by Richard Lee, a corrupt Clarencieux King of Arms. Citing Round, ''

The Complete Peerage ''The Complete Peerage'' (full title: ''The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a bord ...

'' dismissed the alleged Despencer descent as an "elaborate imposture" which "is now incapable of deceiving the most credulous."

Rise to wealth

A close relative of Henry Spencer (died c. 1478) was John Spencer, who in 1469 had become feoffee (trustee) of Wormleighton in

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...

and a tenant at Althorp in

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...

in 1486. His nephew, Sir John Spencer (died 1522), first made a living by trading in livestock and other commodities and eventually saved enough money to purchase both the Wormleighton and Althorp lands. Wormleighton was bought in 1506, the manor house was completed in 1512. In 1508, Spencer also purchased the estate of Althorp with its moated house and several hundred acres of farmland.H. Gawthorne/S. Mattingly/G. W. Shaeffer/M. Avery/B. Thomas/R. Barnard/M. Young, Revd. N.V. Knibbs/R. Horne: "The Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Great Brington. 800 Years of English History", published as "Brington Church: A Popular History" in 1989 and printed by Peerless Press. He had grazed sheep here from the 1480s. Impressed by the quality of the land, he eventually bought it and rebuilt the house in 1508.Sir John Spencer 1455–1522 (access date 20 July 2013) At that time, his estate and mansion in Warwickshire were considerably larger, and the house in Wormleighton was four times the size of Althorp. In 1511 he made further purchases to acquire the villages of Little Brington and Great Brington as well their parish church of St Mary the Virgin, from Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset. By putting down roots at Althorp, Spencer provided what was to become a home for the next 19 generations. In 1519 he was knighted by

King Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disagr ...

, died three years later and was buried in the new family chapel at Great Brington. The Spencers rose to opulent prominence during the 16th century. Sir John Spencer's grandson Sir John Spencer (d. 1586) was a Knight of the Shire for

. The Spencers’ administration of their Northamptonshire and Warwickshire estates was admired and often emulated by gentlemen all over England. Sheep from their pastures were purchased for breeding and it is probable that the family's success as farmers was rarely equalled in the century.Sir John Spencer, History of Parliament Onlin

(access date 20 July 2013) In the late 16th century, the latter Sir John Spencer's grandson Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton, Sir Robert Spencer (1570–1627) represented Brackley in Parliament. In 1601, he was made a

Knight of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George ...

, and created Baron Spencer, of Wormleighton, in the Peerage of England in 1603. During the reign of King James I he was reputed to be the richest man in England. The humble origins of the Spencers as sheep farmers once caused a heated exchange of words between wealthy yet then upstart Spencers with the more established Howards whose FitzAlan ancestors had been the Earls of Arundel since the 13th century. During a debate in the House of Peers, Lord Spencer was speaking about something that their great ancestors had done when suddenly the Earl of Arundel cut him off and said "My Lord, when these things you speak of were doing, your ancestors were keeping sheep". Lord Spencer then instantly replied, "When my ancestors as you say were keeping sheep, your ancestors were plotting treason."

Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton KG (157025 October 1627) was an English nobleman, peer, politician, landowner, and MP from the Spencer family. Life He was born in Althorp, Northamptonshire, the son of John Spencer and ...

, was succeeded in his peerage and estates by his eldest surviving son,

William William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conq ...

. He had previously represented Northamptonshire in Parliament. Two of his sons received additional peerages: His eldest son, Henry (1620–1643), succeeded as 3rd Baron Spencer in 1636 and was created Earl of Sunderland in the Peerage of England in 1643. The younger son,

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, h ...

(1629–1694), sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

from 1660 to 1679 and was created Viscount Teviot in the Peerage of Scotland in 1685. The senior branch of the Spencers (later known as the Spencer-Churchill family) is currently represented by

Jamie Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough (born 24 November 1955), styled Earl of Sunderland until March 1972 and Marquess of Blandford until October 2014, and often known as Jamie Blandford or Jamie Marlborough, is an English ...

, direct descendant via the eldest male-line of Sir John Spencer, who was knighted by

in 1519 while the cadet branch of the family, the Spencers of Althorp who descends via the male-line from the younger son of the 3rd Earl Sunderland is represented by Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer.

Spencer, later Spencer-Churchill

Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland, was Lord President of the Council from 1685 to 1688 and a

. His son Charles, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Privy Seal, Secretary of State for both the Northern and Southern Departments, Lord President of the Council,

First Lord of the Treasury The first lord of the Treasury is the head of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is by convention also the prime minister. This office is not equivalent to t ...

and a

. His second wife was

Lady Anne Churchill The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Inf ...

, the second daughter of the distinguished soldier

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, (26 May 1650 – 16 June 1722 O.S.) was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reign ...

. After Churchill's death in 1722, the Marlborough titles first passed to his eldest daughter Henrietta (1681–1733), then to Anne's second son,

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

. After the death of his elder brother,

, in 1729, Charles Spencer had already inherited the titles of 4th '' Earl of Sunderland'' and ''Baron Spencer'' of Wormleighton as well as the Spencer family estates. In 1733, he succeeded to the Churchill family estates and titles and became the 3rd Duke of Marlborough as well as a

, while the Spencer estates in

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council ...

(including Althorp) and

passed to his younger brother John (1708–1746). In 1815, Francis Spencer, the younger son of George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, was created Baron Churchill, of Wychwood in the

County of Oxford Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. In 1902, his grandson, the 3rd Baron, was created Viscount Churchill, of Rolleston in the County of Leicester, also in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great ...

. In 1817, George Spencer, 5th Duke of Marlborough, obtained permission to assume and bear the additional surname of Churchill in addition to his own surname of Spencer, in order to perpetuate the name of his illustrious great-great-grandfather. At the same time he received Royal Licence to quarter his paternal arms of Spencer with the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in it ...

of Churchill.Paul Courtenay, The Armorial Bearings of Sir Winston Churchill (access date 20 July 2013) The modern Dukes of Marlborough thus originally bore the surname " Spencer". The

double-barrelled surname A double-barrelled name is a type of compound surname, typically featuring two words (occasionally more), often joined by a hyphen. Examples of some notable people with double-barrelled names include Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Sacha Baron ...

of "Spencer-Churchill" as used since 1817 has remained in the family to this day, though some members have preferred to style themselves merely "Churchill". The 7th Duke of Marlborough was the paternal grandfather of Sir Winston Churchill (1874–1965), the

British prime minister The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern ...

. The latter's widow, Clementine (1885–1977), was created a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

ess in her own right as Baroness Spencer-Churchill in 1965. The family seat of the Dukes of Marlborough is Blenheim Palace in

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...

, Oxfordshire. Most Spencer-Churchills are interred in the churchyard of St Martin's Church, Bladon, a short distance from the palace; only the Dukes and Duchesses are buried in the Blenheim Palace chapel.

Spencer, of Althorp House

In 1761, John Spencer (1734–1783), a grandson of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland, was created Baron Spencer of Althorp and Viscount Spencer in the Peerage of Great Britain by

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great B ...

. In 1765, he was further created Viscount Althorp and Earl Spencer, also in the Peerage of Great Britain. In 1755, he had privately married Margaret Poyntz (1737–1814) in his mother's dressing room at Althorp. They had five children, including the

2nd Earl Spencer George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer, (1 September 1758 – 10 November 1834), styled Viscount Althorp from 1765 to 1783, was a British Whig politician. He served as Home Secretary from 1806 to 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents. He was ...

, who later became

Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all national ...

from 1806 to 1807 and a

. His older son, the 3rd Earl Spencer was Chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord Grey and

Lord Melbourne William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, (15 March 177924 November 1848), in some sources called Henry William Lamb, was a British Whig politician who served as Home Secretary (1830–1834) and Prime Minister (1834 and 1835–1841). His first prem ...

from 1830 to 1834. The 2nd Earl's youngest son George (1799–1864) converted from Anglicanism to the

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

Church, became a priest and took the name of ''Father Ignatius of St Paul''. He worked as a

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

and is a candidate for

beatification Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their na ...

. His older brother, who eventually became the 4th Earl Spencer, was a naval commander, courtier and Whig politician. He initially served in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

and fought in the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

and the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Greeks were later assisted ...

, eventually rising to the rank of Vice-Admiral, and was made a

in 1849. His son, the 5th Earl Spencer, who was known as the "Red Earl" because of his distinctive long red beard, was a close friend of prime minister

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-con ...

. He served twice as

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the King ...

and was made a

in 1864. He was succeeded in 1910 by his half-brother, the 6th Earl Spencer, who had been made Viscount Althorp, of Great Brington in the County of Northamptonshire, in the

, in 1905 and served as

Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom while also acting as the main c ...

from 1905 to 1912. He became a

in 1913, and was succeeded in the earldom and estates by his son, the 7th Earl Spencer, in 1922. His son, the 8th Earl Spencer, succeeded to the earldom and estates in 1975. He married Frances Ruth Roche in 1954 and had a daughter,

Diana Diana most commonly refers to: * Diana (name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Diana (mythology), ancient Roman goddess of the hunt and wild animals; later associated with the Moon * Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997) ...

, who married Prince Charles in 1981. The family seat of the Earl Spencer is Althorp in

, their traditional burial place is the parish church of

St Mary the Virgin Church, Great Brington Great Brington is a village in Northamptonshire, England, in the civil parishes in England, civil parish of Brington, Northamptonshire, Brington, which at the 2011 Census had a population of about 200. Mary, mother of Jesus, St Mary the Virgin' ...

. The family estate includes significant land holdings in other parts of the country, including the village of North Creake in

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nort ...

Members of the family

Spencer Knights

* Sir John Spencer, Kt. of Snitterfield & Wormleighton (1447–1522) married Isabel, daughter of Sir Walter Graunt, of Snitterfield * Sir William Spencer, Kt. of Wormleighton & Althorp (1483–1532) married Susan, daughter of Sir Richard Knightley, of Fawsley, Northants * Sir John Spencer, Kt. of Wormleighton & Althorp (1524–1586) married Katherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Kitson, of Hengrove, SuffolkMember of Parliament Biography
/ref> * Sir John Spencer, Kt. (1546–1600) married Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Catlyn, of Berne, Dorset * Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton, Sir Robert Spencer (1570–1627), was made ''1st Baron Spencer''

Spencer Baronets

This now extinct line descended from two younger sons of Sir John Spencer (1524–1586) and his wife Katherine Kitson: * Their third son William was a landowner in

Yarnton Yarnton is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about southwest of Kidlington and northwest of Oxford. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 2,545. Archaeology Early Bronze Age decorated beakers have been found in the p ...

, Oxfordshire; his son Thomas was created '' Baronet of Yarnton'' in 1611. * Their fourth son Richard was the ambassador of James I to the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands ( Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...

; his son, John, was a landowner in Great Offley, Hertfordshire and was created '' Baronet of Offley'' in 1627.

Barons Spencer

(1570–1627), married Margaret, daughter of Sir Francis Willoughby (1547-1596), Kt. * William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer (1591–1636), married Penelope, daughter of Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton * Henry Spencer, 3rd Baron Spencer (1620–1643), royalist in the English Civil War, was made ''1st Earl of Sunderland''

Earls of Sunderland

* Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland (1620–1643), royalist in the English Civil War * Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland (1640–1702), politician * Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland (1675–1722), politician * Johnspencer1708

Robert Spencer, 4th Earl of Sunderland (1701–1729) * Charles Spencer, 5th Earl of Sunderland (1706–1758), succeeded his maternal aunt as ''3rd Duke of Marlborough''

Dukes of Marlborough

* Charles Spencer, 5th Earl of Sunderland, 3rd Duke of Marlborough (1706–1758), general and politician * George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739–1817), politician * George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough (1766–1840), elder son of the 4th Duke, changed his surname from "Spencer" to "Spencer-Churchill" * George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough (1793–1857), eldest son of the 5th Duke * John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough (1822–1883), eldest son of the 6th Duke (and paternal grandfather of Sir Winston Churchill) *

George Charles Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough George Charles Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough, DL (13 May 1844 – 9 November 1892), styled Earl of Sunderland until 1857 and Marquess of Blandford between 1857 and 1883, was a British peer. Early life Marlborough was born in Engl ...

(1844–1892), eldest son of the 7th Duke * Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough (1871–1934), only son of the 8th Duke * John Albert William Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897–1972), elder son of the 9th Duke * John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough (1926-2014), elder son of the 10th Duke * Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough (born 1955), eldest son of the 11th Duke

Barons and Viscounts Churchill

This line of the family descends from Francis Spencer, younger son of the 4th Duke of Marlborough. In 1902, his grandson, the 3rd Baron, was created ''Viscount Churchill''. Holders of these titles include * Francis Almeric Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill (1779–1845) *

Victor Albert Francis Charles Spencer, 1st Viscount Churchill Major Victor Albert Francis Charles Spencer, 1st Viscount Churchill (23 October 1864 – 3 January 1934), known as the Hon. Victor Albert Spencer until 1886 and as The Lord Churchill between 1886 and 1902, was a British peer and courtier. He w ...

(1864–1934)

Earls Spencer

* John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer (1734–1783), a grandson of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland through his third and youngest son * George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758–1834), politician and book collector * John Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer (1782–1845), better known as Lord Althorp, politician *

Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer, KG, CB, PC (14 April 1798 – 27 December 1857), styled The Honourable Frederick Spencer until 1845, was a British naval commander, courtier, and Whig politician. He initially served in the Royal Navy and ...

(1798–1857) * John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer (1835–1910), politician *

Charles Robert Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer Charles Robert Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer, (30 October 1857 – 26 September 1922), styled The Honourable Charles Spencer until 1905 and known as Viscount Althorp between 1905 and 1910, was a British courtier and Liberal politician from the Spen ...

(1857–1922) * Albert Edward John Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer (1892–1975) * (Edward) John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer (1924–1992), father of Diana, Princess of Wales * Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer (born 1964), younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales

Notable marriages

* Jane Spencer, daughter of Sir John Spencer of Hodnell, married Sir William Cope * Jane Spencer, daughter of Sir William Spencer (1483–1558) of Wormleighton and Althorp, married Sir Richard Brydges, Kt. * Alice Spencer (1559–1637), daughter of Sir John Spencer (1524–1586), married Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby. Their daughter Anne (1580–1647) was heiress presumptive to the English throne upon the death of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

according to the will of Henry VIII and the

Third Succession Act The Third Succession Act of King Henry VIII's reign, passed by the Parliament of England in July 1543, returned his daughters Mary and Elizabeth to the line of the succession behind their half-brother Edward. Born in 1537, Edward was the son ...

. As Lady Derby, Alice was a noted patron of the arts and to whom poet Edmund Spenser represented the character "Amaryllis" in his eclogue Colin Clouts Come Home Againe in 1595 and dedicated his poem '' The Teares of the Muses'' in 1591. *

Lady Georgiana Spencer Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (née Spencer; ; 7 June 1757 – 30 March 1806), was an English aristocrat, socialite, political organiser, author, and activist. Born into the Spencer family, married into the Cavendish family, she ...

(1757–1806), daughter of the 1st Earl Spencer, married

William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, (14 December 1748 – 29 July 1811), was a British nobleman, aristocrat, and politician. He was the eldest son of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, by his wife, the heiress Lady Charlotte Bo ...

* Diana Russell, Duchess of Bedford (born Lady Diana Spencer), daughter of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland, married in 1731

John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford, (30 September 17105 January 1771) was an 18th-century British statesman.G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Pee ...

* Diana, Princess of Wales (born The Hon. Diana Spencer), daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer,

married Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

in 1981

Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...

(later King Charles III), and had issue. They separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. *

Clarissa Spencer-Churchill Anne Clarissa Eden, Countess of Avon (; 28 June 1920 – 15 November 2021) was an English memoirist and the second wife of Anthony Eden, who served as British prime minister from 1955 to 1957. She married Eden in 1952, becoming Lady Eden in 19 ...

, daughter of Jack Spencer-Churchill (younger brother of Sir Winston Churchill), married Sir

Anthony Eden Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, (12 June 1897 – 14 January 1977) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 until his resignation in 1957. Achieving rapid pro ...

, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. * Sir Winston Churchill (1874–1965),

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As moder ...

, grandson of the 7th Duke of Marlborough, married Clementine Hozier (1885–1977), later a

ess in her own right as ''Baroness Spencer-Churchill''. * The 9th Duke of Marlborough married

Consuelo Vanderbilt Consuelo Vanderbilt-Balsan (formerly Consuelo Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough; born Consuelo Vanderbilt; March 2, 1877 – December 6, 1964) was a socialite and a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family. Her first marriag ...

, member of the prominent American

Vanderbilt family The Vanderbilt family is an American family who gained prominence during the Gilded Age. Their success began with the shipping and railroad empires of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and the family expanded into various other areas of industry and philanthr ...

. * The

11th Duke of Marlborough John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough, (13 April 1926 – 16 October 2014) was a British peer. He was the elder son of the 10th Duke of Marlborough and his wife, the Hon. Alexandra Mary Hilda Cadogan. He was ...

married in 1961 Athina Livanos, former wife of

Aristotle Onassis Aristotle Socrates Onassis (, ; el, Αριστοτέλης Ωνάσης, Aristotélis Onásis, ; 20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975), was a Greek-Argentinian shipping magnate who amassed the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet and was ...

. In 1972 he married Countess Rosita Douglas-Stjernorp, daughter of Swedish nobleman and diplomat Count Carl Douglas-Stjernorp. They were divorced in 2008. Her elder sister Elisabeth (b. 1940) is married to

Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria Max-Emanuel Ludwig Maria Herzog in Bayern (sometimes styled Prince Max of Bavaria, Duke in Bavaria; born 21 January 1937) as the younger son of Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria, is the heir presumptive to both the headship of the former Bavarian roy ...

, heir presumptive to the Headship of the Royal House of Bavaria. As an artist, she is known professionally as Rosita Marlborough. * Mary Spencer-Churchill, daughter of Sir Winston Churchill, married Christopher Soames, Baron Soames, and was made a Lady of the Garter in 2005. * The 7th Earl Spencer, when heir to the earldom and styled ''Viscount Althorp'', married in 1919 Lady Cynthia Hamilton, daughter of the 3rd Duke of Abercorn. * The 8th Earl Spencer, when heir to the earldom and styled ''Viscount Althorp'', married in 1954 the Hon. Frances Ruth Roche, daughter of the 4th Baron Fermoy. *The 9th Earl Spencer, then Viscount Althorp, married

Victoria Lockwood Catherine Victoria Aitken (''née'' Lockwood; born 20 April 1965), formerly Victoria, Countess Spencer, is a British former fashion model and former wife of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales. Mar ...

, a British fashion model, in 1989. They divorced in 1997. He married his third wife

Karen Gordon Karen Anne Spencer, Countess Spencer (formerly Gordon, ''née'' Villeneuve; born June 6, 1972) is a Canadian social entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of Whole Child International, a U.S.-based non-governmental organization (NGO) that wor ...

, a Canadian philanthropist, in 2011.

Other notable members

* Lady Diana Beauclerk (née Spencer) (1734–1808), eldest child of the

3rd Duke of Marlborough Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, (22 November 170620 October 1758), styled as The Honourable Charles Spencer between 1706 and 1729 and as The Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British soldier, nobleman, and politician f ...

, was artist and

Lady of the Bedchamber Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a British queen regnant or queen consort. The position is traditionally held by the wife of a peer. They are ranked between the Mist ...

to Queen Charlotte from 1762 to 1768. * Lord Charles Spencer (1740–1820), second son of the

, was

Postmaster General of the United Kingdom The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom was a Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain elec ...

from 1801 to 1806 and Master of the Mint in 1806. *

William Robert Spencer William Robert Spencer (9 January 176922/23 October 1834) was an English poet and wit from the Spencer family. Life He was the younger son of Lord Charles Spencer and his wife Mary Beauclerk. He was the grandson of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of M ...

(1769–1834), younger son of Lord Charles Spencer, became a poet and wit. * Aubrey George Spencer (1795–1872), son of the poet

, became the first Bishop of Newfoundland in 1839, later Bishop of Jamaica. *

George John Trevor Spencer George John Trevor Spencer (11 December 1799 – 16 July 1866) was an Anglican bishop in the 19th century and a member of the Spencer family. Early life Spencer was born on 11 December 1799. He was the son of William Robert Spencer and Countess ...

(1799–1866), son of the poet

, became Bishop of Madras in 1837. * George Spencer (1799–1864), son of the 2nd Earl Spencer. He was first an Anglican priest, converted to Catholicism to become a

priest as ''Father Ignatius'', worked as a

and is now a candidate for

. * General Sir Augustus Almeric Spencer, GCB (1807–1893), third son of Francis Almeric Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill (1779–1845). * Lord Randolph Henry Spencer-Churchill, publicly known as '' Lord Randolph Churchill'' (1849–1895), son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough, Chancellor of the Exchequer and

Leader of the House of Commons The leader of the House of Commons is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom whose main role is organising government business in the House of Commons. The leader is generally a member or attendee of the cabinet of the ...

, father of Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill. * The Reverend Canon Henry Spencer Stephenson, M.A. (1871-1957), Chaplain to

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...

and

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

. * Randolph Frederick Edward Spencer-Churchill, publicly known as '' Randolph Churchill'' (1911–1968), son of Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill. * Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (born 1929), maid of honour to

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

at her coronation in 1953. *

Lady Kitty Spencer Lady Kitty Eleanor Lewis (née Spencer; born 28 December 1990) is a British model and aristocrat. She is the eldest child of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, niece of Diana, Princess of Wales and the first cousin of The Prince of Wales and ...

(born 1990), daughter of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer * Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp (born 1994), son of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer

Members of the Order of the Garter

Many members of the Spencer family have also been knights or dames of the

Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the Georg ...

. The following is a list is of all Spencer members of this order, across all branches of the family, along with their year of investiture. * 1601 –

* 1687 – Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland * 1719 – Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland * 1741 –

Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, (22 November 170620 October 1758), styled as The Honourable Charles Spencer between 1706 and 1729 and as The Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British soldier, nobleman, and politician ...

* 1768 – George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough * 1799 – George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer * 1849 –

* 1865 –

John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer, KG, KP, PC (27 October 1835 – 13 August 1910), known as Viscount Althorp from 1845 to 1857 (and also known as the "Red Earl" because of his distinctive long red beard), was a British Liberal Party poli ...

* 1868 –

John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough (2 June 18224 July 1883), styled Earl of Sunderland from 1822 to 1840 and Marquess of Blandford from 1840 to 1857, was a British Conservative cabinet minister, politician, peer, and noble ...

* 1902 – Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough * 1913 –

Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer Charles Robert Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer, (30 October 1857 – 26 September 1922), styled The Honourable Charles Spencer until 1905 and known as Viscount Althorp between 1905 and 1910, was a British courtier and Liberal politician from the Sp ...

* 1953 – Sir Winston Churchill * 2005 – Mary, Baroness Soames, née Spencer-Churchill

Coat of arms

Family tree

Spencer origins

Barons Spencer of Wormleighton and Earls of Sunderland

Dukes of Marlborough

Earls Spencer

For the Earls Spencer from John Spencer to present see: Family Tree of the Earls Spencer.

Barons and Viscounts Churchill

References

Bibliography

*Round, J.H. (1901) ''Studies in Peerage and Family History,'' A. Constable and Company, London.

External links

Spencer Family Tree, Althorp.com

Family tree and information
– Archived link * http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~djmurphy/conn/washington.htm

Heraldry of the House of Spencer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spencer Family Noble families of the United Kingdom