Henrietta Churchill, 2nd Duchess Of Marlborough

Henrietta Godolphin, suo jure Duchess of Marlborough, was born on July 19, 1681, and died on October 24, 1733. She was the daughter of John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough, who was a general of the army, and Sarah Jennings, the Duchess of Marlborough, who was a close friend and business manager of Queen Anne.

Her birth name was Henrietta Churchill. Upon her father's appointment as a Scottish Lord of Parliament in 1682, she acquired the courtesy title The Hon. Henrietta Churchill. In 1689, when her father was created Earl of Marlborough, she became Lady Henrietta Churchill.

In March 1698, she married The Hon. Francis Godolphin. Following her marriage, she assumed the title Lady Henrietta Godolphin. In 1706, when her father-in-law was created Earl of Godolphin, she became Viscountess Rialton. In 1712, her husband succeeded as the 2nd Earl of Godolphin, and she gained the title of Countess of Godolphin.

An act of the English Parliament passed in 1706 permitted the daughters of the 1st Duke of Marlborough to inherit his English titles. Consequently, after her father's death in 1722, Henrietta Godolphin succeeded as the suo jure Duchess of Marlborough.

During her marriage, she was known to have had five children:

- William Godolphin, Marquess of Blandford (circa 1700–1731), who married Maria Catherina Haeck de Jong but had no issue;

- Lord Henry Godolphin (born circa 1700);

- Lady Henrietta Godolphin (1701–1776), who married the 1st Duke of Newcastle, without issue;

- Lady Margaret Godolphin (born circa 1703);

- Lady Mary Godolphin (1723–1764), who married the 4th Duke of Leeds and had issue.

There was a rumor suggesting that Lady Mary Godolphin was not the biological daughter of the 2nd Earl of Godolphin but was instead the daughter of the playwright William Congreve and Henrietta Godolphin.

Henrietta Godolphin died in 1733 at the age of 52 in Harrow, Middlesex. She was buried on November 9, 1733, in Westminster Abbey. Following her death, her titles were inherited by her nephew, the 5th Earl of Sunderland.