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Edward FitzGerald, 7th Duke of Leinster
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edward FitzGerald, 7th Duke of Leinster 6 May 1892 – 8 March 1976), known as Lord Edward FitzGerald before 1922 was Ireland's Premier Peer of the Realm. The third son of the 5th Duke, he unexpectedly inherited the Dukedom from his eldest brother, the 6th Duke, his father's second son, Lord Desmond FitzGerald, having died in 1916. An addicted gambler, he had already signed away his rights to the family's ancestral seat, Carton House, near Maynooth in County Kildare, never expecting that he would actually inherit the property and his title. He moved to live in England.
The duke had married four times: firstly to May Etheridge (d. 1935) in 1913, divorced 1930; secondly to Raffaelle Kennedy (d. 1993) in 1932, divorced 1946; thirdly to Denise Orme (d. 1960, the former wife of the 3rd Baron Churston) in 1946 and finally to Vivien Conner (d. 1992) in 1965. The duke also fathered an illegitimate son, Adrian (b. 1952) by Yvonne Probyn.
It was revealed in 2003 that, though a close friend of King Edward VIII, he was the third lover of the King's mistress Wallis Simpson during the Abdication Crisis in 1936. The duke committed suicide in 1976 by taking an overdose of pentobarbital and was succeeded by his only son by his first wife, the Marquess of Kildare.
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Maurice FitzGerald |
Duke of Leinster 1922–1976 |
Succeeded by Gerald FitzGerald |