Lord Charles Wellesley

Major General Lord Charles Wellesley (16 January 1808 – 9 October 1858) was an Anglo-Irish military officer, politician, and courtier, associated with the Wellesley family. He was a younger son of Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, who served as Prime Minister, and Catherine Pakenham Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington.

Born at the Chief Secretary's Lodge in Phoenix Park, Dublin, Lord Charles was the second of two sons. His education commenced at Eton College. In 1824, at the age of 16, he matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford. He was rusticated by the Dean of Christ Church, Samuel Smith, and in 1826, he transferred to Trinity College, Cambridge.

Lord Charles joined the British Army in January 1824. His regiment was the 15th Regiment of Foot. During the Rebellions of 1837–1838 in Canada, he accompanied his regiment. By 1840, he had achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel and retired from military service in 1845.

In 1841, Lord Charles was appointed Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal to Queen Victoria, a position he held until 1846. His political career included serving as the Member of Parliament for South Hampshire from 1842 to 1852, and for Windsor from 1852 to 1855, representing the Conservative Party. Politically, he adhered to liberal conservative principles, supporting free trade and the policies of Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel. Due to loss of sight, Lord Charles resigned from Parliament in February 1855.

On 9 July 1844, he married Augusta Sophia Anne Pierrepont, daughter of The Honorable Henry Pierrepont. The couple had six children:

- Arthur Wellesley (5 May 1845 – 7 July 1846),

- Major Henry Wellesley, 3rd Duke of Wellington (5 April 1846 – 8 June 1900),

- Lady Victoria Alexandrina Wellesley (2 April 1847 – 31 July 1933), who married Ion Hamilton, 1st Baron HolmPatrick, in 1877,

- Colonel Arthur Charles Wellesley, 4th Duke of Wellington (15 March 1849 – 18 June 1934), who married Kathleen Bulkeley Williams in 1872,

- Lady Mary Angela Wellesley (21 October 1850 – 26 April 1936), who married George Arthur Jervoise Scott in 1875,

- Georgina Wellesley (15 May 1853 – 3 February 1880), who married banker William Rolle Malcolm.

Lord Charles experienced declining health in his final months and died at Conholt Park, Wiltshire, on 9 October 1858. Following the death of his older brother Arthur in 1884, who died childless, Lord Charles's eldest surviving son, Henry, inherited the dukedom as the 2nd Duke of Wellington. In November 1884, his other children were granted the rank and precedence of children of a duke. When Henry died childless in 1900, the peerage passed to Lord Charles's third son, Arthur Wellesley.

External references include contributions by Lord Charles Wellesley in the Hansard parliamentary records spanning from 1803 to 2005.