Edward VI of England Edward VI of England Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, and England's first monarch to be raised as a Protestant. During his reign, the realm was governed by a regency council because he never reached his majority. The council was first led by his uncle Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (1547–1549), and then by John Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick (1550–1553), from
Charlotte Seymour, Duchess of Somerset Charity Signed their Declaration'. 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