Duke of Westminster

Duke of Westminster

Duke of Westminster is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. It is the most recent dukedom conferred on someone not related to the British royal family.

The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Dukes were each grandsons of the first. The present holder of the title is Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke, who inherited the dukedom on 9 August 2016 on the death of his father, Gerald. The present duke is a godfather of Prince George of Wales.

The Duke of Westminster's seats are at Eaton Hall, Cheshire, and at Abbeystead House, Lancashire. The family's London town house was Grosvenor House, Park Lane, while Halkyn Castle was built as a sporting lodge for the family in the early 1800s. The traditional burial place of the Dukes is the Old Churchyard adjacent to St Mary's Church, Eccleston.

History of the Grosvenor family

Duke of Westminster

Richard Grosvenor was created Baronet of Eaton in January 1622. Sir Richard Grosvenor, the 7th Baronet, was created Baron Grosvenor in 1761, and in 1784 became both Viscount Belgrave (Belgrave, Cheshire) and Earl Grosvenor under George III. The title Marquess of Westminster was bestowed upon Robert Grosvenor, the 2nd Earl Grosvenor, at the coronation of William IV in 1831.

In 1677 Sir Thomas Grosvenor took over the contract to marry Mary Davies, then aged 12, who was heir to 500 acres (200 hectares) of swampy land to the west of the boundary of London.

The subsidiary titles are: Marquess of Westminster (created 1831), Earl Grosvenor (1784), Viscount Belgrave, of Belgrave in the County of Chester (1784), and Baron Grosvenor, of Eaton in the County of Chester (1761). The Dukedom and Marquessate are in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; the rest are in the Peerage of Great Britain. The courtesy title of the eldest son and heir to the Duke is Earl Grosvenor.

Grosvenor Baronets, of Eaton (1622)

Duke of Westminster

• Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baronet (1584–1645) was an MP • Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet (1604–1664), a son of the 1st Baronet • Roger Grosvenor (c. 1628–1661), a son of the 2nd Baronet, predeceased his father • Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet (1656–1700), son of Roger • Sir Richard Grosvenor, 4th Baronet (1689–1732), eldest son of the 3rd Baronet, died without issue • Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 5th Baronet (1693–1733), second son of the 3rd Baronet, died unmarried • Sir Robert Grosvenor, 6th Baronet (1695–1755), third and youngest son of the 3rd Baronet • Sir Richard Grosvenor, 7th Baronet (1731–1802) (created Baron Grosvenor in 1761)

Barons Grosvenor (1761)

Duke of Westminster

Created by George III of Great Britain
#	Name (lifespan)	Period	Spouse	Notes	Other titles
1st	Richard Grosvenor (1731–1802)	1761–1802	Henrietta Vernon	Later created Earl Grosvenor	—

Earls Grosvenor (1784)

Duke of Westminster

Created by George III of Great Britain
#	Name (lifespan)	Period	Spouse	Notes	Other titles
1st	Richard Grosvenor (1731–1802)	1784–1802	Henrietta Vernon	Already Baron Grosvenor	Viscount Belgrave, Baron Grosvenor
2nd	Robert Grosvenor (1767–1845)	1802–1845	Eleanor Egerton	Son of the preceding, later created Marquess of Westminster

Marquesses of Westminster (1831)

Duke of Westminster

St Mary's Church, Eccleston, Grosvenor Chapel: Cenotaph and Garter banner of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster

Created by William IV of the United Kingdom
#	Name (lifespan)	Period	Spouse	Notes	Other titles
1st	Robert Grosvenor (1767–1845)	1831–1845	Eleanor Egerton	Already Earl Grosvenor	Earl Grosvenor Viscount Belgrave Baron Grosvenor
2nd	Richard Grosvenor (1795–1869)	1845–1869	Elizabeth Leveson-Gower	Son of the preceding
3rd	Hugh Grosvenor (1825–1899)	1869–1899	Constance Sutherland-Leveson-Gower	Son of the preceding, later created Duke of Westminster

Jockey Colours of Duke of Westminster

Dukes of Westminster (1874)

Duke of Westminster

Created by Queen Victoria
#	Name (lifespan)	Period	Spouse	Notes	Other titles
1st	Hugh Grosvenor (1825–1899)	1874–1899	Constance Sutherland-Leveson-Gower Katherine Cavendish	Already Marquess of Westminster	Marquess of Westminster Earl Grosvenor Viscount Belgrave Baron Grosvenor
2nd	Hugh Grosvenor (1879–1953)	1899–1953	Constance Cornwallis-West Violet Nelson Loelia Ponsonby Anne Sullivan	Grandson of the preceding
3rd	William Grosvenor (1894–1963)	1953–1963	unmarried	Son of the second son of the first duke
4th	Gerald Grosvenor (1907–1967)	1963–1967	Sally Perry	Son of the third son of the first duke
5th	Robert Grosvenor (1910–1979)	1967–1979	Viola Lyttelton	Brother of the preceding
6th	Gerald Grosvenor (1951–2016)	1979–2016	Natalia Phillips	Son of the preceding
7th	Hugh Grosvenor (b. 1991)	since 2016	Olivia Henson	Son of the preceding

Line of succession

Duke of Westminster

As of 2026, is no heir to the Dukedom of Westminster, as the current Duke has no sons; his only child is a daughter, Lady Cosima Florence Grosvenor, who was born on 27 July 2025.

The Earl of Wilton is heir presumptive to the Marquessate, and would succeed as the 10th Marquess.

Family tree

Duke of Westminster

Grosvenor and Grey family tree: Dukes of Westminster, Marquesses of Westminster Earls: Grosvenor, Sussex (5th creation), and of Wilton Viscounts: Belgrave, Grey de Wilton, and de Longueville and Barons: Grey de Wilton, Grey of Ruthin (Ruthyn), Grey de Radcliffe, Ebury, Grosvenor, and Stalbridge
												Baron Grey de Wilton (1st creation), 1285
												Reginald Grey d. 1308 1st Baron Grey de Wilton
												John Grey c. 1268–1323 2nd Baron Grey de Wilton
																	Baron Grey of Ruthin, 1324
								Henry Grey 1281–1342 3rd Baron Grey de Wilton						Roger Grey d. 1352/1353 1st Baron Grey of Ruthin		King Edward III 1312–1377
								Reynold Grey 1311–1370 4th Baron Grey de Wilton						Reynold Grey c. 1322 – c. 1388 2nd Baron Grey of Ruthin		John of Gaunt 1340–1399		Thomas Holland Earl of Kent c. 1314–1360
								Henry Grey c. 1340–1396 5th Baron Grey de Wilton						Reynold Grey c. 1362 – c. 1440 3rd Baron Grey of Ruthin		Elizabeth of Lancaster bef. 1363–1426		John Holland Earl of Huntingdon Duke of Exeter c. 1352–1400
								Richard Grey c. 1393–1442 6th Baron Grey de Wilton						John Grey c. 1387–1439		Constance Holland 1387–1437
								Reynold Grey c. 1421–1493/94 7th Baron Grey de Wilton										Edmund Grey c. 1362 – c. 1440 1st Earl of Kent, 4th Baron Grey of Ruthin		See Template:Dukes of Kent family tree
								Edmund Grey d. 1499 8th Baron Grey de Wilton										George Grey 2nd Earl of Kent, 5th Baron Grey of Ruthin c. 1460–1503
								Edmund Grey c. 1469–1511 9th Baron Grey de Wilton										Richard Grey 3rd Earl of Kent, 6th Baron Grey of Ruthin 1481–1524		Henry Grey 4th Earl of Kent, 7th Baron Grey of Ruthin c. 1495–1562
				George Grey c. 1493–1514/1515 10th Baron Grey de Wilton		Thomas Grey c. 1496–1517 11th Baron Grey de Wilton		Richard Grey c. 1505–1523 12th Baron Grey de Wilton		William Grey c. 1509–1562 13th Baron Grey de Wilton						Henry Grey 1520–1545
																Arthur Grey 1536–1593 14th Baron Grey de Wilton		Reginald Grey d. 1573 5th Earl of Kent, 8th Baron Grey of Ruthin		Henry Grey 1541–1615 6th Earl of Kent, 9th Baron Grey of Ruthin		Charles Grey c. 1545–1623 7th Earl of Kent, 10th Baron Grey of Ruthyn
												Bridget Grey d. 1648		Thomas Grey 1575–1614 15th Baron Grey de Wilton						Susan Grey		Henry Grey c. 1583–1639 8th Earl of Kent, 11th Baron Grey of Ruthyn
																	Barony Grey de Wilton (1st creation) extinct, 1614
												Baronet of Egerton and Oulton, 1617
												Roland Egerton d. 1646 1st Baronet										Charles Longueville 1612–1643 12th Baron Grey de Ruthyn
												John Egerton d. 1674 2nd Baronet										Susan Longueville d. 1676 13th Baroness Grey de Ruthyn suo jure
																										Viscount Longueville (1st creation), 1690
												John Egerton d. 1729 3rd Baronet						Charles Yelverton 1657–1679 14th Baron Grey de Ruthyn		Henry Yelverton c. 1664–1703/1704 1st Viscount Longueville, 15th Baron Grey de Ruthyn
																									Earl of Sussex (5th creation), 1717
												Holland Egerton c. 1689–1730 4th Baronet										Talbot Yelverton c. 1664–1703/1704 1st Earl of Sussex, 2nd Viscount Longueville, 16th Baron Grey de Ruthyn
												Edward Egerton bef. 1721–1743/1744 5th Baronet		Thomas Grey Egerton c. 1721–1756 6th Baronet						George Augustus Yelverton 1727–1758 2nd Earl of Sussex, 3rd Viscount de Longueville, 17th Baron Grey de Ruthyn		Henry Yelverton 1728–1799 3rd Earl of Sussex, 4th Viscount de Longueville, 18th Baron Grey de Ruthyn
																													Earldom of Sussex (5th creation) and Viscountcy de Longueville (1st creation) extinct, 1799
												Baron Grosvenor of Eaton in the County of Chester, 1761 Earl Gosvenor and Viscount Belgrave of Belgrave in the County of Chester, 1784		Baron Grey de Wilton (2nd creation), 1784 Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton, 1801
												Richard Grosvenor 1731–1802 7th Baronet of Eaton, 1st Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor		Thomas Egerton 1749–1814 7th Baronet of Egerton and Oulton, 1st Earl of Wilton, Viscount Grey de Wilton, and Baron Grey de Wilton										Barbara Yelverton d. 1781
																	Barony Grey de Wilton (2nd creation) extinct, 1784
												Marquess of Westminster, 1831
												Robert Grosvenor 1767–1845 1st Marquess of Westminster, 2nd Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor		Eleanor Egerton 1770–1846										Henry Yelverton 1780–1810 19th Baron Grey de Ruthyn
																										Baron Ebury of Ebury Manor in the County of Middlesex, 1857
								Richard Grosvenor 1795–1869 2nd Marquess of Westminster, 3rd Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor						Thomas Grosvenor (Egerton) 1799–1882 2nd Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton						Robert Grosvenor 1801–1893 1st Baron Ebury		Barbara Rawdon-Hastings 1810–1858 20th Baroness Grey de Ruthyn suo jure		George Augustus Francis Rawdon-Hastings 1808–1844 Marquess of Hastings
				Duke of Westminster, 1874						Baron Stalbridge of Stalbridge in the County of Dorset, 1886		Baron Grey de Radcliffe in the County Palatine of Lancaster, 1875																Barony Grey de Ruthin (Ruthyn) abeyance terminated, 1885
				Hugh Lupus Grosvenor 1825–1899 1st Duke of Westminster, 3rd Marquess of Westminster, 4th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor						Richard de Aquila Grosvenor 1837–1912 1st Baron Stalbridge		Arthur Edward Holland Grey Egerton 1833–1885 3rd Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton, Baron Grey de Radcliffe		Seymour John Grey Egerton 1839–1898 4th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton		Robert Wellesley Grosvenor 1834–1918 2nd Baron Ebury						Bertha Lelgarde Clifton 1835–1887 22nd Baroness Grey de Ruthyn suo jure		Henry Weysford Charles Plantagenet Rawdon-Hastings 1842–1868 Marquess of Hastings, Earl of Loudoun, 21st Baron Grey de Ruthyn, Baron Botreaux, Baron Hungerford, Baron de Moleyns, Baron Hastings
																		Barony Grey de Radcliffe extinct, 1885																					Barony Grey de Ruthyn abeyant, 1868
Victor Alexander Grosvenor 1853–1884 styled Earl Grosvenor		Henry George Grosvenor 1861–1914							Hugh Grosvenor 1880–1949 2nd Baron Stalbridge						Arthur George Egerton 1863–1915 5th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton		Robert Victor Grosvenor 1868–1921 3rd Baron Ebury							Ella Cicely Mary Clifton 1856–1912		Rawdon George Grey Clifton 1858–1912 23rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn		Cecil Talbot Clifton 1862–1934 24th Baron Grey de Ruthyn
															Barony Stalbridge extinct, 1949																													Barony Grey de Ruthyn abeyant, 1934
																																					Barony Grey de Ruthyn abeyance terminated, 1940
Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor 1879–1953 2nd Duke of Westminster, 4th Marquess of Westminster, 5th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor		William Grosvenor 1894–1963 3rd Duke of Westminster, 5th Marquess of Westminster, 6th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor		Hugh William Grosvenor 1884–1914										Seymour Edward Frederick Egerton 1896–1927 6th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton						Francis Egerton Grosvenor 1883–1932 4th Baron Ebury		John Lancelot Wykeham Butler-Bowden 1883–1963 25th Baron Grey de Ruthyn
																																				Barony Grey de Ruthyn abeyant, 1963
								Gerald Hugh Grosvenor 1907–1967 4th Duke of Westminster, 6th Marquess of Westminster, 7th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor		Robert George Grosvenor 1910–1979 5th Duke of Westminster, 7th Marquess of Westminster, 8th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor						Seymour William Arthur John Egerton 1921–1999 7th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton						Robert Grosvenor 1914–1957 5th Baron Ebury
																													Francis Grosvenor b. 1934 8th Earl of Wilton and Viscount Grey de Wilton, 6th Baron Ebury and heir presumptive to the Marquessate of Westminster
												Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor 1951–2016 6th Duke of Westminster, 8th Marquess of Westminster, 9th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor														Julian Grosvenor b. 1959 styled Viscount Grey de Wilton and heir apparent to the Earldom of Wilton
												Hugh Grosvenor b. 1991 7th Duke of Westminster, 9th Marquess of Westminster, 10th Earl Grosvenor, Viscount Belgrave, and Baron Grosvenor