James II married firstly, in secret in November or on 24 December, 1659, at Breda, Holland (although doubts exist as to whether this ceremony ever took place), and publicly on 3 September, 1660, at Worcester House, The Strand, London:
Anne
She was the daughter of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, by Frances, daughter of Sir Thomas Aylesbury, and she was born on 12 or 22 March, 1637, at Cranbourne Lodge, Windsor. She died on 31 March, 1671, at St James’s Palace, London, of cancer, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Issue of marriage:
1 Charles
He was born on 22 October, 1660, at Worcester House, The Strand, London, and was designated Duke of Cambridge. He died on 5 May, 1661, at Whitehall Palace, London, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
2
Mary II(
3 James
He was born on 11 or 12 July, 1663, at St James’s Palace, London. He was created Duke and Earl of Cambridge and Baron of Dauntsey, Wilts., on 23 August, 1664, and was made a Knight of the Garter on 3 December, 1666. He died on 20 June, 1667, at Richmond Palace, Surrey, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
4
Queen Anne(
5 Charles
He was born on 4 July, 1666, at St James’s Palace, London, and was designated Duke of Kendal, Earl of Wigmore and Baron Holdenby; there is no evidence of any formal creation. He died on 22 May, 1667, at St James’s Palace, London, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
6 Edgar
He was born on 14 September, 1667, at St James’s Palace, London. He was created Duke and Earl of Cambridge and Baron of Dauntsey, Wilts., on 7 October, 1667. He died on 8 June, 1671, at Richmond Palace, Surrey, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
7 Henrietta
She was born on 13 January, 1669, at Whitehall Palace, London. She died on 15 November, 1669, at St James’s Palace, London, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
8 Katherine
She was born on 9 February, 1671, probably at Whitehall Palace, London (less probably at Richmond Palace, Surrey). She died on 5 December, 1671, at St James’s Palace, London, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
James II married secondly, by proxy on 20 (O.S.) or 30 (N.S.) September, 1673, at the Ducal Palace, Modena, Italy, and in person on 21 November, 1673, at Dover, Kent:
Mary Beatrice Eleanor Anne Margaret Isabella
Baptised Maria, but called Mary from the time of her marriage, she was the daughter of Alfonso d’Este III, Duke of Modena, by Laura, daughter of Girolamo Martinozzi, and she was born on 25 September (O.S.) or 5 October (N.S.), 1658, at the Ducal Palace, Modena, Italy. She was crowned Queen Consort by Catholic rites on 22 April, 1685, at Whitehall Palace, London, and by Anglican rites on 23 April, 1685, at Westminster Abbey. She died on 7/8 May, 1718, at the Château of St Germain-en-Laye, Paris, of cancer, and was buried in the Abbey of the Visitation of St Mary, Chaillot, France (although her body was later destroyed during the French Revolution).
Issue of marriage:
1 Stillborn child
It was born in March or May, 1674.
2 Katherine Laura
She was born on 10 January, 1675, at St James’s Palace, London. She died on 3 October, 1675, at St James’s Palace, London, of convulsions, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
3 Stillborn child
It was born in October, 1675.
4 Isabella
She was born on 18 (O.S.) or 28 (N.S.) August, 1676, at St James’s Palace, London. She died on 2 or 4 March, 1681, at St James’s Palace, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
5 Charles
He was born on 7 November, 1677, at St James’s Palace, London, and was designated Duke of Cambridge. He died on 12 December, 1677, at St James’s Palace, of smallpox, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
6 Elizabeth
She was born and died in c.1678.
7 Stillborn child
It was born in February, 1681.
8 Charlotte Maria
She was born on 16 August, 1682, either at St James’s Palace, London, or at Windsor Castle. She died on 6 October, 1682, at St James’s Palace, of convulsions, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
9 Stillborn child
It was born in October, 1683.
10 Stillborn child
It was born in May, 1684.
11 James Francis Edward
Called ‘James III’, according to Roman Catholic doctrine, he was also known as the ‘Chevalier de St George’ or ‘The Old Pretender’. He was born on 10 June, 1688, at St James’s Palace, London. There were widespread rumours at the time that he was a changeling, smuggled into the Queen’s bed in a warming pan, but this was mere political invention. What is certain is that the birth of a Catholic heir ensured that James II’s days as King were numbered. James was Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay from birth, and was styled Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester from birth. His father abdicated when he was a baby, and he spent his life in exile in France or Italy. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1692. He succeeded his father as Stuart pretender to the throne of Great Britain (from which he was barred by the Act of Settlement) on 16 September, 1701, and was proclaimed in France as ‘James III of England and VIII of Scotland’. He was attainted by Act of Parliament on 2 March, 1702, and forfeited all his British titles. He died on 1 January, 1766, in Rome, where he was buried in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
James married, by proxy on 9 (O.S.) or 19 (N.S.) May, 1719, at Bologna, Italy, and in person on 1 or 3 September, 1719, at Montefiascone Cathedral, Italy:
Maria Casimire Clementina
She was the daughter of Prince James Louis Henry Sobieski of Poland, by Hedwig Elizabeth Amelia, daughter of Philip William, Elector of Pfalz-Neuburg, and she was born on 6 (O.S.) or 17/18 (N.S.) July, 1702. She was called ‘Queen of Great Britain’ by adherents of the Stuarts. She died on 12 or 18 January, 1735, at the Apostolic Palace, Rome, and was buried in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Issue of marriage:
(i)
Charles Edward Louis John Philip Casimir Sylvester Maria
Called ‘Charles III’ by his adherents, he was also known as the ‘Chevalier de St George’, ‘The Young Pretender’ and ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’. He was born on 31 December, 1720, at the Palazzo Muti, Rome, and was styled ‘Prince of Wales’ from birth. He sometimes styled himself ‘Count of Albany’. On the death of his father on 1 January, 1766, he succeeded him as Stuart pretender to the throne of Great Britain, styling himself ‘Charles III’. He died on 30/31 January, 1788, at the Palazzo Muti, Papazurri, Rome, and was buried in Frascati Cathedral, Italy. His remains were later removed to St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Charles had the following
illegitimate issue