Sir Richard Grosvenor became a Baronet in 1622. His son Roger was killed in a duel in 1661 and when Sir Richard died in 1665 he was succeeded as 2nd Baronet by his grandson Thomas aged 8.

In 1677 Thomas married Mary Davies, heiress to what is now known as Belgravia and Mayfair in London. Their youngest son Robert had two sons. The eldest son Richard was created Baron Grosvenor of Eaton in 1761, and Earl Grosvenor and Viscount Belgrave in 1784.

The 1st Earl’s only son, Robert, succeeded to the title in 1802. In 1831 he was created Marquess of Westminster.

Richard, the 2nd Marquess of Westminster, inherited the title and estates in 1845. His son Hugh Lupus (named after the 1st Norman Earl of Chester) succeeded as the 3rd Marquess in 1869 and was elevated to the Dukedom in 1874. When the 1st Duke died in 1899 his grandson Hugh Richard Arthur succeeded him. The 2nd Duke died in 1953 leaving no sons The dukedom then passed to William, son of Lord Henry Grosvenor, a younger son of the 1st Duke.

On the death of William, the 3rd Duke, the title passed to Gerald Hugh the elder son of Hugh William, a younger son of the 1st Duke. Hugh William was killed on active service in the First World War. Gerald, the 4th Duke, was succeeded as 5th Duke by his younger brother Robert, the present Duke’s father. The present Duke inherited on the death of the 5th Duke in 1979.

Eaton Estate is still the home of the 6th Duke and his family