William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset was the great-grandson of Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (c.1500-1552), the uncle of King Edward VI and Lord Protector of England. Seymour made a secret marriage at Greenwich on 22 June 1610 to Arbella Stuart (d.1615), daughter of Charles Stuart, 1st Earl of Lennox and Elizabeth Cavendish. Arbella was thirteen years his senior, and King James I disapproved of the marriage as the union of two potential Tudor pretenders to the throne, who were respectively fourth and sixth in line, could only be seen as a threat to the ruling dynasty. As a result, William was condemned to life
Charlotte Seymour, Duchess of Somerset Charlotte Seymour, Duchess of Somerset Charlotte Seymour, Duchess of Somerset (c.1693 – 21 January 1773), formerly Lady Charlotte Finch, was the second wife of Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset. Lady Charlotte was the first of twenty-one 'ladies of quality and distinction' who signed Thomas Coram's first petition, presented to King George II in 1735, calling for the establishment of the Foundling Hospital. Lady Charlotte was a daughter of Daniel Finch, 7th Earl of Winchilsea and 2nd Earl of Nottingham, by his second wife, the former Anne Hatton. She married the Duke of Somerset on 4 February 1726, and the