Henry Villiers-Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart De Decies

Henry Villiers-Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Decies, PC, was born on 8 June 1803 in London. He was originally named Henry Crichton-Stuart and was the eldest son of Lord Henry Crichton-Stuart, who was the third son of John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute. His mother was Lady Gertrude Amilia, the daughter and heiress of George Mason-Villiers, 2nd Earl Grandison.

He received education at Eton College and subsequently attended Christ Church, Oxford. In 1822, he legally changed his surname to Villiers-Stuart by royal license, replacing his original surname.

In his political career, Stuart served as a Member of Parliament for County Waterford from 1826 to 1830. Following this, he represented Banbury as an MP from 1830 to 1831. In 1831, he was appointed the first Lord-Lieutenant of County Waterford, a position he held until his death. Additionally, he was admitted to the Irish Privy Council in 1837. In 1839, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Stuart de Decies, with the territorial designation "of Dromana within the Decies in the County of Waterford."

Regarding his family, Lord Stuart de Decies was alleged to have married in 1826 Theresia Pauline Ott, with the marriage purportedly taking place both in London and under Scottish law in Scotland. However, it was never conclusively established that Theresia was legally free to marry. Consequently, their son, Henry Villiers-Stuart, was considered illegitimate and did not inherit his father's peerage upon his death. As a result, the barony became extinct in January 1874 when Lord Stuart de Decies died at the age of 70. His wife, Theresia, died on 7 August 1867.

Henry Villiers-Stuart died on 23 January 1874.