Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset

Born around 15 June 1519 to Elizabeth Blount, Henry FitzRoy carried a surname that announced exactly what he was: "son of the king" in Norman French. Henry VIII acknowledged him openly, a rare move, and by age six had made him Duke of Richmond and Somerset. He stood as younger half-brother to Mary, older half-brother to Elizabeth and Edward — and for years, as Henry's legitimate male heirs remained uncertain, the boy represented a plausible path to the throne. He died on 23 July 1536, seventeen years old, leaving the succession question wide open once more.