Are Princess Diana and Winston Churchill Related? How the Churchill Family is Actually The Spencer Family
Most history enthusiasts are familiar with Blenheim Palace, which was built on land gifted by Queen Anne who also created John Churchill the first Duke of Marlborough following the Battle of Blenheim. But a question that I have always asked myself is why are the current Churchill family members, and Dukes of Marlborough called Spencer-Churchill? This question came to mind particularly when learning about Winston Churchill, who was actually Winston Spencer-Churchill.
And the Answer, is actually a fairly simple one, the title fell into the Spencer family and then the 5th Duke added Churchill back into their name.
John and Sarah Churchill, the first Duke and Duchess of Marlborough had many daughters and just one son, the Marquess of Blandford (this title belongs to the Duke, but it is a subsidiary title that the heir normally goes by). Tragically, the Marquess of Blandford died of smallpox at the age of seventeen and so he never inherited the Dukedom. His parents then got special dispensation to allow for their eldest daughter Henrietta to inherit the Dukedom making her Duchess of Marlborough in her own right (this is very rare). Henrietta was married to the Earl of Godolphin and they had a son named William. Upon the death of William’s maternal Grandfather, John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, he became the not just Viscount Rialton (the subsidiary title of the Earl of Godolphin) but also the Marquess of Blandford, the subsidiary title of the Dukedom of Marlborough. As his mother was the Duchess in her own right, he was now the heir to the Dukedom and his father’s Earldom.
Sadly William passed away without children and with no surviving brothers, and so the Dukedom would then pass to his cousin, Charles Spencer, the Earl of Sunderland. (And with his death the Earldom of Godolphin would become extinct.)
Charles was the son of Anne Churchill, the younger sister of Henrietta, Second Duchess of Marlborough. Anne married Charles Spencer, the Third Earl of Sunderland. It was their son Charles, who became the 3rd Duke and with him the Dukes of Marlborough officially became Spencers. After his grandson George became the 5th Duke, he added Churchill back into the name alongside Spencer to honor the first Duke (who was in fact his many times great-grandfather).
So, now that we know what happened to the Dukedom of Marlborough and the Earldom of Sunderland, which is now merged with the Dukedom, how are Winston Churchill and Princess Diana related? (Born lady Diana Spencer, the daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer.) Well, her many times great-grandfather was John Spencer, the first Earl Spencer. And John Spencer was a grandson (through a younger son) of Lady Anne Churchill and her Husband the third Earl of Sunderland. So, simply put, the Spencer family essentially has two Earldoms, The Earldom of Sunderland which is now part of the Dukedom of Marlborough and the Earls Spencer who just come from a younger Spencer son. Because the Churchill name is so prevalent, it is often overlooked that the Spencer-Churchill family is technically really a senior branch of then Spencer family and the Earl Spencer family, which Princess Diana was a part of, is a more junior line of the same family. To put it in exact terms, Princess Diana is a 7 times great-granddaughter of John and Sarah Churhcill, the first Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and Winston Churchill is a 5 times great-grandson. They both descend from Anne Churchill, the second daughter of John and Sarah Churchill (1st Duke and Duchess).
If you want a VERY scant visual of this family relationship, here it is!
Want to read more about the Spencers and Churchills? Be sure to check out a few of my past articles about some of their amazing family members!
Jennie Jerome-Mother of Winston Churchill
Georgiana, Duchess fo Devonshire (Daughter of the first Earl Spencer)
Until Next Time,
McKenzie
A very exciting PS!
Starting THIS WEEK I will start offering PAID Mostly British History Content. My aim is to always get people talking about and interested in history, so I will still have at least 2 free posts per month. On top of those, paid subscribers will also get 2-3 posts per month, as well as regular discussions. These posts will include much more in-depth biographies, and analysis of historical figures, letters, findings, and more. I will also be offering regular discussions for paid subscribers and the entire backlog of my work to date. What will we be diving into first? Letters from Edward VIII to my very favorite of his mistresses, Freda Dudley Ward.
Here is a discount link if you choose to dive a little deeper! Good through 10/31!
I have *always* wondered about the connection: thank you for satisfying my curiosity!
It made me want to do a deep dive on how other aristocratic families are related because most are somewhere!