Henrietta Anne le Clerc, of the Duke of Richmond

[Haninger7]

Henriette le Clerc is mentioned by a number of sources, including contemporary statements by associates of the Lennox family, as a natural daughter of Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond.  But did Charles Lennox and his Duchess ever openly state Henrietta's relationship to them?  I read somewhere that they did not.  Is it possible that she was related to him in some other way?  E.g. the legitimate daughter of a man named Clark or le Clerc by Lennox's natural daughter?

[stanmapstone]

Though childless...............the duke provided in his will for three illegitimate daughters by his housekeeper. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,

[Haninger7]

But did the Duke himself specifically refer to Henrietta as his natural daughter in his will or elsewhere?  Also, as I understand, it is not a solid fact that the housekeeper was Henrietta's mother.  Some sources say her mother was a Frenchwoman.

[Siamese Girl]

You can purchase and download a copy of his will http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/browse-refine.asp?CatID=6&searchType=browserefine&pagenumber=1&query=*&queryType=1 but be warned it appears to be 30 pages long.

Carole

[Haninger7]

Thank you for the suggestion.  I downloaded the will and am working my way through it - I can only make out about 75% of the handwriting.  So far I have not found any statement that Henrietta le Clerc was his daughter.  She is referred to simply as "Miss Henrietta Anne le Clerc, who resides with me and though Christened by the name of Anne only is called Henrietta and whom I have [educated?] from her childhood."