Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington

Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington, 9th Prince of Waterloo, 10th Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, 9th Duke of Victoria, GE, OBE, DL (born 19 August 1945), styled Earl of Mornington between 1945 and 1972 and Marquess of Douro between 1972 and 2014, is a British peer and politician.

Wellington was born on 19 August 1945 at H.R.H Princess Christian Hospital in Windsor, Berkshire, the eldest son of Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington and Diana McConnel.

He grew up in London and at Stratfield Saye House, his family's estate in Hampshire, and was educated at Ludgrove School, Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford.

Wellington stood as Conservative candidate for Islington North in 1974, losing to Labour's incumbent Michael O'Halloran.

He married Princess Antonia of Prussia on 3 February 1977 at St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London.

The couple are friends of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

They have five children:

Apart from his British titles, the Duke of Wellington also holds the hereditary titles of 9th Prince of Waterloo ("Prins van Waterloo") of both the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Belgium, and 9th Duke of Victoria ("Duque da Vitória") of the Kingdom of Portugal with its subsidiary titles Marquis of Torres Vedras ("Marquês de Torres Vedras") and Count of Vimeiro ("Conde de Vimeiro").

These were granted to the first Duke as victory titles for his distinguished services as victorious commanding general in the Peninsular War (in Spain and Portugal), and at the Battle of Waterloo (in what is now Belgium).

He was a member of Basingstoke Borough Council from 1978 to 1979.

He served as Conservative Member of the European Parliament for Surrey (1979–1984) and Surrey West (1984–1989) and sits as a hereditary peer in the House of Lords.

He subsequently served as Conservative MEP for Surrey from 1979 to 1984, and as Conservative MEP Surrey West from 1984 to 1989.

He was a patron of British Art at the Tate Gallery (1987–90), a member of the Royal College of Art between (1992–97), Chair of British-Spanish Tertulias (1993–98) and Trustee of the Phoenix Trust from 1996 to 2001). He was appointed OBE in 1999 for services to British-Spanish business relations. He was appointed a Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire in 1999. In 2003 he was given a four-year appointment as a Commissioner for English Heritage.

On 1 October 2007, he became Chairman of the Governing Council of King's College London, an institution of which his wife Princess Antonia is an alumna, and of which his ancestor Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was instrumental in the foundation.

Wellington is also the 10th Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo ("Duque de Ciudad Rodrigo") of the Kingdom of Spain, which on 10 March 2010 was ceded to him by his father.

In accordance with Spanish procedure, Wellington (then styled as Marquess of Douro) made a formal claim to the title with the Spanish Ministry of Justice.

King Juan Carlos of Spain, through his minister, granted the succession to the Dukedom of Ciudad Rodrigo to Wellington in May 2010.

His full title and style is: His Serene Highness Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, Prince of Waterloo, Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, Duke of Victoria, Marquess of Wellington, Marquess Douro, Marquess of Torres Vedras, Earl of Mornington, Earl of Wellington, Count of Vimeiro, Viscount Wellesley, Viscount Wellington, Baron Mornington, Baron Douro.

In September 2015, he was elected to a seat in the House of Lords as a Conservative in a by-election following the retirement of Lord Luke.

On 4 September 2019, he quit the Conservative Party.

He sat as a "non-affiliated" member of the House of Lords from September 2019 to September 2020.

Since September 2020 he has sat as a Crossbench Peer.

In 2021 he put forward an amendment to the Environment Bill to attempt to reduce pollution from the dumping of sewage in rivers.

The initial amendment was rejected by MPs - which led to a backlash on social media.

The Environment Secretary George Eustice proposed making measures a legal duty but Wellington put forth the amendment again to attempt to ensure changes came into force.

He carried Queen Mary's Crown in the royal procession at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla.

With the Duchess, he was invited to ride in the King's procession at Royal Ascot 2023.

Wellington has worked for a number of non-profit or charitable organisations.