by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Possible portrait of Elizabeth Blount; Credit – https://conorbyrnex.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/a-portrait-of-bessie-blount-c-1500-1539/

The only mistress of King Henry VIII of England who had a child acknowledged by him, Elizabeth Blount, also known as Bessie Blount, was born circa 1498 at Kinlet Hall in Kinlet, Shropshire, England. She was one of the eight children of Sir John Blount of Kinlet Hall (circa 1471 – 1531) and his wife Katherine Peshall. Elizabeth’s siblings were George, William, Henry, Anne, Rose, Isabel, and Albora but their birth order is unknown. Little is known about Elizabeth’s childhood but she was probably educated by her mother and other female members of the household.

Effigies of Elizabeth’s parents on their tomb at St John the Baptist Church in Kinlet, Shropshire, England; Credit – By Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80988191

Elizabeth’s family had close connections with the Tudor family. Elizabeth’s maternal grandfather fought on the side of Henry Tudor (the future King Henry VII and the father of Henry VIII) at the Battle of Bosworth Field where King Richard III of the House of York was defeated and killed. Elizabeth’s great-grandfather Sir Richard Croft was the steward of the household of Arthur, Prince of Wales, eldest son of King Henry VII, at Ludlow Castle, and one of Arthur’s most important advisors. Elizabeth’s uncle, Sir Humphrey Blount, was a Knight of the Body (personal attendant) to King Henry VIII. Elizabeth’s father was one of Henry VIII’s King’s Spears at the time of his coronation. The King’s Spears were fifty men of noble birth who served as mounted bodyguards for King Henry VIII. It is most likely through her father’s influence that Elizabeth found a place at court.

Henry VIII, circa 1520; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1513, Elizabeth, around 15-years-old, came to Henry VIII’s court as a maid-of-honor to his first wife Catherine of Aragon and she quickly became one of the court’s beauties. She could sing and dance well and became a favorite of Henry VIII’s courtiers. In October 1514, she was mentioned in a letter to Henry VIII from his good friend and brother-in-law Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk. The letter infers that Henry and Brandon were partners in “flirtations” with Elizabeth and so it is probable that she became Henry’s mistress in 1514 or 1515. Their affair lasted for about five years.

On June 15, 1519, Elizabeth gave birth to Henry VIII’s child, a son named Henry Fitzroy, with FitzRoy, a Norman-French surname meaning “son of the king”. FitzRoy had been conceived when Catherine of Aragon was approaching what would be her last confinement and resulted in a stillborn daughter in November 1518. To avoid scandal, Elizabeth was taken to the Augustinian Priory of St. Lawrence in Blackmore, Essex, England for her confinement.

Fitzroy’s birth came at a crucial time in his father’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon as a few months before Catherine had given birth to the last of her six children, a stillborn daughter. The future Mary I, Queen of England, born in 1516, was the only surviving child of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Fitzroy’s birth proved to Henry that he could father a healthy male child and convinced him that Catherine was at fault for the lack of male heirs.  There was talk in the early 1530s that Henry VIII, who then had no male heir, would legitimize Fitzroy so he could succeed his father.

A miniature of Elizabeth and Henry VIII’s son, Henry Fitzroy, at the age of 15; Credit – Wikipedia

Fitzroy is thought to have been cared for in the royal nursery with his half-sister Mary. He was given his own London residence in 1525, the same year he was created the Duke of Richmond and Somerset. Fitzroy was also given numerous titles such as Lord High Admiral of England, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Lord President of the Council.

Henry VIII likely asked Cardinal Thomas Wolsey to arrange a marriage for Elizabeth, and sometime before June 1522, Elizabeth married Gilbert Tailboys. Elizabeth’s second child, a daughter named Elizabeth, had been born sometime between July 1519 and June 1520, before she married Gilbert. This child’s father possibly was Henry VIII. However, Gilbert Tailboys recognized little Elizabeth as his child, and therefore, biological or not, she was considered to be Gilbert’s by the law.

After Gilbert’s marriage to Elizabeth, his financial situation dramatically changed. Gilbert was given grants of land in Lincolnshire, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire. Over the next several years, he was a gentleman of the king’s bedchamber, High Sheriff of Lincolnshire, a member of Parliament for Lincolnshire, and was created 1st Baron Tailboys of Kyme. Elizabeth’s marriage to Gilbert lasted until April 15, 1530, when he died, aged 33. All of Gilbert’s children succeeded to his title but as none of them had any children, the title became extinct upon the death of his daughter Elizabeth.

Elizabeth and Gilbert had one daughter and two sons:

• Elizabeth Tailboys, 4th Baroness Tailboys of Kyme (circa 1520 – 1563), married (1) Thomas Wymbish of Nocton, no children (2) Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, no children
• George Tailboys, 2nd Baron Tailboys of Kyme (1523 – 1539), married Margaret Skipwith, no children
• Robert Tailboys, 3rd Baron Tailboys of Kyme (1528 – 1542), unmarried

Elizabeth’s second husband Edward Clinton, 9th Baron Clinton; Credit – Wikipedia

Shortly after her first husband’s death, Elizabeth married Edward Clinton, 9th Baron Clinton, who was fourteen years younger than Elizabeth and owned land that adjoined Elizabeth’s land. Edward was in the service of Henry VIII and his three children during their reigns and was created 1st Earl of Lincoln in 1572.

Elizabeth and Edward had three daughters:

• Lady Bridget Clinton (circa 1536 – ?), married Robert Dymoke of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire, had ten children
• Lady Katherine Clinton (circa 1538 – 1621), married William Burgh, 2nd Baron Burgh of Gainsborough, had two children
• Lady Margaret Clinton (circa 1539 – ?), married Charles Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby of Parham, had five children.

In 1533, Elizabeth’s son Henry Fitzroy married Lady Mary Howard, a daughter of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, the uncle of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of Henry VIII’s wives. Henry VIII’s second wife Anne Boleyn arranged the marriage. Fitzroy died on July 23, 1536, at the age of seventeen, likely of tuberculosis. He was buried at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Framlingham, Suffolk, England, the burial site of the Howard family.

Elizabeth outlived her eldest son by three or four years. Very little is known of her life after the death of her son but it appears that Elizabeth died in childbirth, or shortly after giving birth, sometime between February 6, 1539 and January 2, 1540, at the age of only forty or forty-one. Her burial site burial is unknown.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• Bryson, Sarah, 2016. Elizabeth (Bessie) Blount By Sarah Bryson – The Tudor Society. [online] The Tudor Society. Available at: <https://www.tudorsociety.com/elizabeth-bessie-blount-by-sarah-bryson/> [Accessed 31 July 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Elizabeth Blount. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Blount> [Accessed 31 July 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Henry Fitzroy, Duke Of Richmond And Somerset. [online] Available at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_FitzRoy,_1st_Duke_of_Richmond_and_Somerset> [Accessed 31 July 2020].
• Erickson, Carolly, 2004. Great Harry. London: Robson.
• McMahon, Emily, 2013. Henry Fitzroy, Duke Of Richmond And Somerset. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/june-15-daily-featured-royal-date/> [Accessed 31 July 2020].
• Weir, Alison, 2001. Henry VIII – The King And His Court. New York: Ballantine Books.
• Weir, Alison, 2012. The Six Wives Of Henry VIII. [United States]: Paw Prints.

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham was the last mistress of King George IV of the United Kingdom, from 1820 until the King’s death in 1830.

source: Wikipedia

Elizabeth Denison was born on July 31, 1769, the eldest child of Joseph Denison, a wealthy banker, and his wife Elizabeth Butler. She had two younger siblings:

• William Joseph Denison (1770) – unmarried
• Anna Maria Denison (c.1771) -married Sir Robert Wenlock

On July 5, 1794 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church in Covent Garden, London, Elizabeth married Henry Burton Conyngham, Viscount Conyngham (later the 1st Marquess Conyngham). Viscount Conyngham was created Earl Conyngham and Viscount Mount Charles in the Irish peerage in 1797. In 1800, he was one of the original Irish representative peers to sit in the British House of Lords, and was installed in the Order of St. Patrick in 1801. He served as Governor of County Donegal from 1803 until 1831, and in 1816 was created Marquess of Conyngham, Earl of Mount Charles and Viscount Slane in the Irish peerage. In 1821, he was created Baron Minster of Minster Abbey in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, became a member of the Privy Council and was appointed Lord Steward. In 1829, he was named Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle and served until his death in 1832. Elizabeth and her husband had five children:

• Lady Maria Conyngham (1794) – married William Somerville, 1st Baron Meredyth, had issue
• Henry Conyngham, Earl of Mount Charles (1795) – unmarried
• Sir Frances Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham (1797) – married Lady Janet Paget, had issue. He served as Lord Chamberlain to King William IV, and upon delivering the news of the King’s death to the new Queen Victoria in 1837, was the first person to address her as Your Majesty. His daughter Jane later became the longest-serving member of Queen Victoria’s household, serving as a Lady of the Bedchamber from 1854 until 1900.
• Lord Albert Conyngham, 1st Baron Londesborough (1805) – married (1) Henrietta Weld-Forester, had issue; (2) Ursula Bridgeman, had issue. In 1849, he took the surname Denison as one of the conditions of inheriting the estate of his childless maternal uncle.
• Lady Elizabeth Conyngham (1811) – married Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly, no issue

According to the Duke of Wellington (to whom Elizabeth had become mistress in 1817), Elizabeth had expressed the desire to become the mistress of the Prince of Wales as early as 1806. Through the Duke of Wellington, she was introduced to the British court and caught the attention of the future King. By 1820, she had become his primary mistress, having replaced her friend, the Marchioness of Hertford. The aging king was besotted with Elizabeth, going so far as to ensure that she was nearby at his Coronation, and reportedly winking and smiling at her during most of the ceremony. Quickly she began to hold great influence over the new King, however, she avoided political matters, instead, she focused on the personal and financial gain of herself and her family. Her husband benefited greatly from the relationship – he was elevated to Marquess and received several positions within the royal household. One of her sons was made a Groom of the Bedchamber and Master of the Robes to the King, and of course, Elizabeth herself received lavish and expensive gifts as well, including some priceless jewelry from the royal vaults.

King George IV. source: Wikipedia

Such was the King’s devotion to her, that he bequeathed her all of his plate and jewels (although she refused them when he died). He also provided housing at Windsor Castle and at the Brighton Pavilion for Elizabeth and her family and ensured that they traveled with him when he moved from one residence to the other. She was given full use of the King’s horses and carriages, and most of the large dinners held at her London townhouse were prepared in the kitchens of St. James’s Palace. To King George IV, nothing was ‘off limits’ for his beloved Elizabeth.

However, it would all come to a quick end on the morning of June 26, 1830, when the King died at Windsor Castle. By the following day, Elizabeth had packed her belongings and left Windsor for her brother’s home before traveling to Paris, reportedly expelled from the country by the new King William IV.

St. Mary’s Church, Patrixbourne. photo: By John Salmon, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2747370

Widowed in 1832, Elizabeth remained in Paris until the death of William IV in 1837. She returned to the family’s Bifrons estate in the village of Patrixbourne, near Canterbury, where she lived the remainder of her life. The Dowager Marchioness Conyngham died at Bifrons on October 11, 1861, at the age of 92, having survived all but one of her children. She is buried alongside her husband at St. Mary’s Church in Patrixbourne.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Unknown woman engraved as Jane Shore by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by Edward Harding, after Silvester (Sylvester) Harding, stipple engraving, published 1 May 1790 NPG D24103 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Edward IV, King of England had numerous mistresses but the most famous was Jane Shore. Born in London, England circa 1445 as Elizabeth Lambert, she was the daughter of John Lambert, a wealthy merchant, and his wife Amy Marshall. Some sources say she later took the name Jane for unknown reasons. Other sources say she was never called Jane during her lifetime and that the name was an invention of Thomas Heywood, 17th-century playwright and author because her real first name was omitted and then forgotten by authors. Regardless of the truth, she has come to be known as Jane Shore, Shore being her married name. Sir Thomas More, lawyer, social philosopher, author, and statesman, wrote about Jane in his History of Richard III. According to More, Jane had been fair of body though not tall. She was attractive to men more through her personality than her physical beauty, being intelligent, literate, merry, and playful.

As a young girl, Jane attracted many admirers, both for her beauty and intellect. Jane married William Shore (died 1494), a goldsmith and banker, who had been a frequent visitor to Jane’s home. Shore was fifteen years older than Jane, and although he was handsome and successful in business, he never could fully claim Jane’s affections. In 1476,  Jane received an annulment of her marriage due to Shore’s impotence which had prevented the couple from having children.

King Edward IV, the first monarch of the House of York, by Unknown English artist, oil on panel, circa 1540, NPG 3542 © National Portrait Gallery, London

According to the Patent Rolls for December 4, 1476, Jane and King Edward IV began their relationship in 1476. Edward was particularly devoted to Jane and Jane had a great influence on Edward. Jane did not use her relationship with the king for her personal gain and official documents show that Edward IV  did not bestow gifts upon her. In his History of Richard III, Sir Thomas More wrote of Jane, “Where the king took displeasure, she would mitigate and appease his mind; where men were out of favour, she would bring them in his grace; for many that highly offended, she obtained pardon.” Their relationship lasted until King Edward IV’s early death on April 9, 1483, a few weeks before his 41st birthday. His cause of death is not known for certain. Pneumonia, typhoid fever, malaria, poison, and an unhealthy lifestyle are some possibilities.

It appears that Jane was also the mistress of William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, a close friend of King Edward IV, whom he served as Lord Chamberlain, and Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset, the eldest son of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV, and her first husband Sir John Grey of Groby.

Richard III, King of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Jane played a role in creating an alliance between William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings and Elizabeth Woodville’s family during the time Richard, Duke of Gloucester (the future King Richard III), King Edward IV’s brother, served as Lord Protector of his young nephew King Edward V, the son of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. The Duke of Gloucester moved to keep the Woodville family from exercising any power. Jane Shore was accused of carrying messages between Hastings and Edward IV’s widow Elizabeth Woodville. It was because of her role in this alliance that Jane was charged with conspiracy, along with Hastings and the Woodvilles, against the Lord Protector’s government. William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings eventually lost his head as did Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, Elizabeth Woodville’s brother, and Sir Richard Grey, Elizabeth Woodville’s son from her first marriage.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester had his young nephews, King Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, taken to the Tower of London, declared illegitimate, and then, he succeeded to the throne as King Richard III. At the end of the summer of 1483, the two boys, known as The Princes in the Tower, disappeared from public view altogether. Their fate is unknown and remains one of history’s greatest mysteries.

Jane’s punishment for her conspiracy included a public penance at Paul’s Cross, a preaching cross and open-air pulpit on the grounds of Old St Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. Jane proceeded through the streets of London with a candle in her hand, dressed only in her kirtle, a one-piece undergarment similar to a slip, attracting a lot of male attention along the way. Jane’s public penance is widely believed to be the inspiration behind Queen Cersei’s walk of atonement in the novel series and television series Game of Thrones.

The Penance of Jane Shore in St Paul’s Church, c.1793 by William Blake; Credit – Wikipedia

After her public penance, Jane was sent to Ludgate Prison in London, England. While at Ludgate Prison, Jane captivated Thomas Lynom, Solicitor-General of England. Lynom decided to marry, Jane believing that he would be able to free her from prison and Richard III did pardon Jane at the request of Lynom. The two married and had a daughter. In August 1485, when Henry Tudor defeated King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field and succeeded to the throne as King Henry VII, Lynom lost his position as Solicitor-General of England. However, under King Henry VII, Lynom served on the Council of Wales and the Marches and was the controller of the household of Henry VII’s eldest son Arthur, Prince of Wales at Ludlow Castle.

Church of St. Nicholas in Hinxworth, Hertfordshire, England; Credit – By Rodney Burton, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9165187

Jane and Thomas Lynom lived the rest of their lives in comfort and Jane even became friends with Sir Thomas More who admired her wit.  Jane died, aged around 82, in 1527, during the reign of King Henry VIII. She was buried in the churchyard at the Church of St. Nicholas in Hinxworth, Hertfordshire, England.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Jane Shore. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Shore> [Accessed 24 July 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2016. King Edward IV Of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-edward-iv-of-england/> [Accessed 24 July 2020].
• Ru.wikipedia.org. 2020. Шор, Джейн. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A8%D0%BE%D1%80,_%D0%94%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%B9%D0%BD> [Accessed 24 July 2020].
• Sparkes, Abagail, n.d. Jane Shore – Historic UK. [online] Historic UK. Available at: <https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Jane-Shore/> [Accessed 24 July 2020].

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Isabella Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford was the mistress of the future King George IV of the United Kingdom from 1807-1819.

Isabella Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford source: Wikipedia

Isabella Anne Ingram was born in London on July 7, 1759, the eldest of five daughters of Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount of Irvine and Frances Shepherd. Charles Ingram was a prominent landowner and politician and served as a Groom of the Bedchamber to King George III from 1756 until 1763. Isabella had four younger sisters:

• Hon. Frances Ingram (1761) – married Lord William Gordon, had issue
• Hon. Elizabeth Ingram (1762) – married Hugo Meynell, had issue
• Hon. Harriet Ingram (1765) – married Col. Henry Hervey-Aston, had issue
• Hon. Louisa Susan Ingram (1766) – married Sir John Ramsden, 4th Baronet, had issue

On May 20, 1776, she married Francis Seymour-Conway, Viscount Beauchamp, the eldest son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford, and Lady Isabella Fitzroy, a daughter of the 2nd Duke of Grafton. Beauchamp would later succeed his father as 2nd Marquess of Hertford in 1794.

Francis spent much of his life in politics and public service. He served in the Irish House of Commons from 1761-1776 and held the position of Chief Secretary for Ireland under his father, who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1765-1766. He was a Lord of the Treasury from 1774-1780, and then Cofferer of the Household until 1782. A member of the Privy Council, he was appointed Master of the Horse in 1804, and Lord Chamberlain of the Household from 1812-1821.

Isabella and her husband had one son:

• Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford (1777) – married Maria Emilia Fagniani, had issue

Ragley Hall. photo: By DeFacto – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57719761

The Seymour-Conways were one of the wealthiest families in Britain, with an extensive portfolio of land and properties throughout England, Ireland and Wales. Future generations would amass an extensive art collection that would later be left to the nation. Known as the Wallace Collection, it is housed at the former Hertford House, the family’s townhouse in London. In addition to their London home, Isabella and her husband also inherited Ragley Hall in Warwickshire, which would later become one of the first stately homes in Britain to be opened to the public, and Sudbourne Hall in Suffolk.

It was around 1806 when The Prince of Wales began to notice and pursue Isabella. At the time, the Prince was engaged in a legal battle over the guardianship of Minney Seymour, a ward of his mistress (and wife) Maria Fitzherbert. Using his influence, he had Isabella and her husband named as guardians to the young girl, with the assurance that Maria Fitzherbert would continue to raise her. It was then that he began to notice Lady Hertford. Despite her initial refusal, she soon replaced Mrs. Fitzherbert as the Prince’s mistress. Their relationship lasted for 12 years, during which time the Prince often visited Isabella at Ragley Hall and Hertford House. He had also visited her at Temple Newsam, in Leeds, where he gifted Isabella with some Chinese wallpaper and some tapestries.

Temple Newsam. source: Wikipedia

Temple Newsam had been the ancestral home of the Viscounts of Irvine. Following her father’s death, the property went to Isabella’s mother, and then passed to Isabella in 1807 upon her mother’s death. It was at that point that Isabella and her husband added ‘Ingram’ to their surname, becoming Ingram-Seymour-Conway. Temple Newsam had a rich history of royal connections. Perhaps the most widely known is that it was the birthplace of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, and father of King James IV of Scotland/James I of England.

In 1819, Isabella’s relationship with the Prince ended, as she was replaced by the Marchioness of Conyngham, who would become his last official mistress. Following her husband’s death in 1822, Isabella retreated to the family’s homes, spending much of her time at Temple Newsam and Ragley Hall, and living a relatively quiet life. She died at Ragley Hall on April 12, 1834, having lived through the entire reign of her former lover as King George IV and the succession of his younger brother, King William IV. She is buried at the Holy Trinity Church in Arrow, Warwickshire, near Ragley Hall.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Detail of Ford Madox Brown’s painting depicting Alice Perrers and King Edward III (see full painting below); Credit – Wikipedia

Alice Perrers is the most famous English royal mistress between King Henry II’s Rosamund de Clifford and King Edward IV’s Jane Shore. Biographical information about Alice Perrers is sketchy but recent research by historians Mark Ormrod and Laura Tompkins has revealed new details about her early life.

Alice Perrers was born around 1340 in London, England. Her family’s surname was Salisbury and they worked as goldsmiths. Janyn Perrers, who would become Alice’s first husband, became an apprentice to the Salisbury family in 1342. Goldsmiths would have been somewhat well-to-do and Alice most likely received an education at home and attended a local girls school.

Janyn Perrers eventually became a full member of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths of London. It appears that around 1359, he did some work for the royal court because in a royal writ he is described as “our beloved Janyn Perrers, our jeweler”. There is a possibility that he met King Edward III in his capacity as a goldsmith and jeweler and that Alice may have accompanied him. Around this same time, Alice and Janyn were married. The research shows that Janyn Perrers died sometime between May 19, 1361 and May 18, 1362.

Coronation of Philippa of Hainault; Credit – Wikipedia

Shortly after her husband’s death, Alice became a lady-in-waiting to Philippa of Hainault, the wife of King Edward III. Even if Alice had not previously met Edward III, they certainly became acquainted while she served as a lady-in-waiting. Alice, who was about 24-years-old, gave birth to the first of her three children by Edward III in 1364, when the king was 56-years old.

Alice and Edward III’s children:

• Sir John de Southeray (1364 – 1383), married Maud Percy, daughter of Henry de Percy, 3rd Baron Percy, no children
• Jane (1365 – ?), married Richard Northland
• Joan (1366 – before 1431), married Robert Skerne

Edward III’s relationship with Alice was kept mostly secret until the death of his wife in 1369. After Queen Philippa’s death, Edward III became increasingly dependent upon Alice. While the government was at Westminster Palace and his household was at Windsor Castle, Edward spent much of his time isolated at Havering Palace, Sheen Palace, and Eltham Palace. Alice became his chief advisor. She made sure she put in good words for her ambitious friends. Eventually, Alice and her relationship with the King of England caused much gossip at Westminster and Windsor.

Alice acquired numerous gifts from Edward III, including some of Queen Philippa’s jewelry, and she soon became an extremely wealthy woman. Her fortune was worth more than £20,000, equal to £6,000,000 in today’s money. On Edward’s command, Alice dressed in golden garments and was paraded around London as “The Lady of the Sun”. Courtiers were expected to behave respectfully toward her. This caused great criticism from those at court and eventually from the public. Alice was seen as an ambitious, grasping, calculating, and cold-hearted opportunist who manipulated the elderly, aging King Edward III.

Although Alice had received gifts from the king, her financial success cannot be totally attributed to that. Perhaps it was from having a father and a husband who were successful goldsmiths, but Alice did possess business acumen and did have useful business connections through the court. At the height of her power, Alice controlled 56 manors and castles in England and only fifteen were royal gifts.

Worried about Edward III’s advancing age and that after his death she would no longer have his protection, in November 1375, Alice made a secret marriage to Sir William Windsor, 1st Baron Windsor who was 26 years older than Alice. Because William was the Royal Lieutenant in Ireland, he was often away and this lessened the chance that Edward III would find out about the secret marriage. William and Alice had no children and remained married until William died in 1384.

King Edward III and his eldest son Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales; Credit – Wikipedia

Because the English court was perceived by much of the English population to be corrupt, the English Parliament met from April 28 to July 10, 1376, in an effort to reform the Royal Council. The Good Parliament was the name history has assigned to this meeting. Meanwhile, King Edward III’s eldest son and heir, Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, was dying. He summoned to his bedside, his father King Edward III and John of Gaunt, Edward III’s third but second surviving son, and made them swear to recognize his nine-year-old son, the future King Richard II, as Edward III’s successor. Both Edward III and John of Gaunt swore to recognize Richard, and soon after Parliament summoned Richard and acknowledged him as heir to the throne. Edward the Black Prince died on June 8, 1376.

As a result of the Good Parliament’s actions, Richard Lyons, Warden of the Mint, and William Latimer, 4th Baron Latimer, Chamberlain of the Household, who were believed to be robbing the treasury, were called before Parliament, impeached, and then imprisoned. Also, King Edward III’s mistress, Alice Perrers, was called to Parliament where she was tried for corruption, banished from England, and her lands were forfeited. Parliament then imposed a new set of councilors on King Edward III. However, by the autumn of 1376, John of Gaunt was working on undoing the Good Parliament’s work. He dismissed the new council and recalled Lyons and Latimer to the Royal Council and Alice Perrers was recalled to court and regained some of her lands.

King Edward III suffered a stroke in May 1377. He died at Sheen Palace in Richmond, England on June 21, 1377, at the age of 64 with his mistress Alice Perrers at his side.

Geoffrey Chaucer reading  at the court of Edward III by Ford Madox Brown, painted 1847–1851;  Alice and Edward III are in the upper right; Credit – Wikipedia

Alice had a great influence on the poet Geoffrey Chaucer and supported him financially. She is thought to be the model for the Wife of Bath in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Alice Perrers died in Gaynes Park, Upminster, England during the winter of 1400/1401 at around the age of 60. She was buried in either the church or the churchyard of the Church of St Laurence, Upminster but there is no memorial to mark her grave. Her property was left to her surviving children, her daughters Jane and Joan.

Church of St Laurence, Upminster; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Alice Perrers. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Perrers> [Accessed 22 July 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2015. King Edward III Of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-edward-iii-of-england/> [Accessed 22 July 2020].
• Fr.wikipedia.org. 2020. Alice Perrers. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Perrers> [Accessed 22 July 2020].
• Medievalists.net. 2016. Alice Perrers – The Story Of A King’s Mistress. [online] Available at: <https://www.medievalists.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/the-medieval-magazine-no51.pdf> [Accessed 22 July 2020].
• Mortimer, Ian, 2014. Edward III: The Perfect King. New York: Rosetta Books LLC.

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Frances Villiers, Countess of Jersey was one of the mistresses of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 1793 until 1807.

source: Wikipedia

Frances Twysden was born in London on February 25, 1753, the daughter of the late Rt. Rev. Dr. Philip Twysden, Lord Bishop of Raphoe, and his second wife, Frances Carter. Rev. Twysden was a younger son of Sir William Twysden, 5th Baronet of Roydon Hall. He died in November 1752, prior to Frances’s birth, after allegedly being shot while trying to rob a stagecoach. She had one older sister, Mary (born 1751), who died in infancy.

On March 26, 1770, Frances married George Bussy Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey, who was more than twice her age. Villers had served in the House of Commons from 1756 until 1769 when he inherited the Earldom and took his seat in the House of Lords. He was a Lord of the Admiralty from 1761-1763, became a member of the Privy Council in 1765, and served as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household from 1765-1770. After becoming the 4th Earl in 1769, he served as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King George III from 1769-1777, Master of the Buckhounds from 1782-1783, and several other positions at court over the next 30 years. He would later be appointed Master of the Horse to the Prince of Wales in 1795. Frances and Villiers had ten children:

• Lady Charlotte Anne Villiers (1771) – married Lord William Russel, had issue
• Lady Anne Villiers (1772) – married (1) William Lambton, had issue; (2) Hon. Charles Wyndham, no issue
• George Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey (1773) – married Sarah Fane, had issue
• Lady Caroline Villiers (1774) – married (1) Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, had issue; (2) George Campbell, 6th Duke of Argyll, no issue
• Lady Georgiana Villiers (c1777) – died in childhood
• Lady Sarah Villiers (1779) – married Charles Bayley, no issue
• Hon. William Villiers (1780) – unmarried
• Lady Elizabeth Villiers (c1782) – unmarried
• Lady Frances Villiers (1786) – married John Ponsonby, 1st Viscount Ponsonby, no issue
• Lady Harriet Villiers (1788) – married Richard Bagot, Bishop of Oxford, had issue

The Prince of Wales, circa 1798. source: Wikipedia

Frances began her affair with the Prince of Wales in 1793, following a string of other discreet affairs she had had with others, including Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle, and William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire – the husband of her close friend Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. By that time, George was secretly married to Maria Fitzherbert, but his wandering eye could not be kept in check. By the following year, Frances had convinced the Prince to end his relationship with Mrs. Fitzherbert and encouraged him to marry his future wife, Caroline of Brunswick. George and Caroline married in 1795, and Frances was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber to the new Princess of Wales. Frances and George continued their affair and before long, he brought Mrs. Fitzherbert back into his life as well. The two disliked each other greatly, but the Prince continued his affairs with both. Then, a new mistress made her appearance, The Marchioness of Hertford soon replaced Frances as the Prince of Wales’s mistress. By 1807, Frances lost her position in the royal household and soon left the court completely.

Having been widowed in 1805 and left with little financial means, Frances struggled to maintain the lifestyle expected of someone of her rank. She benefited only from the generosity of her son who increased her annual income and often paid off her debts.

The Dowager Countess of Jersey died in Cheltenham on July 25, 1821, at the age of 68. She is buried in the Villiers Family vault in Middleton Stoney, Oxfordshire.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Fair Rosamund by John William Waterhouse, 1916; Credit – Wikipedia

Known as “The Fair Rosamund”, Rosamund de Clifford was probably born in Herefordshire, West Midlands, England as that was where her family home Clifford Castle was located. Her birth date is unknown but she was the youngest of her parents’ six children. Rosamund’s father was born Walter Fitz Richard (1113–1190) and he married Margaret de Tosny. Margaret’s father Ralph de Tosny was granted the castle by King William I (the Conquerer) of England in 1075 after it was forfeited by a traitor. After the marriage of Ralph’s daughter, Margaret de Tosny to Walter Fitz Richard, Walter became steward of the castle and later claimed it for himself via his marriage. In 1162, he changed his name to Walter de Clifford and the castle came to be known as Clifford Castle.

There is incomplete and conflicting genealogical information but Rosamund probably had five siblings:

• Gilbert de Clifford
• Richard de Clifford
• Amicia de Clifford, married (1) Osbern Fitz Hugh of Richard’s Castle (2) Bartholomew de Mortimer
• Lucy de Clifford, married Hugh de Say of Stokesay
• Walter de Clifford (died 1221) married Agnes de Cuni, had four children

Ruins of Clifford Castle; Credit – By Humphrey Bolton, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4097700

Rosamund grew up at Clifford Castle before going to Godstow Abbey near Oxford, England to be educated by the nuns. Likely Rosamund first met King Henry II of England in 1163 when he was staying at Clifford Castle during the military campaign against the Welsh ruler Rhys ap Gruffudd. In 1166, Rosamund and Henry II began their affair. However, until 1174, almost no one knew about Rosamund’s relationship with Henry II.

Woodstock Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

Henry had Rosamund housed at Woodstock Palace, a royal residence near Oxford, England. Woodstock Palace was mostly destroyed during the English Civil War. In the early 1700s, Blenheim Palace, the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough, was built on the site, and stones from Woodstock Palace were used in its construction.

Henry II, King of England; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1174, the relationship between Henry II and Rosamund became public. Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, Queen of England, Henry II’s wife had joined the uprising of their sons against her husband. Henry II eventually defeated the revolt and had Eleanor comfortably imprisoned for her part in inciting their sons. From that moment, Henry II began to live openly with Rosamund. Henry II had many mistresses and had treated earlier affairs discreetly, but he flaunted Rosamund. He may have done so to provoke Eleanor into seeking an annulment, but if so, Eleanor disappointed him as did the Pope who refused to consider a divorce. Nevertheless, rumors persisted, perhaps encouraged by Henry’s supporters, that Eleanor had Rosamund poisoned. In 1176, Rosamund became seriously ill and retired to Godstow Abbey near Oxford, where she died in the same year.

Godstow Abbey ruins; By Chris Gunns, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14569666

Rosamund was buried at Godstow Abbey. King Henry II paid for her tomb in the choir of the abbey church and gave an endowment for the tomb to be tended by the nuns. Rosamund’s tomb became a popular local shrine until 1191, two years after Henry II’s death. Hugh of Lincoln, Bishop of Lincoln, while visiting Godstow Abbey, noticed Rosamund’s tomb right in front of the high altar. The tomb was covered with flowers and candles, evidence that the local people were praying there. Calling Rosamund a harlot, the bishop ordered her remains removed from the church. Her tomb was moved to the cemetery next to the nuns’ chapter house. Local people still prayed at Rosamund’s tomb but it was destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the reign of King Henry VIII.

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Works Cited

• Barber, Richard, 1964. Henry Plantagent 1133-1189. New York: Barnes and Noble.
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Godstow. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godstow#History_of_Godstow_Abbey> [Accessed 22 July 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Rosamund Clifford. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosamund_Clifford> [Accessed 22 July 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Walter De Clifford (Died 1190). [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_de_Clifford_(died_1190)> [Accessed 22 July 2020].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2016. King Henry II Of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-henry-ii-of-england/> [Accessed 22 July 2020].
• Ru.wikipedia.org. 2020. Клиффорд, Розамунда. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%84%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B4,_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BC%D1%83%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B0> [Accessed 22 July 2020].
• Thepeerage.com. 2020. Walter Fitz Richard Fitz Pons. [online] Available at: <http://www.thepeerage.com/p10486.htm#i104860> [Accessed 22 July 2020].

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Maria Fitzherbert was the mistress of The Prince of Wales (later King George IV of the United Kingdom) from 1784 until 1794 and again from 1798 until 1807. The couple married secretly in 1785, however the marriage was not considered legal as it had not received the approval of the Sovereign as required under the Royal Marriages Act.

Maria FItzherbert. source: Wikipedia

Maria Anne Smythe was born on July 26, 1756, at Tong Castle in Shropshire, England, the eldest child of Walter Smythe, a younger son of Sir John Smythe 3rd Baronet, and Mary Ann Errington. Her siblings included:

• John Smythe (1758) – married, had issue
• Frances Smythe (c1760) – married Sir Carnaby Haggerston, 5th Baronet, had issue

Maria’s husband Edward Weld. source: Wikipedia

In 1774, Maria married Edward Weld, a wealthy widower, twice her age. He was the son of Edward Weld and Mary Theresa Vaughan. Following his father’s death in 1761, Edward became one of the wealthiest men in England, having inherited Lulworth Castle in Dorset along with a large number of other properties and villages. Maria became a very wealthy woman upon her marriage, but it was not to last. Just three months after their marriage, Edward died of injuries he sustained after falling from his horse. He had not yet signed a new will to provide for his wife, and his entire estate passed to his younger brother.

Left without any financial resources, Maria soon sought out a new husband as soon as it was acceptable. In 1777, she married Thomas Fitzherbert, the son of Thomas Fitzherbert and Mary Theresa Throckmorton. The couple had one son who died in infancy, and Maria was once again widowed when her husband died on May 7, 1781. However, this time she was provided for, as Fitzherbert left her an annuity of £1,000 per year as well as a home in Mayfair, London.

The Prince of Wales, c1781. source: Wikipedia

After spending several years traveling throughout Europe, she returned to England in early 1784. One evening in March, she attended the opera with her uncle and was briefly introduced to the Prince of Wales, the future King George IV. Quickly enamored, the Prince pursued Maria relentlessly. Soon she was accepting his invitations to visit him at Carlton House, his home in London, just next to St. James’s Palace but made it clear that she had no interest in merely becoming his mistress. The Prince countered with an offer of marriage. Maria argued against it. There was no chance King George III would consent to his son’s marriage to Maria. Even if he did, Maria was Catholic which would make the Prince ineligible to inherit the throne. But the Prince continued his pursuit – even threatening to kill himself if Maria would not marry him.

In July 1784, the Prince stabbed himself just enough to make it look like a serious suicide attempt. Maria, accompanied by the couple’s mutual friend, Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, was quickly taken to Carlton House where they found the Prince again threatening to kill himself if she did not agree to marry him. Maria signed a document agreeing to marry him knowing that the document would not be considered legal. The following day, she left England for France, hoping that things would cool off between them. But the Prince continued to pursue her, and eventually, Maria agreed to return to England and marry him. She returned to England in November 1785, and the Prince set about trying to find someone to conduct the marriage ceremony. He found a young curate, Rev. John Burt, who was in debtors’ prison at the time. Burt agreed to perform the ceremony in exchange for £500 to pay off his debts, and a position as one of the Prince’s chaplains. Quickly settled, Maria and George married in her Mayfair home on December 15, 1785, with just her uncle and brother present as witnesses.

They soon faced rumors and questions were raised in Parliament, all of which were denied by friends of the prince. For the next several years, the two maintained their relationship very discreetly and seemed to be immensely happy. But by 1793, the marriage was beginning to break down. While Maria was perfectly content with quiet nights at home, the Prince of Wales preferred to be out on the town and continued his philandering ways. Soon, he found a permanent replacement for Maria, after beginning an affair with Frances Villiers, Countess of Jersey. Lady Jersey convinced the Prince that the reason he was so unpopular was because of his relationship with the Catholic Mrs. Fitzherbert. Convinced that marrying an acceptable Protestant princess would be in his best interest, George informed Maria, on June 23, 1794, that their relationship was over. Soon he found a bride – his cousin Caroline of Brunswick – who he married in April 1795. But it seems Maria was still close to his heart, as the following year, he wrote his will, leaving everything “…to my Maria Fitzherbert, my wife, the wife of my heart.”

Steine House, Brighton. photo: By C.Suthorn / cc-by-sa-4.0 / commons.wikimedia.org, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70710474

Within two years, the Prince began to once again pursue Maria, and by 1799 the two were once again in a relationship. In 1804, she had a home built in Brighton – Steine House – which would become her residence for the rest of her life. However, by 1807, the Prince’s wandering eye had once again turned its attention to someone else. The Marchioness of Hertford soon became his preferred companion, and Maria found herself pushed to the side again by 1809.

The Prince became King George IV in 1820, and during his 10-year reign, the two only saw each other occasionally in social settings, but from all accounts, both remained in each other’s thoughts. When King George IV died in June 1830, he was succeeded by his brother. The new King William IV – always very gracious and welcoming toward Maria – continued to provide her annual pension (by that time she was receiving £10,000 per year). King William IV reportedly offered her a dukedom, but she declined. She did, however, ask his permission to dress in widow’s weeds and to allow her servants to dress in royal livery – both of which the King quickly agreed to.

Maria outlived George IV by nearly seven years, passing away at Steine House in Brighton on March 27, 1837. She is buried at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Brighton.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Mary Robinson was a noted English poet and actress who became the first mistress of the future King George IV, while he was still Prince of Wales. Their relationship lasted just two years.

source: Wikipedia

Mary Darby was born in Bristol on November 27, 1757 to Naval Captain Nicholas Darby and Hester Vanacott. While Mary was very young, her father left the family, leaving her mother to support herself and five children. She did this by opening a school for young girls, where Mary also taught before she was even 14 years old. After the school closed, she attended a school in London run by Hanna More, and there she caught the attention of famed actor David Garrick, who encouraged her to get involved in the theater.

However, her mother encouraged her instead to accept a proposal from Thomas Robinson – a clerk who claimed to have a large inheritance. Initially against the idea, Mary relented after Robinson had helped take care of her and her younger brother while both were quite ill. The couple married in April 1774 and Mary soon discovered that her husband did not have any inheritance, nor was he much of a devoted husband. The couple had one child – a daughter named Mary Elizabeth Robinson – who was born in November 1774.

When her husband was put into Debtor’s Prison in 1775, Mary went with him, living there with their six-month-old daughter for nearly 15 months until he was released. While there, Mary discovered that she could publish some of her poetry to make a living. Her first book of poetry – Poems By Mrs. Robinson – was published in 1775. She soon caught the attention of Georgina Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire who became somewhat of a patron to Mary, sponsoring the publication of Mary’s second book of poetry — Captivity.

Mary Robinson as Perdita, 1782, portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds. source: Wikipedia

In 1776, following her husband’s release, Mary decided to return to the theater, appearing in several roles at the Drury Lane Theater. While performing as Perdita in an adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Winter Tale in 1779, Mary caught the attention of The Prince of Wales who attended a performance and was instantly smitten. The Prince pursued her relentlessly, but Mary refused his advances for some time. She was a married woman (although mostly estranged from her husband), and she was an actress. A relationship with the Prince would mean giving up what was becoming a financially successful career. The Prince promised her £20,000 – in writing – to compensate for giving up her livelihood to become his mistress. Maria eventually relented, and following her final performance in May 1780, she gave in to the Prince’s advances.

The Prince of Wales, c1781, portrait by Richard Cosway. source: Wikipedia

The relationship was relatively short-lived. In December 1780, she received a message from the Prince, telling her that they must end their relationship.  Unbeknownst to Mary, the Prince had moved on to a new mistress – something he would continue to do quite often for the rest of his life.  Despite a brief meeting a few days later, the relationship came to an abrupt end.  Mary now found herself without any means of support – emotionally or financially.  She decided that publishing her correspondence with the Prince would provide her with a significant income. When King George III was made aware of this, he quickly dispatched the Prince’s treasurer to arrange a settlement. Eventually, she received a payment of £5,000 in exchange for the letters. But Mary had another ace up her sleeve. Finding that the settlement barely covered her debts, she decided to pursue the Prince’s promise of £20,000. The King’s representative argued that the document from the Prince was invalid as he was underage, but Mary was unwilling to accept that as final. She asked for an annual annuity in exchange for the document, and eventually, she was successful. The matter was settled in August 1781, when it was agreed that she would receive £500 annually and that upon her death, her daughter would continue to receive half that amount.

Banastre Tarleton, portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds. source: Wikipedia

Mary Robinson, by now living separately from her husband, had several more affairs, including a long-term liaison with Banastre Tarleton, a distinguished soldier. She became mysteriously ill in 1783, and although she recovered, she was left partially paralyzed and frail. She turned her attention back to her writing – publishing several books of poetry, eight novels, three plays, and her memoirs. She became a champion of women’s rights and an outspoken supporter of the French Revolution.

Despite her financial settlements with the Crown, Mary Robinson died in relative poverty in Englefield Green, Surrey, England on December 26, 1800 at just 44 years old. She was buried at St. Peter and St. Andrew Churchyard in Windsor, Berkshire, England. Her estranged husband was granted administration of her estate, and Mary had instructed her daughter to publish the rest of her works after her death.  And although her brief affair with the Prince of Wales was long in the past, she left a request upon her death that a lock of her hair be cut off and sent to the Prince.  It is said that upon the future King George IV’s death in 1830, he requested that a lock of hair be buried with him.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth was the mistress of King George II of Great Britain from 1735 until the King’s death in 1760. She was the last British royal mistress to be granted a peerage title.

Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth.source: Wikipedia

Amalie Sophie Marianne von Wendt was born in Hanover on April 1, 1704 to General Johann Franz von Wendt and Friederike Charlotte von dem Bussche-Ippenburg. Her maternal grandmother Catherine had been the first mistress of the future King George I, and her grandmother’s older sister Clara had been the mistress of George I’s father, Duke Ernst August von Braunschweig-Lüneburg.

In 1727, Amalie married Count Adam Gottlieb von Wallmoden, the sound of Count Ludwig von Wallmoden and Anna Elisabeth von Helmberg. The couple had two children:

• Franz Ernst von Wallmoden (1728-1776)
• Friederike von Wallmoden (1729-1800)

King George II of Great Britain. source: Wikipedia

Amalie met King George II in 1735 while he was visiting Hanover, and they quickly began an affair that would last for the next twenty-five years. Her husband was quickly paid off by the King to turn a blind eye to the affair, receiving a payment of 1,000 ducats. In 1736, Amalie gave birth to a son with the King, although the child was registered as being her husband’s child:

• Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden (1736-1811) – married (1) Charlotte von Wangenheim, had issue, widowed; (2) Baroness Luise Christiane von Liechtenstein, had issue

Thoroughly smitten with Amalie, King George II continued to visit to Hanover specifically to see her. Correspondence shows that he discussed the relationship extensively with his wife, Queen Caroline, and his chief minister, Robert Walpole. Meanwhile, his constant absence from London was causing him to lose the support of many in Britain. Sensing this, Walpole encouraged Queen Caroline to suggest to her husband that he return to England and bring Amalie with him. The King, however, felt that it would be inappropriate and chose to continue his journeys back and forth to Hanover.

After the Queen’s death in 1737, George finally called for Amalie to join him in England. Upon her arrival in early 1738, Amalie was given apartments in St. James’s Palace – the King’s primary residence – as well as Kensington Palace. The following year, she was divorced from her husband, who received an annual pension of £4,000 from the King.

In 1740, Amalie became a naturalized citizen of Britain, and on March 24, 1740, she was granted a life peerage as Countess of Yarmouth and Baroness Yarmouth in the County of Norfolk in her own right. This would be the last time that a royal mistress in Britain would be given a peerage title.

Over the next 20 years, Amalie played a very prominent role in the King’s life and his court. Immensely discreet, she supported him unconditionally and as he aged and became frailer, she became a mediator between the King and his ministers. On the morning of October 25, 1760, King George II died at Kensington Palace of a thoracic aortic dissection. Amalie received an annuity of £10,000 and retained her apartments in the palace, but soon returned to her native Hanover. Nearly five years later, on October 19, 1765, Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth, died of breast cancer at the age of 61.

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