View source for Duke of Westminster

{{Short description|Title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox nobility title
| name              = Dukedom of Westminster
| image             = [[File:Coat of Arms of the Duke of Westminster without Order of Garter.svg|240px]]
| image_size        =
| alt               =
| caption           = ''Quarterly: 1st and 4th, Azure a Portcullis with chains pendant Or on a Chief of the last between two united Roses of York and Lancaster a Pale charged with the Arms of King Edward the Confessor (City of Westminster); 2nd and 3rd, Azure a Garb Or (Grosvenor).''<ref>[http://www.cvqo.org/news/browse/duke-of-westminster-nominations-are-now-open Duke of Westminster nominations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121232439/http://www.cvqo.org/news/browse/duke-of-westminster-nominations-are-now-open |date=21 January 2019 }}, CVQO. Retrieved 28 December 2013.</ref>
| creation_date     = 27 February 1874
| creation          =
| monarch           = [[Queen Victoria]]
| peerage           = [[Peerage of the United Kingdom]]
| first_holder      = [[Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster|Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster]]
| last_holder       =
| present_holder    = [[Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster]]
| heir_apparent     = None
| heir_presumptive  =
| remainder_to      = 1st Duke's [[heirs male]] [[heirs of the body|of the body]] lawfully begotten
| subsidiary_titles = Marquess of Westminster<br/>Earl Grosvenor<br/>Viscount Belgrave<br/>Baron Grosvenor<br/>Baronet, of Eaton
| status            =
| extinction_date   =
| family_seat       = [[Eaton Hall, Cheshire|Eaton Hall]] and [[Abbeystead House]]
| former_seat       =
| motto             = '''VIRTUS NON STEMMA''' <br/> ''(Virtue, not ancestry)''
| footnotes         =
}}
{{Infobox nobility title
| name              = Grosvenor Baronets
| image             = [[File:Arms of Grosvenor, Baronet of Eaton.svg|70px]]
| image_size        =
| alt               =
| caption           = ''Azure, a garb Or, with canton of baronet''
| creation_date     = 1622
| creation          =
| monarch           = [[James VI and I|King James VI and I]]
| baronetage        = [[Baronetage of England]]
| first_holder      = [[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baronet|Richard Grosvenor]]
| last_holder       =
| present_holder    = [[Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster]]
| heir_apparent     =
| heir_presumptive  =
| remainder_to      = 1st Baronet's [[heirs male]] [[heirs of the body|of the body]] lawfully begotten
| subsidiary_titles =
| status            =
| extinction_date   =
| family_seat       =
| former_seat       =
| motto             =
| footnotes         =
}}

'''Duke of Westminster''' is a title in the [[Peerage of the United Kingdom]]. It was created by [[Queen Victoria]] in 1874 and bestowed upon [[Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster|Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster]]. It is the most recent dukedom conferred on someone not related to the [[British royal family]].<ref name="Debrett's">{{cite web |title=Duke - Debrett's |url=https://www.debretts.com/expertise/essential-guide-to-the-peerage/ranks-and-privileges-of-the-peerage/duke/ |website=Debrett's |access-date=21 April 2018 |archive-date=16 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216131611/https://www.debretts.com/expertise/essential-guide-to-the-peerage/ranks-and-privileges-of-the-peerage/duke/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Dukes were each grandsons of the first. The present holder of the title is [[Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster|Hugh Grosvenor]], the 7th Duke, who inherited the dukedom on 9 August 2016 on the death of his father, [[Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster|Gerald]]. The present duke is a godfather of [[Prince George of Wales]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24636263 |title=Prince George's godparents announced |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=23 October 2013 |date=23 October 2013 |archive-date=10 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210123305/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-24636263 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Duke of Westminster's [[family seat|seats]] are at [[Eaton Hall, Cheshire]], and at [[Abbeystead House]], [[Lancashire]]. The family's [[Townhouse (Great Britain)|London town house]] was [[Grosvenor House]], [[Park Lane]], while [[Halkyn Castle]] was built as a sporting lodge for the family in the early 1800s. The traditional burial place of the Dukes is the Old Churchyard adjacent to [[St Mary's Church, Eccleston]].

==History of the Grosvenor family==
[[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baronet|Richard Grosvenor]] was created Baronet of Eaton in January 1622.<ref name=Cockayne>[https://archive.org/stream/cu31924092524374#page/n211/mode/2up George Edward Cokayne ''Complete Baronetage Volume 1'' 1900]</ref> Sir Richard Grosvenor, the 7th Baronet, was created '''Baron Grosvenor''' in 1761, and in 1784 became both '''Viscount Belgrave''' ([[Belgrave, Cheshire]]) and '''Earl Grosvenor''' under [[George III of the United Kingdom|George III]]. The title '''Marquess of Westminster''' was bestowed upon Robert Grosvenor, the 2nd Earl Grosvenor, at the coronation of [[William IV of the United Kingdom|William IV]] in 1831.

In 1677 Sir Thomas Grosvenor wed Mary Davies. Her dowry included {{convert|500|acre|ha|abbr=off}} to the west of what was then the boundary of London.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Neate |first=Rupert |date=2023-04-25 |title=Duke of Westminster: the London property baron born with 'longest silver spoon' |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/apr/25/duke-of-westminster-hugh-grosvenor-profile |access-date=2023-12-12 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

The subsidiary titles are: '''Marquess of Westminster''' (created 1831), '''Earl Grosvenor''' (1784), '''Viscount Belgrave''', of Belgrave in the County of Chester (1784), and '''Baron Grosvenor''', of Eaton in the County of Chester (1761). The Dukedom and Marquessate are in the [[Peerage of the United Kingdom]]; the rest are in the [[Peerage of Great Britain]]. The [[Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom|courtesy title]] of the eldest son and heir to the Duke is ''Earl Grosvenor''.

==Grosvenor Baronets, of Eaton (1622)==
* [[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baronet]] (1584–1645) was an [[Member of Parliament#United Kingdom|MP]]
* [[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet]] (1604–1664), a son of the 1st Baronet
** Roger Grosvenor (c. 1628–1661), a son of the 2nd Baronet, predeceased his father
* [[Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet]] (1656–1700), son of Roger
* [[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 4th Baronet]] (1689–1732), eldest son of the 3rd Baronet, died without issue
* [[Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 5th Baronet]] (1693–1733), second son of the 3rd Baronet, died unmarried
* [[Sir Robert Grosvenor, 6th Baronet]] (1695–1755), third and youngest son of the 3rd Baronet
* [[Richard Grosvenor, 1st Earl Grosvenor|Sir Richard Grosvenor, 7th Baronet]] (1731–1802) (created '''Baron Grosvenor''' in 1761)

==Barons Grosvenor (1761)==
{| style="text-align:center" class="wikitable"
! colspan=6 style="background-color: #cbe" | Created by [[George III of Great Britain]]

|-
! #
! Name<br/>(lifespan)
! Period
! Spouse
! Notes
! Other titles

|-
! 1st
| [[Richard Grosvenor, 1st Earl Grosvenor|Richard Grosvenor]]<br/>(1731–1802)
| 1761–1802
| [[Henrietta, Lady Grosvenor|Henrietta Vernon]]
| Later created Earl Grosvenor
| —

|}

==Earls Grosvenor (1784)==
{| style="text-align:center" class="wikitable"
! colspan=6 style="background-color: #cbe" |Created by [[George III of Great Britain]]

|-
! #
! Name<br/>(lifespan)
! Period
! Spouse
! Notes
! Other titles

|-
! 1st
| [[Richard Grosvenor, 1st Earl Grosvenor|Richard Grosvenor]]<br/>(1731–1802)
| 1784–1802
| [[Henrietta, Lady Grosvenor|Henrietta Vernon]]
| Already Baron Grosvenor
| rowspan=2 | Viscount Belgrave, Baron Grosvenor

|-
! 2nd
| [[Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster|Robert Grosvenor]]<br/>(1767–1845)
| 1802–1845
| [[Eleanor Grosvenor, Marchioness of Westminster|Eleanor Egerton]]
| Son of the preceding, later created Marquess of Westminster

|}

==Marquesses of Westminster (1831)==
[[File:St Mary's Church Eccleston, Grosvenor Chapel 1.JPG|thumb|[[St Mary's Church, Eccleston]], Grosvenor Chapel: [[Cenotaph]] and [[Order of the Garter|Garter banner]] of [[Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster]]]]
{| style="text-align:center" class="wikitable"
! colspan=6 style="background-color: #cbe" |Created by [[William IV of the United Kingdom]]

|-
! #
! Name<br/>(lifespan)
! Period
! Spouse
! Notes
! Other titles

|-
! 1st
| [[Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster|Robert Grosvenor]]<br/>(1767–1845)
| 1831–1845
| [[Eleanor Grosvenor, Marchioness of Westminster|Eleanor Egerton]]
| Already Earl Grosvenor
| rowspan=3 | Earl Grosvenor<br/>Viscount Belgrave<br/>Baron Grosvenor

|-
! 2nd
| [[Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster|Richard Grosvenor]]<br/>(1795–1869)
| 1845–1869
| [[Elizabeth Grosvenor, Marchioness of Westminster|Elizabeth Leveson-Gower]]
| Son of the preceding

|-
! 3rd
| [[Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster|Hugh Grosvenor]]<br/>(1825–1899)
| 1869–1899
| [[Constance Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster|Constance Sutherland-Leveson-Gower]]
| Son of the preceding, later created Duke of Westminster

|}

[[File:Duke of Westminster jc.svg|thumb|Jockey Colours of Duke of Westminster]]

==Dukes of Westminster (1874)==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan=6 style="background-color: #cbe" |Created by [[Queen Victoria]]

|-
! #
! Name<br/>(lifespan)
! Period
! Spouse
! Notes
! Other titles

|-
! 1st
| [[Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster|Hugh Grosvenor]]<br/>(1825–1899)
| 1874–1899
| [[Constance Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster|Constance Sutherland-Leveson-Gower]]<br/>[[Katherine Grosvenor, Duchess of Grosvenor|Katherine Cavendish]]
| Already Marquess of Westminster
| rowspan=7 | Marquess of Westminster<br/>Earl Grosvenor<br/>Viscount Belgrave<br/>Baron Grosvenor

|-
! 2nd
| [[Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster|Hugh Grosvenor]]<br/>(1879–1953)
| 1899–1953
| [[Shelagh Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster|Constance Cornwallis-West]]<br/>Violet Nelson<br/>[[Loelia Lindsay|Loelia Ponsonby]]<br/>[[Anne Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster|Anne Sullivan]]
| Grandson of the preceding

|-
! 3rd
| [[William Grosvenor, 3rd Duke of Westminster|William Grosvenor]]<br/>(1894–1963)
| 1953–1963
| unmarried
| Cousin of the preceding

|-
! 4th
| [[Gerald Grosvenor, 4th Duke of Westminster|Gerald Grosvenor]]<br/>(1907–1967)
| 1963–1967
| [[Sally Perry]]
| Cousin of the preceding

|-
! 5th
| [[Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster|Robert Grosvenor]]<br/>(1910–1979)
| 1967–1979
| [[Viola Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster|Viola Lyttelton]]
| Brother of the preceding

|-
! 6th
| [[Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster|Gerald Grosvenor]]<br/>(1951–2016)
| 1979–2016
| [[Natalia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster|Natalia Phillips]]
| Son of the preceding

|-
! 7th
| [[Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster|Hugh Grosvenor]]<br/>({{Born in|1991}})
| since 2016
| [[Olivia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster|Olivia Henson]]
| Son of the preceding

|}

==Line of succession==
There is no heir to the Dukedom of Westminster. The [[Earl of Wilton]] is heir presumptive to the Marquessate.

In March 2025, the Duke and Duchess announced they were expecting their first child.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reporters |first=Telegraph |date=2025-03-12 |title=‘Delighted’ Duke and Duchess of Westminster expecting their first baby |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/12/duke-duchess-westminster-expecting-baby-royal-family/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

{{Collapse top
|title={{small|Line of succession (Marquess of Westminster)}}<ref>{{Cite book |date=2019|chapter=Westminster, Duke of|editor1-last=Morris |editor1-first=Susan |editor2-last=Bosberry-Scott |editor2-first=Wendy |editor3-last=Belfield |editor3-first=Gervase |title=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage|volume=1 |edition=150th |location=London |publisher=Debrett's |pages=3604–3606 |arxiv= |bibcode= |doi= |isbn=978-1-9997-6705-1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |date=2019|chapter=Wilton, Earl of|editor1-last=Morris |editor1-first=Susan |editor2-last=Bosberry-Scott |editor2-first=Wendy |editor3-last=Belfield |editor3-first=Gervase |title=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage|volume=1 |edition=150th |location=London |publisher=Debrett's |pages=3650–3653 |arxiv= |bibcode= |doi= |isbn=978-1-9997-6705-1}}</ref>}}
{{Tree list}}
*[[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|30px]] ''Thomas Egerton, 1st Earl of Wilton (1749–1814)''
**''Lady Eleanor Egerton (1770–1846)'' m. [[File:Coronet of a British Marquess.svg|30px]] ''Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster (1767–1845)''
***[[File:Coronet of a British Marquess.svg|30px]] ''Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster (1795–1869)''
****[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|30px]] ''Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster (1825–1899)''
*****''Victor Alexander Grosvenor, Earl Grosvenor (1853–1884)
******[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|30px]] ''Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster (1879–1953)''
*****''Lord Henry George Grosvenor (1861–1914)''
******[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|30px]] ''William Grosvenor, 3rd Duke of Westminster (1894–1963)''
*****''[[Lord Hugh Grosvenor|Lord Hugh William Grosvenor]] (1884–1914)''
******[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|30px]] ''Gerald Grosvenor, 4th Duke of Westminster (1907–1967)''
******[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|30px]] ''Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster (1910–1979)''
*******[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|30px]] ''Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster (1951–2016)''
********[[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|30px]] '''Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster''' (born 1991)
***[[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|30px]] ''Robert Grosvenor, 1st Baron Ebury (1801–1883)''
**** [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|30px]] ''Robert Grosvenor, 2nd Baron Ebury (1834–1918)''
***** [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|30px]] ''Francis Egerton Grosvenor, 4th Baron Ebury (1883–1932)''
****** [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|30px]] ''Robert Grosvenor, 5th Baron Ebury (1914–1957)''
*******[[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|30px]]  '''(1).''' Francis Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton, 6th Baron Ebury (born 1934)
******** '''(2)''' Julian Francis Martin Grosvenor, Viscount Grey de Wilton (born 1959)
******* ''The Hon. William Wellesley Grosvenor (1942–2002)''
******** '''(3)''' Alexander Egerton Grosvenor (born 1968)
******* '''(4)''' ''The Hon.'' Richard Alexander Grosvenor (born 1946)
******** '''(5)''' [[Bendor Grosvenor|Bendor Robert Gerard Grosvenor]] (born 1977)
****** ''The Hon. Hugh Richard Grosvenor (1919–2002)''
*******'''(6)''' William Peter Wellesley Grosvenor (born 1959)
{{Tree list/end}}
{{collapse bottom}}

==Family tree==
{{Grosvenor family tree}}

==See also==
* [[Earl of Wilton]]
* [[Baron Ebury]]
* [[Baron Stalbridge]]
* [[Duchess of Westminster]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Grosvenor Dukes of Westminster}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.grosvenor.com/about-us/our-history |title=Grosvenor family history}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.grosvenor.com |title=Grosvenor Group website}}
{{Extant British dukedoms}}
{{Dukes of Westminster}}
{{British marquessates}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Westminster}}
[[Category:Dukes of Westminster| ]]
[[Category:Mayfair]]
[[Category:Dukedoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Grosvenor family|Duke]]
[[Category:1874 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1622 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Noble titles created in 1874]]
[[Category:Peerages created for UK MPs]]