Henry Somerset, 9th Duke of Beaufort

Beaufort was the son of Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort. He was educated at Eton College between 1860 and 1864.

Beaufort became a cornet in 1865 in the Royal Horse Guards and was promoted to captain in 1869. He was aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria in 1899 and served as High Steward of Bristol in 1899. On 8 January 1900 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Brecknockshire. He was Hereditary Keeper of Raglan Castle. He gained the rank of honorary colonel in the service of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. He was a Justice of the Peace for Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire and a Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire.

The Duke's three children in 1905

Bookplate with the Duke's arms

Beaufort married Louise Emily Harford (1864–1945), widow of a Dutch nobleman (Baron Charles Frederic van Tuyll van Serooskerken, 1859–1893, leaving two sons), on 9 October 1895. They had three children:

• Lady Blanche Linnie Somerset (1897–1968), married John Eliot, 6th Earl of St Germans (11 June 1890 – 31 March 1922), who died in a riding accident during a steeplechase, aged 31, leaving as issue two daughters.[1] On 15 July 1924, she married George Francis Valentine Scott Douglas (14 February 1898 – 12 June 1930), who died from a polo injury.[1] They had one son who died as the last of the Douglas baronets of Maxwell in 1969. Her descendants are the sole surviving descendants of the 9th Duke. Lady Blanche's eldest surviving grandson, David John Seyfried-Herbert, 19th Baron Herbert, eventually had the barony of Herbert called out of abeyance in his favour in 2002, after eighteen years.
• Lady Diana Maud Nina Somerset (12 September 1898 – 6 May 1935), married Captain Lindsey Shedden (1881–1971) on 19 September 1925, but had no known issue.
• Henry Hugh Arthur FitzRoy Somerset, 10th Duke of Beaufort (4 April 1900 – 5 February 1984), married Princess Mary of Teck. He left no issue and was succeeded by David Somerset, a first cousin twice removed.

The 9th Duke of Beaufort died in 1924, aged 77, at Badminton House, Gloucestershire. He is buried at St Michael and All Angels Church, Badminton.

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Duke of Beaufort