Duke of Marlborough (title)

From 1711 to 1817 the London seat of the Dukes of Marlborough was [[Marlborough House]], [[The Mall, London|The Mall]].{{cite book |last1=Walford |first1=Edward |last2=Thornbury |first2=Walter |title=Old and New London: A Narrative of Its History, Its People, and Its Places |volume=4 |publisher=Cassell, Petter & Galpin |location=London |year=1878–1880 |pages=123–139 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol4/pp123-139 |website=British History Online |publisher2=Institute of Historical Research |access-date=2 March 2026}} Following the death of [[George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough]] in 1817, The Crown took ownership of Marlborough House, and it was intended to be used as a London home for the-then second-in-line to the throne, [[Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796–1817)|Princess Charlotte of Wales]]. Princess Charlotte died in 1818 before preparations for her occupation of the house was complete, but her widower [[Leopold I of Belgium|Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]] ''(later King Leopold I of the Belgians)'' occupied the house for several years.

From 1711 to 1817 the London seat of the Dukes of Marlborough was [[Marlborough House]], [[The Mall, London|The Mall]].{{cite book |last1=Walford |first1=Edward |last2=Thornbury |first2=Walter |title=Old and New London: A Narrative of Its History, Its People, and Its Places |volume=4 |publisher=Cassell, Petter & Galpin |location=London |year=1878–1880 |pages=123–139 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol4/pp123-139 |website=British History Online |publisher2=Institute of Historical Research |access-date=2 March 2026}} Following the death of [[George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough]] in 1817, The Crown took ownership of Marlborough House, and it was intended to be used as a London home for the-then second-in-line to the throne, [[Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796–1817)|Princess Charlotte of Wales]]. Princess Charlotte died in 1818 before preparations for her occupation of the house was complete, but her widower [[Leopold I of Belgium|Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]] ''(later King Leopold I of the Belgians)'' occupied the house for several years.

[[File:Lombard House, Mayfair, October 2022 03.jpg |thumb|right |upright=1.6 |[[Lombard House, London|Sunderland House]], now known as ''Lombard House'']]

By the late 1900s financial pressures and dwindling income from the family estates resulted in the Dukes of Marlborough no longer maintaining a permanent London House. This changed when [[Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough]] married the wealthy American heiress [[Consuelo Vanderbilt]] in 1895; Consuelo's dowry included a Trust fund of $2,500,000 (£500,000) settled on her husband, as well as an income-for-life of $100,000 (£20,000) to be paid to Consuelo by her father, which more than doubled the income the 9th Duke received from his ancestral estates. During the early years of their marriage, the 9th Duke and Consuelo leased a series of London mansions, including [[Spencer House, Westminster|Spencer House, 27 St James's Square]] in 1897,{{cite book

By the late 1900s financial pressures and dwindling income from the family estates resulted in the Dukes of Marlborough no longer maintaining a permanent London House. This changed when [[Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough]] married the wealthy American heiress [[Consuelo Vanderbilt]] in 1895; Consuelo's dowry included a Trust fund of $2,500,000 (£500,000) settled on her husband, as well as an income-for-life of $100,000 (£20,000) to be paid to Consuelo by her father, which more than doubled the income the 9th Duke received from his ancestral estates. During the early years of their marriage, the 9th Duke and Consuelo leased a series of London mansions, including [[Spencer House, Westminster|Spencer House, 27 St James's Square]] in 1897,{{cite book

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Consuelo took a lease of a smaller London residence at No. 1 Portman Square in June 1919,{{cite news |title=Duchess of Marlborough moves to No. 1 Portman Square, W.1. |newspaper=The Times |date=26 June 1919 |page=15 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-duchess-of-marlborough-moves-t/192466015/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2 March 2026}} which she gifted to her eldest son [[John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough|John Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford]] when he married the Hon. Alexandra Cadogan in 1920.{{cite news |title=Cromer and Portman-square |newspaper=Daily Mirror |date=29 May 1923 |page=9 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror-cromer-and-portman-square/192466326/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2 March 2026}}{{cite news |title=Marriage — Mr. Gilmour and Hon. V. Cadogan — Four Princesses Present |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=24 July 1922 |page=13 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-marriage-mr-gilmo/192466224/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2 March 2026}}

Consuelo took a lease of a smaller London residence at No. 1 Portman Square in June 1919,{{cite news |title=Duchess of Marlborough moves to No. 1 Portman Square, W.1. |newspaper=The Times |date=26 June 1919 |page=15 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-duchess-of-marlborough-moves-t/192466015/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2 March 2026}} which she gifted to her eldest son [[John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough|John Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford]] when he married the Hon. Alexandra Cadogan in 1920.{{cite news |title=Cromer and Portman-square |newspaper=Daily Mirror |date=29 May 1923 |page=9 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror-cromer-and-portman-square/192466326/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2 March 2026}}{{cite news |title=Marriage — Mr. Gilmour and Hon. V. Cadogan — Four Princesses Present |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=24 July 1922 |page=13 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-marriage-mr-gilmo/192466224/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2 March 2026}}

[[File:25-27 Hill Street - geograph.org.uk - 7774624.jpg |thumb|right |upright=1.0 |No. 27 Hill Street, London residence of the [[John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough|10th Duke of Marlborough]] from 1928 to 1936]]

Lord and Lady Blandford continued to reside at 1 Portman Square until May 1928, when they relocated their London household to No. 27 [[Hill Street, London|Hill Street, Mayfair]].{{cite news |title=Marquess and Marchioness of Blandford sell No. 1 Portman Square, move to 27 Hill Street |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=4 May 1928 |page=13 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-marquess-and-marchio/192465538/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2 March 2026}} This large, 20-bedroom Georgian house leased from the Grosvenor Estate for a term of 50 years, with an annual ground rent payable of £275.The Daily Telegraph. (22 September 1936). Mayfair Changes - Duke of Marlborough Town House Sold. Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2 March 2026, from https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-mayfair-changes-du/192467868/

Lord and Lady Blandford continued to reside at 1 Portman Square until May 1928, when they relocated their London household to No. 27 [[Hill Street, London|Hill Street, Mayfair]].{{cite news |title=Marquess and Marchioness of Blandford sell No. 1 Portman Square, move to 27 Hill Street |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=4 May 1928 |page=13 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-marquess-and-marchio/192465538/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2 March 2026}} This large, 20-bedroom Georgian house leased from the Grosvenor Estate for a term of 50 years, with an annual ground rent payable of £275.The Daily Telegraph. (22 September 1936). Mayfair Changes - Duke of Marlborough Town House Sold. Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2 March 2026, from https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-mayfair-changes-du/192467868/