Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

If you're a fan of the 18th century and/or British aristocrats, no doubt you've seen this film starting Kiera Knightly as the infamous in her time Georgiana Spencer, who became the Duchess of Devonshire and hosted "must attend" parties, lived with her husband-and his mistress (who was her best friend), and had a secret romance with MP Charles Grey, and ended up having his child...oh yes, she's also the great, great, great aunt of Princess Diana. If not, I highly recommend it, as well as the book it's based off of by Andrea Foreman.

Lady Georgiana Spencer was the great-great-great-great-aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales, and was nearly as famous in her day. In 1774 Georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying William Cavendish, fifth duke of Devonshire, one of England’s richest and most influential aristocrats. She became the queen of fashionable society and founder of the most important political salon of her time. But Georgiana’s public success concealed an unhappy marriage, a gambling addiction, drinking, drug-taking, and rampant love affairs with the leading politicians of the day. With penetrating insight, Amanda Foreman reveals a fascinating woman whose struggle against her own weaknesses, whose great beauty and flamboyance, and whose determination to play a part in the affairs of the world make her a vibrant, astonishingly contemporary figure.

Royal Blood podcast, episode 92

 

Royal Blood podcast, episode 93