Lady Mary Tudor

Mary grew up in a house on the south-west side of St James Square, close to St James's Park and Whitehall palace,[3] and from an early age she was surrounded by the high society of The Restoration. Mary followed in her mother’s footsteps, and began acting at a young age. She was a part of the many performances put on at Charles II’s elaborate court.[4] At age nine, she sang the part of the Roman god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection, Cupid, alongside her mother, who was starring as Venus, in the play Venus and Adonis.[5]

On 10 December 1680, seven-year-old Mary, was, in recognition of her paternity,[1][4] granted by a Royal warrant, the name Tudor (as a nod to their collateral descent from the Tudor family) and the precedence of the daughter of an Earl.[6] In September 1683, she was issued an annuity of £1500 (roughly equivalent to £226,860 in 2019), and a year later, on 21 February 1684, her precedence was heightened to that of a daughter of a Duke.[7]

On 18 August 1687, Lady Mary married Edward Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Derwentwater (9 December 1655 – 29 April 1705) by whom she had four children:[8]

• James Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Derwentwater (1689–1716)
• Lady Mary Tudor Radclyffe
• Charles Radclyffe (3 September 1693 – 8 December 1746)
• Hon. Francis Radclyffe

Mary separated from Lord Derwentwater in 1700, reportedly due to her unwillingness to convert to Roman Catholicism.

On 23 May 1705, shortly after Lord Derwentwater's death, she married secondly, to Henry Graham. Graham died on 7 January 1707. A few months later, on 26 August, Lady Mary married Major James Rooke.[8]