Our friend Queen Victoria would probably not have existed without the story of a Princess that came before her—Charlotte Augusta of Wales. She was the only child of George (later to become King George IV) and Princess Caroline of Brunswick. Charlotte would have become Queen had she outlived her father and grandfather, but she died during childbirth.
Charlotte Augusta of Wales
Died? In childbirth? There must be more!? There is, and we tell it to you in this podcast. It’s quite a tale, beginning before Charlotte is even born.
*insert that dreamy going back in time music*
Charlotte’s father was, how shall we say, Money Sucking Royalty. And not only that, he was a playah. (yeah, we did. We promise we won’t , ever again.) Prince George attempted to marry his longtime mistress, Maria Fitzherbert, but his father ( King George III) wasn’t about to give the royal nod to that coupling. Prince George, in order to up his allowance, per the Prime Minister William Pitt, needed to marry. What’s a prince to do? He networked 1700’s style for a spouse his father AND his many mistresses would approve of.
Enter Princess Caroline. She was his first cousin and one of the last two choices (choice two being a cousin from the other side of his family tree, Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.) Prince George chose Caroline- not because she was prettier or less tied to scandal because she wasn’t that- but because his mistresses approved of her (probably because she was less of a threat).
But Princess Caroline needed, um, a little work. She arrived in Britain pretty much a hot mess. Not that Prince George was a physical catch himself. We go into some detail, but basically they got along well enough to marry, consummate the marriage and get pregnant. Once.
Charlotte was born January 7th, 1796. What was her childhood like? Well, what would your childhood be like if your parents didn’t live together, were forever quarraling, and you were left to the care of paid staff and hauled out only when your parents needed you for something? Like that.
We do spell it out a bit more, but basically she was a wild child, prone to pulling pranks and, yet, was adored by her people. They were less than thrilled with the current ruler (Mad King George, anyone?) and the next in line (Daddy Dearest) wasn’t any better. She had to be the hope of the people, right?
After an adolescence and entrée into society she pulled some whoppers in the way of impropriety. Just your average, bored teenage Princess. If reality TV was around in her day we would probably be watching Her Minxship instead of Jersey Shore. (Uh, not that we watch Jersey Shore)
Handsome, non?
Finally she meets HIM. The One. A career military man, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The path to the alter took some time, and some manipulations- but on May 2nd, 1816 the two were married in Carlton House. He was a super dreamboat, she was a popular princess; he calmed her wild ways, she gave him the political position he desired – the country was all over this!
Carlton House, where the wedding was held (also where Charlotte had been born)
Oh my my my my….
And then the waiting game for an heir began. Within two years, and two miscarriages, she finally carries a baby for the full nine months…but then this blissful life takes a turn. Poor medical care meets a very large baby. We talk about this a great deal in the podcast, and we don’t want to spoil it for you- but Charlotte delivers a stillborn son. Hours later, she follows him in death.
Funeral of Princess Charlotte, by James Stephanoff
Leopold and the entire country are thrown into deep grief for their beloved Charlotte.
Leopold will go on to play a crucial role in the life of Queen Victoria. Or should we say, UNCLE Leopold? His sister, Princess Viktoria, will give birth to the future Queen. And Victoria’s Albert? He can also call him Uncle Leopold.
Leopold would eventually become the first King of Belgium and marry again. His wife gave birth to a daughter whom they named Charlotte.
Time Travel with The History Chicks
Books! We recommend Charlotte and Leopold: The true story of the Original People’s Princess by, James Chambers
Welcome to the second part of our conversation about Queen Victoria. So much to talk about, we just couldn’t keep it at an hour! We start with a recap , but get down to a good chat pretty quickly starting about the time of the Crimean War.
Victoria and Albert really worked together not only to run the country, but to raise their family. He took his role as the Prince Regent ( Neener! He did what her mother and John Conroy never could!) very seriously, and Victoria took her marriage vows equally as seriously. We had gone on before about Victoria continually having a strong male to support her, and Albert took that role until his death. They really had an almost modern marriage- working very much together in business and in family life raising all those nine children.
Several years before Albert’s death. Big happy fam
Of all the little darlings Victoria bore, none would give them more trouble than our old friend, Bertie. Ahh, Bertie…nearly killed his father, he did. We go into the scandal (because you know we love scandal) in more detail in the podcast, but basically he had taken up with an actress and the gossip reached his parents ears. Albert (the Dad) was already run ragged by the affairs and wars of the country, the last thing he needed was worry about scandal in the family.
Bertie, Bertie, Bertie…
Alberts death in 1861, at age 42, was listed as typhoid fever, but Victoria blamed the ‘ dreadful business” of Bertie’s affair. Victoria, up until now a refreshing ray of sunshine—ok, slight exaggeration, but more upbeat than we had ever given her credit before- Victoria’s life, and the life of her family was plunged into deep mourning.
This is when all that dreadful black comes into play.
Victoria and Albert’s daughters in mourning
Victoria removed herself ,and her family, from public life for many years. She hung out, behind closed curtains, in her royal palaces. It was not a very cheery time for anyone close to the Queen. And again, we are reminded that she does best when she has a man- in some form- near her. That man,at this point of her life, was a servant from her beloved Balmoral Castle in Scotland -John Brown.
John Brown and Queen Victoria by Edwin Landseer
We talk about the portrayal of this phase of her life in the 1997 movie Her Majesty, Mrs Brown. John Brown was a very dedicated servant to the Queen. He was with her a great deal of time, and she trusted and respected him. She also slowly came out of her deep mourning during the time he was with her. Was it an improper relationship? Was there scandal? We speculate. Because it’s fun to speculate. Later in her life she has a similar servant /relationship with Abdul Karim. We speculate about that during the podcast as well. Again…fun!
Several years after John Brown, Victoria hung with The Munshi, Abdul Karim
While all this mourning is in progress, life is going on. Children are marrying, grandbabies are being born, and oh, yes, Great Britain is still a country in need of its Queen. Because of changes in British government ( increased power to the House of Commons, lessening in the House of Lords) the role of the monarchy was shifting. The political roles that the Queen held was waning, although she was still, you know, The Queen. We track several plummets and rises in her popularity in the podcast, but overall she was had more peaks than valleys.
Bertie Marries! Alexandra, Princess of Denmark
In 1866 she attended the first Opening of Parliament since her husband had died, and she got back to business. We discuss the various Prime Ministers that served during her reign, most notably, Benjamin Disraeli.
Queen Victoria’s children were spread all over Europe. If you click the Special Features tab, you will find exactly how Victoria’s bloodline spread throughout Europe. Her bloodline also spread Hemophilia throughout Royal houses. Her own children, Leopold had the disease and Alice and Beatrice were carriers.
People were literally refusing to be placed next to certain others in this picture. You thought your wedding seating was complicated!
Queen Victoria ruled long enough to celebrate both her Golden (50th) and Diamond (60th) Jubilees. BIG parties . Big. And of course we talk about them…hello? Parties?
Four years following her Diamond Jubilee, at the age of 81, Queen Victoria ended her 63 year reign when she passed away at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. She left very detailed instructions for her funeral, and was laid to rest next to Albert at Frogmore Mausoleum.
We kept reading about the bell like quality to her voice—looked at a lot of disappointing YouTube videos, tried to listen to a BBC recording, and never did hear it. Bumming. If anyone finds it, let us know, ok?
Movies?
1997 Her Majesty, Mrs Brown
Books!
Queen Victoria at Home, by Michael De-La Noy (This is the one with the family over front and back covers)
Queen Victoria but Christopher Hibbert
And finally, if you want to get your royal webchatter on..and we know some of you adore those messageboards…for all things royal ( please read the rules and be kind) : http://royaldish.com/
We begin our second season with a woman whose life will take us two episodes to discuss. She wasn’t just black dresses, and talking about herself in the third person, you know! She led a very colorful and unique life! This woman was so influential that she had an entire AGE of improvements, fashion, behavior (and some really fantastic houses) named after her.
Queen Victoria.
A young Queen Victoria circa 1840
Born on the 24th of May, 1819 in Kensington Palace to the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Alexandrina Victoria jumped the line to the throne. We cover the complicated path to the crown in more detail in the podcast, trying to make it as easy as possible to follow. Basically, it had been a race to see who would bear the heir after Princess Charlotte, the only legitimate child of George IV, died during childbirth a few years prior to Victoria’s birth. When Victoria’s father, Edward, died while Victoria was an infant, and his three brothers failed to produce an heir, she moved at a rather quick pace to the head of the line.
Duchess of Kent and about a two year old Victoria
Victoria was raised by her mother in a pretty wacky manner following a set of rules known as, “The Kensington System”. This method gave control over all aspects of Victoria’s life to her mother, as well as Sir John Conroy, a very ambitious and controlling man whom the Duchess had taken into her trust and was her Comptroller. Who Victoria saw, what she learned, where she traveled, even going so far as to not allow her to descend stairs on her own- these two people oversaw all of it, and, at times, spread slander about the heiress presumptive.
Ok, so she did wear a lot of black…
Why? They were bucking for a Regency. They wanted Victoria to sign a document that stated they- Conroy being the brains behind the pair- would have decision making power over her. But our Princess was born to lead. Even when subjected to some of the most manipulative methods possible, she never gave that signature.
Booyah!
We cover details of her life as a child, but that childhood ended at age 18 when her beloved Uncle and King, William IV died in 1834. She dropped the Alexandrina, and simply became Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland- one day a controlled teenager, the next head of the British Empire.
Cool.
Guess who is walking down stairs by herself?
Guess what Lord Conroy is banned from a certain Queen’s presence?
Which crown will we wear today, Your Highness?
We speculate a lot (because we can) about Victoria’s lifelong reliance on some male to aid her decision making. Not that it’s bad, it’s just how it appeared. First up: Lord Melborne who, at the time of her ascension, was head of the government. We talk about the Whigs and the Tories and the trusting relationship Victoria had with this man. He taught her the political ways , and she learned quickly diving right into the political world and making her impact on it.
Lord Melbourne
We share some really nifty stories about her being the first sovereign to take up residency in Buckingham Palace, and some juicy tales about the early days of her reign as her popularity rose and fell and rose again.
We told you, colorful life!
And made even more so with the entree of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The first cousin to the Queen, Albert and Victoria had met as children, but when the parade of suitors began their common uncle, Leopold (husband to deceased Princess Charlotte) encouraged the two. Leopold had been hard at work back in Germany with young Albert, grooming him for this very role.
Young and dashing Prince Albert
But Victoria has spent her entire life working against manipulation- she can smell it coming. What she can’t see coming is love. Albert and his brothers visit their cousin, and within the week Victoria proposes. It’s a love match that happens to be a smart match as well.
Enter the second man that Victoria relies on as her sounding board. In a very regal wedding, they become Victobert. Ok, Victoria and Albert. This is the stuff novels are made of- partners of equal intelligence, shared convictions and a fiery romance to boot!
A movie that we liked and thought illustrated a great deal of the early part of her life is, The Young Victoria, a 2009 flick starring Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend. We question a few things, like Emily Blount not sharing a physical resemblance to the short, and um, curvy Queen, and the accuracy of the romance of the two, but overall a really great look at the early life of both the Queen and the pair which really are a love match that goes down in history.
Uh, whatcha playing with there little princess, Vicky? ( by Sir Edwin Landseer)
Much to Victoria’s dismay, she learned early on where babies come from. All totalled, the pair would have nine children including our old friend, Bertie- we mean, Albert, who would grow up to impact the lives of our Gilded Age Heiresses
Come back next time when we dive into the life of Victoria without Albert (THAT’S where the black dresses come in!), drama about political games and manipulations of the longest reigning monarch in British history. What does happen to all those kids? Did she or didn’t see have an affair with a strapping Highlander? Mourning ( noon and night)? And more!
The Queen, her prince and a whole mess a’ royal kidlets (Franz Xavier Winterhalter)
Time Travel With The History Chicks
Stay tuned for part two coming soon and we will link you up with a nice list of ways you can learn more about the life of this fascinating woman!
We’ll give you some to tide you over:
If you would like some reading to keep this story going for you, we both recommend We Two, Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Rivals, Partners by Gillian Gill.
And if you like your history visual, The Young Victoria. (Can’t stream it on Netflix, but they do have the DVD)
We wrap up our Gilded Age series with a lively discussion about one of the first wave of Gilded Age Heiresses- an American born woman who gave birth to a son who would eventually be known as one of the greatest Britons in history.
Jennie Jerome Churchill.
A young and captivating Jennie Jerome Churchill
Yes, we talked about her already. But we only gave a thin sketch of her life as a Dollar Princess- we never got to the really juicy parts! We promised you an episode on Jennie Jerome Churchill, and by golly, we are History Chicks of our word!
Jeannette Jerome was born in 1854 into a family with a father who was very good at making money, and also good at losing it…and making it again. Jennie and her three sisters were raised in a fairly wealthy home in Brooklyn, spent summers in Newport, and- when Mama had had enough of watching her husband dally around- lived in Paris.
While there, Empress Eugenie took a shine to the Jerome girls and Parisian life suited them all just fine until war broke out and Clara hustled those girls out of Paris to England. The beautiful Jerome girls quickly assimilated into English society, and when Jennie befriended Edward, the Prince of Wales- life really started to get interesting!
In 1873, a 19 year-old Jennie Jerome had a three-day romance that ended with a proposal from Lord Randolph-Spencer Churchill, the second son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough. She officially became Lady Churchill.
Lord Randolph Spencer Churchill. Think what you will.
We discussed the hoops the couple had to jump through before marriage when we talked Gilded Age Heiresses and the birth of her first son, Winston but there was a second son born to Jennie and enveloped in scandal as a great deal of this woman’s life is–the family was even exiled to *sarcastic gasp* Ireland!
She also possessed a remarkable resemblance to another famous Lady……ok, maybe it’s just us.
When Randolph passed away at age 45 (syphilis…of course it was syphilis) Jennie took up a couple projects, really modern things like starting a magazine and flipping houses—but her biggest success came when she finally turned her attention to her son Winston and his political career and, we all know how that worked out for Winston. (And if you don’t…google…come on, you need to know this one.)
Winston Churchill (not W.C Fields)
Jennie isn’t one to be alone, there were two more marriages (the last one to a man 23 years younger than she…go, Jennie!) At the age of 67, in a very dramatic way, she falls down a set of stairs and amputation is required, gangrene develops and she passed away.
Not everyone in the Gilded Age had a wardrobe of Worth dresses and the luxury of boredom; an army of servants were required behind the scenes to ensure the Dollar Princesses’ success. The heiresses met this strict British hierarchy with varying degrees of competence.
Consuelo Vanderbilt, who was once described as “barely allowed to move her own hairbrushes” at home, was given full control over 40 indoor servants upon her marriage to the Duke of Marlborough. Though given no real guidance from her husband, she soon learned that inertia was the best policy. Even her attempts to add more staff to relieve what she saw as the housemaids’ overwork was met with resistance – as was her request to add running water to their quarters!
Six housemaids were seen as quite enough, thank you very much…(This is the same palace that employed one man to wash all of these windows – and it took him a full year!)
Lady Troubridge’s “The Book of Etiquette” (1926) sets forth the ideal attitude for the upper classes in dealing with their servants, as follows: (Let’s hope the theory was also put into practice!)
‘It would appear that there are people who feel that those who labour in the capacity of servants are inferior, but in most cases it is those who place servants on a lower plane who are themselves inferior. We owe to those who take part in the work…more than the wages we pay them: we owe them gratitude, courtesy and kindness. They, equally, should treat their employers with courtesy and kindness, and they should regard it as beneath their self-respect to ask wages for work which they are not fitted to perform. A reliable servant holds a place of importance in the home, and it should be recognised in the social world as a place worthy of courtesy and respect.’
-I discussed briefly the most common indoor servants of the time:
And a true obsession of mine, the wonderful, amazing “Manor House” series, in which modern people were cast as Edwardian servants and aristocracy:
Looks like any classic servant portrait of the day. Note the upper servants are definitely given pride of place in the lineup.
The show’s website is a must – so many things to see, including the daily schedules for each “servant” or “family member.” – and their rules of conduct.
I mentioned the Robert Altman film “Gosford Park”, which (as it’s set in 1932) is well out of our period, but has great insight into the world of the country house servant. In particular, I love all of the “offices” in the basement, all the languor of the upstairs people while all chaos breaks downstairs.
Notice the lady’s maid and driver standing in the rain? They were not allowed to get into the car until the Countess did.
Here is the link to a wonderful article from Harper’s Bazaar in 1904, decribing (and showing!) the atypically luxurious accommodations for servants in that house.
Call them whatever you want; Gilded Age Heiresses, Dollar Princesses, Buccaneers– they all point to the same type of woman. Spanning about a twenty year time period wealthy American ladies of marrying age headed across the pond to snag the ultimate in opulent accessories: a noble title.
In this episode, the third part of our Gilded Age series, we sit down to a chat about several of these women. If you have yet to listen to the Mrs Astor podcast, you might want to take some time to do that now. We do reference several people discussed in that episode.
During the last part of the 1800s the British economy was drifting from agriculturally-based to more industrial. The funds nobility required to maintain not only their magnificent homes, but their lifestyle, was diminishing.
On the other side of the Atlantic, a group of American Mamas and Daughters have stalled socially. They could not enter the next tier of society and felt the best option to propel them into that social level was to have a title in the family. Not short of cash, and having well educated and adventurous daughters, they headed to England. Awaiting them was Edward VII, Prince of Wales who had a very soft spot in his heart for these charming young women.
A young (and thin) Prince of Wales
Edward VII, once he hit his stride
One of the first women to become titled was Brooklyn-born Jennie Jerome Churchill.
Jennie Jerome Churchill
In 1873, a 19 yr old Jennie meets Lord Randolph Spencer-Churchill, Second son (and therefore NOT the title-inheritor!) of the 7th Duke of Marlborough.
Quick, scandalous proposal. Slower engagement. Some hoops had to be jumped through by the couple, and finally the Prince of Wales got involved. Jennie married at the British Embassy in Paris the following spring and became Lady Churchill… and seven months later she gave birth to a full term son…and named him Winston.
He was a lot cuter as a kid.
Lady Randolph and her sons Winston and John
We talked a bit about the Minnie Stevens and her mother. Minnie, soon to be Lady Paget, that is.
Next up in our discussion is Consuelo Yznaga.
Consuelo Ygnaza showing off her tiny waist
She landed her title as Duchess of Manchester when she married Viscount Mandeville in 1876. This union really got things hopping in NYC after Consuelo’s childhood friend Alva Vanderbilt threw a ball in her honor. (Seriously, if you don’t know who Alva is or what happened at that ball, you simply MUST listen to the Mrs Astor podcast!) Alva was also inspired to get a title for her one and only daughter whom she had named after her childhood friend…Consuelo. (Yes, same one. How many Consuelos can there be in this story?)
Mom. Alva Vanderbilt.( Of course we found the most stern pic of her possible!)
Sweet Consuelo
Consuelo Vanderbilt was raised to become royalty. Alva saw to all her education, as well as overseeing the suitors who came sniffing around. Alva, wishing to draw attention away from the fact that she and Willliam K were divorcing, got things moving as only Alva could. Consuelo had, for a brief moment, developed a backbone and told Mommy Dearest that she was engaged to be married to someone Mom did not approve of. Alva manipulated that thought right out of her daughter’s head and in 1895 a tearful 18 year old Consuelo married of Charles Spencer- Churchill, the 9th Duke of Marlborough, becoming a Duchess.
Satirical cartoon by Charles Dana Gibson. Whoever could that be? (Note the couple kneeling at Cupid’s Coffin)
She gave him not only a hefty dowry, but also two boys in rapid succession. She gave us the clever phrase,” an heir and a spare”.
The fam. Note how the artist, Singer Sargent, posed Consuelo to appear as if she were standing on stairs to give her a reason for being taller than the Duke.
We love the look on her face here and the comfort of her son. By Giovanni Boldini
She also, eventually, left him, spent a good deal of her life in philanthropic work, and had the marriage annulled. She went on to have a great life when she married the dashing Jacques Balsan.
Jacques and Consuelo..happily ever after.
Some of the stories of these ladies just need to be heard. Like that of Jennie Chamberlain, of Ohio who became Lady Naylor-Leyland.
It’s Jennie Chamberlain…from Ohio!
One of the heiresses who really caught our attention was Mary Leiter who fell deeply in love with George Curzon, a young and politically ambitious member of Parliament. Eventually they wed, and after many years he fell in love with her at last. They moved to India and she became Vicereine of India. They lived a rather extraordinary life.
Mary Leiter
Lord and Lady Curzon of India ( Pre PETA days)
Tomb of George and Mary Curzon
Time Travel With The History Chicks
The only place we are going to send you with this topic is your favorite bookstore or library.
We only touched on the lives of a few women in this podcast, there are a couple hundred and some change to explore and the book that does it best? To Marry An English Lord, by Gail MacColl and Carol McD Wallace. We LOOOOOOVE this book. This is Beckett’s copy. You really should get your own.
So loved it’s become real!
Another book we both enjoyed was Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt: The Story of a Daughter and Mother in the Gilded Age, by Amanda MacKenzie Stuart.
Since you are on a Consuelo bender, check out her book, The Glitter and the Gold.
Finally, after you get good and educated on all of these women of the Gilded Age, get your hands on Edith Wharton’s The Buccaneers. Wharton died before the book was finished, but 50 years later, a Wharton scholar named Marion Mainwaring finished the tale of three American women who marry British Nobility. ( Or you could watch the 1995 BBC miniseries,which is available on dvd).
The Buccaneers, by Edith Wharton
As always, music for our podcast comes courtesy of Music Alley. Visit them at music.mevio.com.
