Charlotte Cavendish, Marchioness Of Hartington

Charlotte Elizabeth Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington, 6th Baroness Clifford (née Boyle), was born on 27 October 1731. She was the daughter of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, and Lady Dorothy Savile. Her maternal grandfather was William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax, and her maternal grandmother was Lady Mary Finch, daughter of the 2nd Earl of Nottingham. Charlotte was the only surviving daughter of her parents.

In her early life, she was part of the Boyle family estate and social circle, with her upbringing likely influenced by the aristocratic environment of her family. On 28 March 1748, she married William Cavendish, who was then the Marquess of Hartington. William Cavendish later became the 4th Duke of Devonshire and served as Prime Minister of Great Britain. Their marriage was arranged during their childhood and was characterized as a union that was beneficial for William’s political career. The couple's marriage lasted until her death in 1754 and produced four children: William Cavendish (born 14 December 1748), Lady Dorothy Cavendish (born 27 August 1750), Lord Richard Cavendish (born 19 June 1752), and George Augustus Henry Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington (born 31 March 1754).

Following the death of her father in 1754, Charlotte inherited substantial wealth and titles, including the title of suo jure Baroness Clifford of Londesborough. She became the heir of her father’s estates, which included significant properties such as Burlington House in Piccadilly, London; Chiswick House, London; Londesborough Hall and Bolton Abbey in Yorkshire; and Lismore Castle in County Waterford, Ireland. These holdings represented a considerable portion of her family's land and property. Through her marriage, her husband's family, the Cavendishs, inherited the estates associated with the title of Earl of Burlington, as the original title had passed to the Orrery Boyle family.

Charlotte Elizabeth Cavendish died on 8 December 1754 at Uppingham, Rutland, from smallpox. Following her death, her husband William succeeded his father as the Duke of Devonshire in 1755. Her children went on to notable roles: William Cavendish became the 5th Duke of Devonshire; Lady Dorothy married William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland; Lord Richard Cavendish died in 1781; and George Augustus Henry Cavendish was created the 1st Earl of Burlington and lived until 1834.

Her ancestry traces back to prominent aristocratic families, with her paternal lineage linked to the Boyle family, Earls of Burlington, and her maternal lineage connected to the Savile family, Marquesses of Halifax.