Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
(1640-1709), Mistress of Charles IISitter in 35 portraits
The favourite mistress of Charles II during the 1660s, Barbara Villiers was a dominant presence both at court and in the public's imagination. She married Roger Palmer, later the Earl of Castlemaine, in 1659, and met Charles soon after. She was appointed Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen in spite of the latter's protests. Regarded as the foremost beauty of her day, she acquired great wealth and had at least five children with the King. She became a Catholic in 1663, dabbled in politics, and was implicated in the fall of Clarendon. She was made a Duchess in her own right in 1670, when her influence with the King was beginning to wane.
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Isaac Beckett, published by John Smith, after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt
mezzotint, circa 1681-1688
NPG D1474
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Isaac Beckett, published by John Smith, after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt
mezzotint, circa 1681-1688
NPG D11617
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Isaac Beckett, published by John Smith, after Sir Peter Lely
mezzotint, 1681-1688
NPG D11940
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Robert Williams, sold by Bispham Dickinson, published by John Smith, after Sir Peter Lely
mezzotint, 1730s
NPG D30501
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Thomas Watson, after Sir Peter Lely
mezzotint, published 1779
NPG D30500
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Ignatius Joseph van den Berghe, published by E. & S. Harding, after Silvester (Sylvester) Harding
stipple engraving, published 1793
NPG D30503
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Edward Scriven, after Sir Peter Lely
stipple engraving, published 1810
NPG D30502
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Robert Dunkarton, after Sir Peter Lely
mezzotint, published 1814
NPG D1475
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Robert Dunkarton, after Sir Peter Lely
mezzotint, published 1814
NPG D1476
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Richard Earlom, after William Faithorne
mezzotint, published 1815
NPG D1477
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Richard James Lane, after Sir Peter Lely
lithograph, 10 July 1826
NPG D21962
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Robert Williams, published by Edward Cooper, after Sir Peter Lely
mezzotint, circa 1680-1700
NPG D19885
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
published by Alexander Browne, after Sir Peter Lely
mezzotint, circa 1680-1684
NPG D19886
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Isaac Beckett, published by John Smith, after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt
mezzotint, circa 1681-1688
NPG D20042
Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland
by Gerard Valck, after Sir Peter Lely
mezzotint, circa 1700-1725
NPG D19438
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