Claim: Maria Fitzherbert (26 July 1756 – 27 March 1837)married Edward Weld who died two months later and was left destitute.
Evidence: At sixteen, Maria married Edward Weld, 16 years her senior, a rich Catholic widower and landowner of Lulworth Castle in July 1775. Weld died just three months later after a fall from his horse and having failed to sign his new will, his estate went to his younger brother Thomas, the father of fifteen children, including the future Cardinal Weld.