Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster

Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster (born 7 April 1948), styled Earl of Offaly before 1976 and Marquess of Kildare between 1976 and 2004, is an Irish nobleman. The Duke is the highest ranking member of the Peerage of Ireland.^[1]

Life and education

He is the son of late Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Duke of Leinster and Anne Smith. He was educated at Millfield School in Street, Somerset, in south-west England. With the death of his father in 2004 he succeeded to the Dukedom and became the 9th Duke of Leinster.

Marriage and children

Maurice FitzGerald, then styled the Earl of Offaly, married Fiona Mary Francesca Hollick on 19 February 1972. The couple had three children:

• Thomas FitzGerald, Earl of Offaly (1974–1997)
• Lady Francesca Emily Purcell FitzGerald (born 6 July 1976), has two children by Stephen Thompstone. They are now separated.
• Lady Pollyanna Louisa Clementine FitzGerald (born John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, Oxfordshire, 9 May 1982), unmarried^[2]

Leinster's son Thomas FitzGerald was killed in a car accident in Ireland in 1997 at the age of 23 (when the Duke was still Marquess of Kildare). The heir presumptive is now therefore Lord John FitzGerald, the Duke's younger brother.

References

1. ^ Debrett's "His Grace the Duke of Leinster's Biography". People of Today. http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/search/results/928/Maurice%20FitzGerald%20LEINSTER.aspx. Retrieved August 3, 2010. 
2. ^ http://www.thepeerage.com/p7233.htm

Further Sources

• Peterkin, Tom; Elsworth, Catherine. A Californian claimant, an 'escape' from the trenches and the fight for a dukedom, Daily Telegraph, February 28, 2006. Accessed June 12, 2008.
• Ducal House of Leinster

Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by Gerald FitzGerald	Duke of Leinster 2004–present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by His Grace The Duke of Northumberland	His Grace The Duke of Leinster United Kingdom Order of Precedence Gentlemen	Succeeded by His Grace The Duke of Wellington

Persondata
Name	Leinster, Maurice Fitzgerald, 9th Duke Of
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	7 April 1948
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death