James Stuart, Duke of Cambridge

James Stuart
Duke of Cambridge; Earl of Cambridge; Baron of Dauntsey
c. 1666–7 portrait by John Michael Wright. James is shown wearing the robes and top-hat of the Order of the Garter. This is the only portrait of James painted from life.
Born	(1663-07-12)12 July 1663 St James's Palace
Died	20 June 1667(1667-06-20) (aged 3) Richmond Palace
Burial	26 June 1667 Westminster Abbey
House	Stuart
Father	James, Duke of York
Mother	Anne Hyde
Religion	Anglicanism

James Stuart, Duke of Cambridge KG (12 July 1663 – 20 June 1667) was the second son of James, Duke of York (later James II of England) and his first wife, Anne Hyde. In 1664, the infant James became the first Duke of Cambridge and Baron of Dauntsey, but both titles became temporarily extinct after Cambridge died young.

Cambridge was especially close with his uncle, King Charles II, who created him Duke of Cambridge and Baron of Dauntsey, titles that were created especially for him. The King also appointed Cambridge a Knight of the Garter, but never invested him due to his untimely death. Cambridge received a yearly pension of £3,000 from the king. After his death, it was still issued to his father, in hopes of supporting Cambridge's siblings.

Cambridge was also very loved by his sister Lady Mary, who, while Princess of Orange, commissioned two portraits by Willem Wissing: one representing her mother and one representing Cambridge. She placed the latter over the door of the Queen's Drawing Room of the Garden House at Windsor Castle. Had Cambridge survived his early years, there were strong chances that he would actually have succeeded to the crown, as the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688, which deposed his father, relied on a Protestant succession and in consequence Cambridge, being raised as Protestant and male heir, would become monarch instead of his sisters Mary and Anne.

Cambridge was born at 1:22 a.m. on 12 July [O.S. 22 July] 1663, at St. James's Palace, the second but first surviving son and child of James Stuart, Duke of York (later James II of England) and his Duchess, Anne Hyde. He was a grandson of Charles I of England and great-grandson of Henry IV of France. His baptism took place at St. James's Palace on 22 July [O.S. 1 August] 1663, and was performed by Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury. His godparents were his uncle King Charles II and his maternal grandfather Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon. Queen mother Henrietta Maria stood as godmother. Also present were Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St Albans and Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich. James was held by Mary Fairfax, Duchess of Buckingham.