Charlotte Paston, Countess of Yarmouth

Charlotte Jemima Henrietta Maria Paston, Countess of Yarmouth (née FitzRoy; c. 1650 – 28 July 1684) was one of the many acknowledged illegitimate children of Charles II of England.^[1]

Her mother, Elizabeth Killigrew Boyle,^[2] wife of Francis Boyle (afterwards Viscount Shannon in Ireland), had been a maid of honour to Charles II's mother, Queen Henrietta Maria.

Charlotte married firstly James Howard,^[3] with whom she had a daughter, Stuarta. In 1672 she married William Paston, later the second Earl of Yarmouth, a member of the Paston family, and had issue. Both William and his father were in high favour with the Stuarts. ^{[citation needed]}

Charlotte died on 28 July 1684 in London and was buried at Westminster Abbey on 4 August 1684.

Children

With her first husband, James Howard (d. 1669), Lady Charlotte had a daughter:

• Stuarta Werburge Howard (d. 1706); died unmarried
  • Stuarta was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Mary II. She was nearly married to the 1st Earl of Portland, but their engagement was abandoned. This resulted in a duel between Lord Portland and her stepfather, Yarmouth. ^{[citation needed]}

Charlotte FitzRoy had at least four more children by her second husband, William Paston, 2nd Earl of Yarmouth:

• Charles Paston, Lord Paston (29 May 1673 – 15 December 1718), of Oxnead Hall, Norfolk
  • Lord Paston was married to Elizabeth Pitt and had a daughter, Hon. Elizabeth Paston.
• Lady Charlotte Paston (1675–1736)
  • She married Thomas Herne of Haveringland Hall, Norfolk, and had a son, Paston Herne, whose illegitimate daughter Anne Herne married Sir Everard Buckworth (later Buckworth-Herne), 5th Baronet, and was the mother of Sir Buckworth Buckworth-Herne-Soame, 6th Baronet. Lady Charlotte was also married to a Major Weldron.
• Lady Rebecca Paston (14 January 1680/1681–1726)
  • She married Sir John Holland, 2nd Baronet; had issue of at least three children.
• Hon. William Paston (1682–1711), a captain in the Royal Navy; died unmarried