Lennox, Sarah (1745–1826)

English baroness. Name variations: Lady Bunbury; Sarah Napier. Born Feb 1745 in London; died Aug 1826 in London; dau. of Charles Lennox, 2nd duke of Richmond, and Sarah Cadogan (d. 1751); sister of Emily Lennox (1731–1814), Louisa Lennox (1743–1821), and Caroline Lennox (1723–1774); great-granddau. of Charles II, king of England, and Louise de Kéroüaille; m. Thomas Charles Bunbury (heir to the baronetcy of Bunbury and member of the House of Commons), in 1762; m. George Napier (British army hero), in 1781; children: (with Lord William Gordon) Louisa Bunbury (b. 1768); (2nd m.) Charles Napier (b. 1782); Emily Louisa Napier (b. 1783); George Napier (b. 1784); William Napier (b. 1785); Richard Napier (b. 1787); Henry Napier (b. 1789); Caroline Napier (b. 1790); Cecilia Napier (b. 1791).

One of four aristocratic daughters of the duke and duchess of Richmond, renowned for their beauty and intelligence; widely regarded as the most handsome of the Lennox women, drew the attention of the prince of Wales, future George III, but did nothing to encourage him; with husband preoccupied with horseracing and gambling, became involved in a brief affair with Armand de Gontaut (1767), duke of Lauzun, then fell in love with a distant cousin, Lord William Gordon; stunned family and acquaintances by leaving husband for Lord Gordon (1769), then left Gordon a few months later and was taken in by brother Charles Lennox, 3rd duke of Richmond; with marriage to Napier, reentered high society and reestablished her good name.

See also Edith R. Curtis, Lady Sarah Lennox: A Irrepressible Stuart (Putnam, 1946); Stella Tillyard, Aristocrats: Caroline, Emily, Louisa and Sarah Lennox (Farrar, 1994); and Women in World History.