Sir John Somerset, The 4th Duke of Beverly

Sir John Somerset, The Duke of Beverly was the head of the Somerset Family. John was a direct male descendant of King Henry III of Wessex, through his illegitiamte son Sir John Somerset, The 1st Duke of Beverly.

John was the hereditary owner of Cornwall House and Bretherton Castle.

Birth and Early Life
John Somerset was born at Bretherton Castle. He was the son of Sir Brandon Somerset and _ Grosvenor. His parents were at the time of his birth styled Marquees and Marchioness of Glamorgan as the heir to his grandfather's titles of "Duke of Beverly". John was thus styled as "Earl of Grosmont" as the eldest son of the heir apparent to the Dukedom.

His mother was a member of the Grosvenor family, who were at the time an impoverished family apart of the nobility. Brandon met his wife and fell in love instantly. His father was against the match, siting her low birth which he saw as making her unsuitable to marry a descendant of Henry III.

King Richard I of Wessex created _

As a male-line member of the Somerset Family, John was a male-line descendant of King Henry III of Wessex through his illegitimate son Sir John Somerset, The 1st Duke of Beverly. His grandmother held high hopes that if the legitimate male-line of King Richard I of Wessex, that the illegitimate Somerset line would be proclaimed King. John's birth was a continuation of this hope.

When John was a child his grandfather died, and his father became the 3rd Duke of Beverly. John thus took the traditional title of the heir of the Duke, "Marquess of Glamorgan". He was tutored at home, and as the only child of the new Duke and Duchess, he lived a lonely childhood. John himself often looked backed on his lonesome childhood with melencholy.

While his parents didn't hold a position in the King's Household, they were popular members at the court of Richard I of Wessex. The new Duchess of Beverly would often host large parties and dinners at Cornwall House were the King and members of his court were often in attendance. These parties ensured that the family stayed in good favors with the royal family.

Marraige
Since marrying into the family, John's mother, The Duchess of Beverly ensured advantageous marriages for all of her siblings and family members. Her brother, The 3rd Baronet Grosvenor married into the Lascelles Family. Her sister married _, and it was said that the Duchess of Beverly introduced her cousin, George Grosvenor, to The Lady Gabriella Sutherland who was a vitable candidate to throne outside of the descendants of Authur I.

The Duchess of Beverly wanted to ensure that her son John married just as advantageously. She arranged a meeting between her son and Lady Catherine de Lacy, the eldest daughter of Sir _ de Lacy, The 2nd Earl of Malden. As a member of the wealthy de Lacy family, Catherine was the perfect match for her son.

John and Catherine were quickly married at Cornwall House, Catherine thus becoming the Marchioness of Galmorgan. The Duchess never saw her hard work come into fruition, as she died two months before the wedding.

The new couple lived a happy life, and soon welcomed their first daughter Lady Adelyn Somerset.

The Duke of Beverly
John's father died in the late evening, making John the 4th Duke of Beverly.

John held no position in the King's Household, and unlike his father hosted few parties and social events during his lifetime at Cornwall House. John instead choose to focus on his estate and family, which seemed to get bigger year after year. The couple welcomed four more children in quick succession: Mariana, Poppy, David, and Henry.

The family soon left Winchester and Cornwall House for their country castle, Bretherton Castle. Here the family was raised.

Titles, Styles, and Honors
His Grace, Sir John Somerset, The Duke of Beverly, The Marquess of Glamorgan, The Earl of Grosmont.

In addition to his main hereditary title of "Duke of Beverly", John also holds the lesser titles of "Marquess of Glamorgan" and "Earl of Grosmont".