Biography of Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh 1583-1652

Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh was appointed Lady of the Bedchamber to Henrietta Maria Bourbon Queen Consort England.

In 1583 Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh was born to [her father] George Villiers of Brokesby [aged 39] and [her mother] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 13].

Before 1587 [her father] George Villiers of Brokesby [aged 42] and [her step-mother] Audrey Saunders [aged 35] were married.

After 1590 [her father] George Villiers of Brokesby [aged 46] and Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 20] were married. Some sources describe their relationship as being half-first cousin? His mother Collette Clarke was first married to her uncle Richard Beaumont so there is no relationship between George Villiers of Brokesby and Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham. The difference in their ages was 26 years.

In 1606 William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 19] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 23] were married. She the daughter of George Villiers of Brokesby [aged 62] and Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 36].

After 1606 Thomas Compton and [her mother] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 36] were married. He the son of Henry Compton 1st Baron Compton and Anne Spencer Countess Dorset. They were half fifth cousin once removed.

On 4th January 1606 [her father] George Villiers of Brokesby [aged 62] died. He was buried at the Chapel of St Nicholas, Westminster Abbey [Map].

Around 1608 [her son] Basil Feilding 2nd Earl Denbigh was born to [her husband] William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 21] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 25]. He married (1) before 10th March 1635 Anne Weston, daughter of Richard Weston 1st Earl of Portland and Frances Waldegrave Countess Portland (2) 12th August 1639 Barbara Lamb (3) 8th July 1641 Elizabeth Bourchier Countess Denbigh, daughter of Edward Bourchier 4th Earl Bath and Dorothy St John Countess Bath (4) after 22nd September 1670 Dorothy Lane Countess Denbigh.

In 1613 [her daughter] Margaret aka Mary Feilding was born to [her husband] William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 26] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 30]. She married 16th June 1622 James Hamilton 1st Duke Hamilton, son of James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton and Ann Cunningham Marchioness Hamilton, and had issue.

Around 1614 [her son] George Feilding 1st Earl Desmond was born to [her husband] William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 27] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 31]. He married before 29th December 1640 Bridget Stanhope Countess Desmond and had issue.

On 5th January 1617 [her brother] George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 24] was created 1st Earl Buckingham by King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 50]; his favourite.

On 29th September 1617 [her brother] John Villiers 1st Viscount Purbeck [aged 26] and [her sister-in-law] Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 15] were married at Hampton Court Palace, Richmond [Map]. King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 51] gave away the bride. He the son of [her father] George Villiers of Brokesby and [her mother] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 47].

In 1618 [her brother] George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 25] was created 1st Marquess of Buckingham.

Around 13th August 1618 [her mother] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 48] was created 1st Countess Buckingham. It appears this title was for life only since her sons did not inherit it?

Before 1619 William Larkin [aged 36]; possibly a follower. Portrait of Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 35].

On 19th July 1619 [her brother] John Villiers 1st Viscount Purbeck [aged 28] was created 1st Viscount Purbeck. [her sister-in-law] Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 16] by marriage Viscountess Purbeck.

On 16th May 1620 [her brother] George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 27] and [her sister-in-law] Katherine Manners Duchess Buckingham [aged 18] were married. She by marriage Countess Buckingham. She the daughter of Francis Manners 6th Earl of Rutland [aged 42] and Frances Knyvet Lady Bevill. He the son of [her father] George Villiers of Brokesby and [her mother] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 50].

On 30th December 1620 [her husband] William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 33] was created 1st Viscount Feilding, 1st Baron Feilding of Newnham Paddocks in Warwickshire. Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 37] by marriage Viscountess Feilding.

On 27th March 1622 Edward Wray and Elizabeth Norreys 3rd Baroness Norreys Rycote [aged 19] were married at Church of St Mary Aldermary. Christopher Villiers [aged 29], brother of George, Duke of Buckingham [aged 29], had, with Royal encouragement, sought her hand. To avoid being forced into a marriage with him she eloped with Edward Wray. She the daughter of Francis Norreys 1st Earl Berkshire and Bridget Vere Baroness Norreys Rycote [aged 37].

On 16th June 1622 [her son-in-law] James Hamilton 1st Duke Hamilton [aged 15] and Margaret aka Mary Feilding [aged 9] were married. She the daughter of William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 35] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 39]. He the son of James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton [aged 33] and Ann Cunningham Marchioness Hamilton [aged 37].

On 14th September 1622 [her husband] William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 35] was created 1st Earl Denbigh. Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 39] by marriage Countess Denbigh.

Before 18th April 1623 [her brother] Christopher Villiers 1st Earl Anglesey [aged 30] and [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Sheldon Countess Anglesey [aged 15] were married. He the son of [her father] George Villiers of Brokesby and [her mother] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 53].

On 18th April 1623 [her brother] Christopher Villiers 1st Earl Anglesey [aged 30] was created 1st Earl Anglesey, 1st Baron Villiers of Daventry. [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Sheldon Countess Anglesey [aged 15] by marriage Countess Anglesey.

On 18th May 1623 [her brother] George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 30] was created 1st Duke of Buckingham by King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 56] for being his favourite; what favourite means is open to debate. [her sister-in-law] Katherine Manners Duchess Buckingham [aged 21] by marriage Duchess of Buckingham.

On 29th November 1628 John Felton [aged 33] was hanged at Tyburn [Map] for having murdered the [her brother] Duke of Buckingham.

On 3rd April 1630 [her brother] Christopher Villiers 1st Earl Anglesey [aged 37] died at Windsor, Berkshire [Map]. He was buried at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle [Map]. His son [her nephew] Charles succeeded 2nd Earl Anglesey, 2nd Baron Villiers of Daventry.

In January 1631 Frederick Cornwallis 1st Baron Cornwallis [aged 19] and Elizabeth Ashburnham [aged 18] were married. After the wedding King Charles I [aged 30], Henrietta Maria [aged 21] and Susan Feilding, Countess of Denbigh [aged 48] wrote to congratulate his mother Jane, Baroness Cornwallis Bacon [aged 50], and ask her to forgive him for his disobedience and return him to her favour. Denbigh said Ashburnham was her cousin "though her family be unfortunate".

On 19th April 1632 [her mother] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 62] died. She was buried at the Chapel of St Nicholas, Westminster Abbey [Map] with her husband. Their monument comprises an altar-tomb surmounted with effigies. Earl Buckingham extinct.

On 25th December 1632 [her son-in-law] Baptist Noel 3rd Viscount Campden [aged 21] and Anne Feilding were married. She the daughter of William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 45] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 49].

Before 10th March 1635 Basil Feilding 2nd Earl Denbigh [aged 27] and Anne Weston were married. She the daughter of Richard Weston 1st Earl of Portland [aged 58] and Frances Waldegrave Countess Portland [aged 58]. He the son of William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 48] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 52].

In 1636 [her daughter] Anne Feilding died.

Before 10th May 1638 [her daughter] Margaret aka Mary Feilding [aged 25] died.

On 12th August 1639 Basil Feilding 2nd Earl Denbigh [aged 31] and Barbara Lamb were married. He the son of William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 52] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 56].

On 26th December 1639 [her son-in-law] Lewis Boyle 1st Viscount Boyle [aged 20] and Elizabeth Feilding Countess Guildford were married at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall Palace. She the daughter of William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 52] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 56]. He the son of Richard Boyle 1st Earl Cork [aged 73] and Catherine Fenton Countess Cork.

Before 29th December 1640 George Feilding 1st Earl Desmond [aged 26] and Bridget Stanhope Countess Desmond [aged 25] were married. He the son of William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 53] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 57].

On 8th July 1641 Basil Feilding 2nd Earl Denbigh [aged 33] and Elizabeth Bourchier Countess Denbigh [aged 15] were married three months after the death of his second wife Barbara Lamb. She the daughter of Edward Bourchier 4th Earl Bath and Dorothy St John Countess Bath. He the son of William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 54] and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 58].

In 1652 Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 69] died.

[her daughter] Anne Feilding, Elizabeth Feilding Countess Guildford and Henrietta Marie Feilding were born to William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh and Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh.