The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-19 00:00:00

DECEASE OF THE DUKE OP BEAUFORT, K.G.

We regret to announce the death of the Duke of
Beaufort, who expired somewhat suddenly at a quarter-
past two o'clock p.m. on Thursday last, at Bodminton-
house, the ancient family seat in Glocestershire, to the
deep grief of the Duchess, and the Ladies Somerset,
who were present at his dissolution. His Grace was
taken seriously ill on Wednesday, so as to create the
greatest alarm, as it was said that gout, from which the
noble Duke had been a great sufferer, had at length
flown to the stomach. Intelligence was immediately
forwarded to the Marquis of Worcester, doing duty with
his regiment at Edinburgh, but he was unable to reach
Badminton before his father's decease. The deceasd
Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort, Marquis and Earl
of Worcester, Earl of Glamorgan, Viscount Grosment,
Baron of Bottetourt and Baron Herbert (both by writ),
Baron Herbert of Ragland, Chepstow, and Gower, and
Baron Beaufort, of Caldicot-castle, in the peerage of
England, was eldest son of Henry Charles, 6th duke, by
Lady Charlotte Sophia Levesou sth daughter of Gran-
ville, Ist Marquis of Stafford, and was born the sth of
February, 1792. The late Duke served on the staff of
the Duke of Wellington during the Peninsular
war, and it was while so employed that he was taken
prisoner by the French army commanded by Marshal
Soult, but remained captive only a few months. The Duke
soon after the attainment of his majority, was returned
to the House of Commons for the family borough o
Monmouth, which he sat for in several successive Parlia-
ments up to 1835, when he was elected for West Gloces-
tershire, in conjunction with the Hon. G. C. Berkeley
and Mr. R. B. Hale. He did not long enjoy that
honour, for, in the month of November the same year
his father died, and he consequently succeeded to the
dukedom. In the house of Commons, as in the Lords,
the Duke was a zealous supporter of high Conservative
principles, but he was more famous iu fashionable and
sporting circles than in the arena of politics. The late
Sir Robert Peel, soon after his coming into office in 1841,
recommended his Grace to her Majesty for the second
garter that became vacant, and his Grace was invested
with that distinguished honour by his Sovereign at the
same chapter at which the Duke of Buckingham and the
Marquis of Salisbury were invested in 1842. The
Duke was Colonel-Commander of the Glocestershire
Yeomanry Cavalry, to which he was appointed in April,
1834, and was High Steward of Bristol. The late
Duke was twice married—first, July 25, 1814, to
Georgiana !Frederica, second daughter of the Hon.
Henry Fitzroy, who died May 11, 1821 ; and secondly,
June 29, 1822, to Emily Frances, only daughter of the
late Mr. Charles Culling Smith and Lady Anne (only
' sister of the late Duke of Wellington), and half-sister of
his first wife, by whom, who survives him, he leaves an
only son, the Marquis of Worcester, and several
daughters, and a daughter by his first marriage, Lady
Georgiana Codrington, wife of Sir W. C. Codrington,
M.P. The Marquis of Worcester, now Duke of Beau-
fort) having succeeded to the family honours by the de-
raise of his father, a vacancy occurs in the representa-
tion of East Glocester, in the House of Commons. The
present Duke was born February 1, 1824, and married
July 3, 1845, Lady Georgiana Curzon, eldest daughter
of Earl Howe, by whom he has a y uthful family.
A morning contemporary the (Morning He; aid) thus
speaks of the character of the late Duke :—" Descended
from a long line of Royal and noble ancestors, in every-
act of his life he proved himself worthy of his high lineage.
We believe few men ever died who will be more sin-
cerely and heartily regretted than his grace by a large
family, by hosts of friends in society, by all the gentry
of the West of England, and by the ancient tenantry on
his vast estates. Never was a man more beloved by all
classes of the community ; a prince of Plantagenet blood,
and a prince in nature--amianle, generous, all heart and
feeling, hospitable almost to excess, and lavish to the
poor. Confessedly he was the " first gentleman of his
day," bland and gay in his manners, courteous and well-
bred in every movement—at once you saw the ducal
Somerset. When only 20 years old, though the eldest
sou of a duke and heir to a magnificent fortune,
the youthful Marquis of Worcester joined the army
in the Peninsula, was pro...t zt .everal of the great
actions, both as an officer of Hussars and as aide-de-camp
to Wellington ; he distinguished himself as every Somer.
set for ages hac done, "with the hereditary courage of
his gallant race.." For many years his grace was a
member of the Louse of Commons and of the House of
Peers. Steadfast, unchangeable, uncompromising in
his political principles, he was a resolute Conservative ;
devoted to the Croxn and Church ; true as his sword,
he lived and died an honest politician, admired by his
arty and respected by his opponents.

DEATH OF HER
HISS
ESTERHAZY .HNESS THE PRINCESS

It is with regret that we have to record the decease of
this amiable Princess, daughter of the Earl and Countess
of Jersey, in the prime of her life. after an illness of
several months, borne with the greatest fortitude and
resignation. Her Highness expired at Torquay on
Thursday morning, shortly after five o'clock, surrounded
by her dirconsolate husband, the Countess of Jersey,
Lady Clementina, and the Hon. Francis Villiers, M.P.,
who arrived there from town at the close of last week,
little anticipating the melancholy bereavement they
were so soon to sustain. The Princess, after trying
the baths of Ischl and Ems, was recommended
to repair to her native air, and on arriving in
this country, proceeded to Hastings. There no improve-
ment was made in the Princess's health, and her medical
advisers ordered her to try the milder climate of Tor-
quay, but to no avail. Her Highness, who was eldest
daughter of the Earl and Countess of Jersey, was born
on the 12th of August, 1822, and married the Bth Feb.,
1842, his Highness Prince Nicholas EsterhazY, only son
of his Excellency Prince Paul Esterhazy, many years
ambassador from Austria, at the Court of St. James ;
by whom she leaves issue a youthful family—her two
eldest children, Prince Paul, and Prince Rodolph, being
with their father at Torquay. The Hon. Francis
Villiers, M.P., passed through town yesterday for
Brighton, to break the mournful news to the Earl of
Jersey, who is sojourning at that watering place. The
Earl and Countess of Westmoreland, Viscount and
Viscountess Ponsonby, the Earl and Countess of Bee
borough, Viscount and Viscountess Villiers, and many
families of distinction, are placed in mourning by the
melancholy event.