Caroline Campbell, Duchess of Argyll

The daughter of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey, a former MP who became a courtier to King George III after he inherited the earldom, and Frances Twysden. Her mother was one of the mistresses of King George IV.

Her paternal grandparents were William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey, and the former Anne Russell, Duchess of Bedford (who was born Lady Anne Egerton, and was widowed from Wriothesley Russell, 3rd Duke of Bedford, before she married Lord Jersey in 1733). Her maternal grandparents were The Rt Rev. Dr Philip Twysden, Bishop of Raphoe and, his second wife, Frances Carter (later wife of Gen. James Johnston).{{cite journal |url=https://kentarchaeology.org.uk/node/10976 |title=Notes on the Family of Twysden and Twisden |journal=Archaeologia Cantiana |volume=58 |year=1945 |page=46 |first1=Ronald G. |last1=Hatton |first2=Christopher H. |last2=Hatton}} {{open access}}

File:Charlotte Paget, Duchess of Richmond by Sir Thomas Lawrence 1829.jpg, {{circa|1829}}.]]

On 5 July 1795 in London, Lady Caroline was married to Henry, styled Lord Paget, who at that time was MP for Carnarvon.{{cite book|last=Stooks Smith|first=Henry|editor=Craig, F. W. S.|title=The Parliaments of England|origyear=1844–1850|edition=2nd|year=1973|publisher=Parliamentary Research Services|location=Chichester|isbn=0-900178-13-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/parliamentsofeng0000smit/page/594 594]}} He was the eldest son of Henry Bayley-Paget, 1st Earl of Uxbridge and the former Jane Champagné (a daughter of the Very Rev. Arthur Champagné, Dean of Clonmacnoise, Ireland).{{cite ODNB|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/21112?docPos=5|title=Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey|year=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/21112 |access-date=22 February 2014}} Together, they had eight children:{{cite book |title=Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage |date=1924 |publisher=Burke's Peerage Limited. |page=1267 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Burke_s_Genealogical_and_Heraldic_Histor/VWUDL1kARTgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA1267 |access-date=2 April 2025 |language=en}}

• Lady Caroline Paget (1796–1874), who married Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond, son of the 4th Duke of Richmond and Lady Charlotte Gordon (eldest child of the 4th Duke of Gordon).
• Henry Paget, 2nd Marquess of Anglesey (1797–1869), who married Eleanora Campbell, granddaughter of John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll.
• Lady Jane Paget (1798–1876), who married Francis Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham.
• Lady Georgina Paget (1800–1875), who married Edward Crofton, 2nd Baron Crofton.
• Lady Augusta Paget (1802–1872), who married Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Templemore.
• Lord William Paget (1803–1873), a Captain in the Royal Navy; he married Frances de Rottenburg, daughter of Francis de Rottenburg
• Lady Agnes Paget (1804–1845), who married George Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford; they were parents to George Byng, 3rd Earl of Strafford, Henry Byng, 4th Earl of Strafford and Francis Byng, 5th Earl of Strafford.
• Lord Arthur Paget (1805–1825)

A portrait of Caroline with her son Henry, painted in 1800 by John Hoppner, is held at her former marital home of Plas Newydd, now in the care of the National Trust.{{cite web|url=https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/lady-caroline-villiers-17741835-lady-paget-later-duchess-of-argyll-with-her-eldest-son-henry-17971869-later-2nd-marquess-of-anglesey-102098|title=Lady Caroline Villiers (1774–1835), Lady Paget, Later Duchess of Argyll, with Her Eldest Son Henry (1797–1869), Later 2nd Marquess of Anglesey|website=Art UK|access-date=13 December 2017}}

In 1810, prior to Paget's elevation to the peerage, the couple were divorced as a result of his affair with Lady Charlotte Wellesley, whose husband, Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley, was the brother of the Duke of Wellington.{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/how-heny-pagets-bravery-battle-9552087|title=How Heny Paget's bravery in the Battle of Waterloo took him from earl to Marquess of Anglesey|website=WalesOnline|author=Darren Devine|date=29 June 2015|access-date=13 December 2017}} Charlotte's brother Henry Cadogan challenged Paget to a duel, but neither was hurt.{{cite book|author=The Marquess of Anglesey|title=One Leg: The Life and Letters of Henry William Paget, First Marquess of Anglesey, K.G. 1768-1854|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XN6XAwAAQBAJ|year=1990|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=978-1-4738-1689-3|page=101}}

Caroline then sued her husband for divorce in the Scottish courts. A divorce was granted in November 1810.{{cite web|url=http://reginajeffers.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/regency-scandal-most-sensational/|title=Regency Scandal Most Sensational|access-date=2014-07-01|date=2013-04-01}}

Her second marriage, to George Campbell, 6th Duke of Argyll, took place at Canongate, Edinburgh, only three weeks later. It was the duke's only marriage, and there were no children.{{cite web|url=http://www.anatpro.com/index_files/Caroline_Elizabeth_Villiers.htm|title=Lady Caroline Elizabeth Villiers|website=Paget family|access-date=13 December 2017}} The duchess is supposed to have told Paget's brother that she had never previously known "the superlative degree of bliss which she was now enjoying".{{cite book|author=Rory Muir|title=Wellington: The Path to Victory 1769-1814|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tc4_AQAAQBAJ&pg=PA291|date=3 December 2013|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-18665-9|pages=291–}}

The duchess died in Dumbarton, Scotland, aged 60, and was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery, London.{{cite web|url=https://www.deceasedonline.com/servlet/GSDOSearch|title=burial register summary|website=deceased online|access-date=13 December 2017}}

Through her eldest daughter Caroline, she is a direct ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales, and of her sons, Princes William, the Prince of Wales, and Harry, Duke of Sussex.

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Category:1774 births

Category:1835 deaths

Paget

Category:Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey

Category:Daughters of British earls

Caroline

Caroline

Caroline