Robert Dudley, Lord Denbigh: "The Noble Impe"
- thedudleywomen
- Jul 19
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 20
On 19 July 1584, Robert Dudley, Lord Denbigh, son of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, long time 'favourite' of Elizabeth I, and his wife Lettice Knollys, Countess of Leicester, died suddenly whilst residing at Wanstead Hall, Essex.
"The Noble Impe" was the only surviving legitimate child of Leicester; the Earl had an acknowledged but illegitimate son, also called Robert (also known as 'Robin Sheffield') born from his relationship with Douglas Howard, Lady Sheffield in 1574, which appears to have ended just prior to the start of his affair with the then-married Lettice. Whilst the exact date of the start of Leicester's and Lettice's relationship is unconfirmed, it was known that a romance between the pair developed shortly after the 'Kenilworth Festivities' held in the summer of 1575, and had secretly exchanged vows in a clandestine ceremony at Kenilworth Castle in April 1578 (Gristwood, 2007; Tallis, 2017).
Denbigh was reportedly born three summers earlier, on 06 June 1581, at his Westminster home, Leicester House, located on the fashionable Strand, close to Temple Bar, the ceremonial entrance to the city of London. Having began her confinement in the late spring, and in the company of two maids, including Lettice Barrett (who would later marry her younger brother Francis Knollys), she safely delivered a baby boy, almost two decades after the birth of her first child, Penelope Devereux. With this birth, Lettice had finally provided Leicester with a legitimate son and heir, whom he named after him, intending to continue his legacy. It is possible that baby Robert was baptised at the parish church of St Clement's, being located directly opposite Leicester House, its parish records for that period destroyed (Tallis, 2017; Paul, 2022)
An alternative date of birth for Denbigh has been given some years before, in c.1578-9; this has been suggested as the priest who secretly married his parents in 1578 gave evidence years later, in which he described Lettice as wearing a loose fitting gown, suggesting that she was visibly pregnant at the time of their marriage at Wanstead in September 1578, months after their initial exchanging of vows at Kenilworth in the spring, at the insistence of Lettice's father Sir Francis Knollys. If Lettice was pregnant at this time, however, it appears that she may have suffered a late miscarriage, or that the child was stillborn (Gristwood, 2007; Tallis, 2017).
Lord Denbigh, the honory title previously held by Leicester, and now bestowed on his son, appears to have spent his youth between Wanstead, Leicester House, and Kenilworth Castle, accompanied by his mother, who remained banished from court, given the perceived betrayal of her marriage to the queen's 'favourite' (Tallis, 2017). An inventory of Leicester House in 1589 possibly reflects the toddler's mischievous nature, as it notes "a counterfect of a gentlewoman in a petecote of yellow sattin (with note: 'all broken and quite defaced by my yonge lord, ut dictitur' [as it is said]" (Owen, 1904, p.222).
On 19 July 1584, little Robert died suddenly at Wanstead Hall, Essex, the location of his parents' secret marriage six years previously. Given the unexpected manner of his death, many suspect a sudden fever to be the cause of his death, a common occurance in a time where child mortality was high, regardless of social status. It is unknown whether Denbigh was premorbidly sickly; a coat of armour produced for him prior to his death, which still exists on display at Warwick Castle, has one leg shorter than the other. Another contemporary suggestion, the malicious propaganda text 'Leicester's Commonwealth', published later that autumn, alleged that the young boy died of 'falling sickness' or epilepsy. Spitefully, it also claimed he was illegitimate, declaring that Leicester had married his lover Douglas Sheffield and therefore his subsequent marriage to Lettice was invalid: a claim that his illegitimate son Robin Sheffield would continue to argue in the Star Chamber following his death (Gristwood, 2007; Tallis, 2017).
Despite the anger Elizabeth had initially displayed towards him at the news of his marriage to Lettice, Leicester had since been welcomed back into the queen's confidence. He was at Nonsuch Palace, Surrey (although some report Richmond Palace), accompanying the royal court on the queen's annual summer progress, when news of his son's death reached him. Without seeking Elizabeth's approval or consent, Leicester immediately took his leave, and returned to Wanstead and his 'sorrowful wife'. When the queen heard of the death of Denbigh, condolences were sent to Leicester, via privy councillor Sir Christopher Hatton, Lettice's grief continuing not to be acknowledged by her bitter rival (Gristwood, 2007; Tallis, 2017).
The younger Robert Dudley's funeral was held at Wanstead on 01 August 1584; as was tradition, his parents were not present, having sought refuge at Theobalds, the Hertfordshire estate of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, Lord High Treasurer and Elizabeth I's chief minister (Tallis, 2017). The following day, both Leicester and Lettice had travelled to Greys Court, the Oxfordshire home of Sir Francis Knollys; in his correspondance to George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, Leicester confirmed that he had been absent from court since his son had died, but planned to return the following Thursday, on 06 August, joining the court at Oatlands Palace, Surrey (Folgerpedia, 2025). Denbigh was later interred on 20 October 1584 in the Beauchamp Chapel (also known as the 'Lady Chapell') within St Mary's Church, Warwick, the 15th century chapel which would later be the final resting place of both of his parents, and his uncle Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick. An alabaster tomb, complete with Leicester's coat of arms and the Dudley emblem of the chained bear and ragged staff, was constructed at the south wall of the chapel. Clark (2023) believes that his tomb can be attributed to Cornelius Cure, the sculptor who was later commissioned to produce a tomb for Ambrose Dudley by his widow Anne Russell, Countess of Warwick, the 'Cure Workshop' in Southwark, London, having been credited in producing multiple monuments for the Bedford Chapel at St Michael's Church, Chenies, Buckinghamshire. Denbigh's tomb was topped with an effigy depicting the boy slightly older than his years, although was portrayed "unbreeched and wearing...leading strings...a poignant testimony to his parents' anguish" (Clark, 2023, p. 187). Denbigh's tomb carries the following epitaph:
"Here resteth the body of the Noble Impe Robert of Dudley B. of Denbigh sonne of Robert Erle of Leycester, nephew and heire unto Ambrose Erle of Warwike Bretherne, both sonnes of the mightie Prince John late Dvke of Northvmberland that was covsin and heire to Sr John Grey Viscont Lysle, covsin and heire to Sr Thomas Talbot Viscont Lysle, nephew and heire unto the Lady Margaret Covntess of Shrewsbyry, the eldest davghter and coheire of the noble Erle of Warwike Sr Richard Beavchamp heere enteerrid. A Childe of greate parentage, but of farre greater hope, and towardnes, then from this transitory vnto the everlastinge life, in his tender age, at Wanstead in Essex on Sondaye the 19 of Jvly in yere of ovr Lorde God 1584 beinge the XXVI yere of the happy reigne of the most vertvovs, and godly princis Qveene Elizabeethe: and in this place layed vp emonge his noble avncestors in assvred hope of the generall resvrrection"
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