Ten Dukes A-Dining

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The Daily Mail in this article, makes an intriguing claim which is quite likely true: contemporary British peers are all related to one another.

Can a common ancestor be found among all of these men?  If so, who might their MRCA (most recent common ancestor) be? 


The below are not guaranteed to be the shortest possible descent lines, just at least one descent line.  I have not yet traced all ancestors of each person.

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1. James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose descends from Richard Cecil in 12 steps.He has at least six  descents from Richard Cecil. In Ahnentafel Order, the first one goes through Margaret Cecil, the next five descents go through William Lord Burghley.
   
2. David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland descends from Richard Cecil in 14 steps.
3. John Seymour, 19th Duke of Somerset.  John presents a special problem because his direct line was untitled for several generations.  In order to show the clear evidence that he also descends from Richard Cecil, some original work must be done.  First I will present a full ancestor table, for John's direct titled ancestor Edward Seymour (1695-1757), 8th Duke of Somerset
4. Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland descends from Richard Cecil in 15 steps.
5. Andrew Russell, 15th Duke of Bedford descends from Richard Cecil in 16 steps.
6. Edward Fizalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk descends from Richard Cecil in 15 steps.
7. Torquhil Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll descends from Richard Cecil in 16 steps.
8. Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster descends from Richard Cecil in 15 steps.
9. Murray Beauclerk, 14th Duke of St Albans descends from Richard Cecil in 14 steps.
10. Arthur Wellesey, 8th Duke of Wellington descends from Richard Cecil in 14 steps.

So the lone hold out is John Seymour, 19th Duke of Somerset, whose ancestry is a bit fraught, but still possible if we dig more.