1757 1806

Georgiana, Duchess of
Devonshire
The Duchess of Devonshire was a
celebrated beauty andsocialitewho
gathered around her a largesalonof
literary and political figures. She was
also an active political campaigner in
an age when women'ssuffragewas still
Georgiana's portrait was stolen from the London gallery
over a century
of Thomas away.
Agnew & Sons. However, not until 25 years later it
became known that the thief had been the notorious
"Napoleon of Crime", Adam Worth. He had intended to sell it
to come up with the bail to release his brother from prison,
but when his brother was freed without bail, he decided to
Georgiana's elaborate fashion sense is
keep it for himself, for "a rainy day
captured in this Thomas Gainsborough
portrait, the famous stolen painting.
 TheDuchessof
Interesting facts
Devonshireisfamousnot
onlyforhermarital
arrangements,her
catastrophicaffairs,her
beautyandsenseofstyle
andbestclothes,andher
politicalcampaigning,
butalsoforherloveof
gambling.Shewas
reportedtohavedied
deeplyindebtbecause
herfamilydidnotgive
heranymoney.
Famously,whenshewas
steppingoutofher Duringthe1784generalelection,theDuchesswasrumoredtohave
carriageoneday, tradedkissesforvotesinfavorofFox,andwassatirizedbyThomas
anIrishdustmanexclaim Rowlandsoninhisprint"THEDEVONSHIRE,orMostApproved
ed:"Loveandblessyou, MethodofSecuringVotes".
mylady,letmelightmy
pipeinyoureyes!",a GeorgianaislinkedtotheTudorsby
complimentwhichshe beingadescendantofMaryBoleyn.Sheisalsorelated
oftenrecalledwhenever toMaryTudor(KingHenryVIII'syoungestsister)throughher
otherscomplimentedher marriagetoherhusbandWilliamCavendishwhichalso
byretorting,"Afterthe followsthroughtoCharlesBrandon,1stdukeofSuffolk(as
dustman'scompliment, hewasmarriedtoMaryTudor),makingtheirdaughter
allothersareinsipid." FrancesBrandonandherdaughterLadyJaneGreyherancestors.
 Husband and children

Lady Georgiana Spencer married the Duke of

Devonshire on her seventeenth birthday: 7 June
1774. She had a number of miscarriages before
giving birth to four children: three with her husband,
and an illegitimate daughter fathered byCharles
Grey
 Political influence

Lady Georgiana Spencer is an important figure in

political history. She had an influential role in many
key, political events, and in the shaping of the early
Whig Party. The Whig Party which Georgiana nurtured
was conservative by todays standards, but did include
concepts of freedom such as opposition to absolute
rule
For by
thethe monarch.
most part she firmly supported the leader
of the party Charles Fox in most all things, though as
she gained her independence and after her brother
took an office for the Torys, she was offering him
advice on how to run things, and was often considered
the most knowing person in the country. She even
knew of the reports on Napoleon's wars before even
the King
She wasbecause thepolitics,
clever at Frenchan ambassador who had
adoring mother, and a
befriended
woman who her knewfamous
became of her and
interest and would
influential, tell her
despite
first.
personal struggles.
 Marie Antoinette
Georgiana saw the French Revolution through the
eyes of an English aristocrat, and as a friend of Marie
Antoinette. They had a very natural relationship and
often wrote to each other often and discussed about
fashion and what was going on in their countries. They
often exchanged gifts and portraits.
 Lady Elizabeth Foster

Possibly the most infamous of her friends, her

nickname was Bess. Bess saw that both Cavendishs
wished to be loved and approved and sought to fill that
role in both of their lives.She acted towards G with
sensitivity and flirted with the Duke.
Bess played on the two
Cavendishs emotions for support
and money and wanted to take
some of G's fame. After G's
death to much of every one's
shock she married the Duke of
Devonshire.
 Charles Grey

G loved Charles Grey and they carried on their

affair rather recklessly, when it was found out by
the Cavendishs and the Spencer most called for the
Duke to divorce G finally. The Duke forced G to
make her choice, to give up Grey or to never see
her children again.
G went into exile for 2 years during which
she gave birth to her daughter Eliza who was
immediately taken away from her and given to
Grey's family in England. The Duke finally
forgave her and asked for her home. Years later
Charles Grey married and G befriended her and her
friendship with Grey continued though nothing
romantic happened regardless of what Grey
wished. It appears that Grey betrayed G and told
people about their child Eliza. After her death he
went to seek forgiveness and was very violent,
Charles Grey and
Georgiana
 Poem's by
Quotes about
fix
Georgiana
My mind can no comfort or happiness

On seventeen hundred and eighty six

Georgiana
For Sorry and Folly delighted to mix
With seventeen hundred and eighty six
Abounding alone in unpromising tricks
Was seventeen hundred and eighty six
And none was ever worse I can swear
by the Styx
Than seventeen hundred and eighty
six."
-Georgiana summing up her life during
1786
"I regret not the freedom of will,
Or sigh, as uncertain I tread;
I am freer and happier still,
When by thee I am carefully led.
Ere my Sight was doomed to resign,
My heart I surrendered to thee;
Not a thought or an Action was mine, "When she appeared, every eye turned towards her; when
But I saw as thou best to see.
absent, she was the subject of universal conversation."
They watchful affection I wait,
And hang with Delight on Thy voice; -French diplomat Louis Dutens.
And Dependence is softened by fate, "Oh my beloved, my adored departed mother, are you
Since Dependence on Thee is my indeed forever parted from me- Shall I see no more that angelic
choice. countenance or that bless voice- You whom I loved with such
-Georgiana following her eye infection tenderness, you who were the...best of mothers, Adieu - I
in a letter to Bess urging her to stay.
wanted to strew violets over her dying bed as she strewed
sweets over my life but they would not let me."
-Little G about her mother's death
 Titles and styles
Miss Georgiana Spencer (7 June 1757
3 April 1761)
The Hon. Georgiana Spencer (3 April
1761 - 1 November 1765)
Lady Georgiana Spencer (1 November
1765 - 7 June 1774)
Her Grace The Duchess of Devonshire
She(7died
June on
1774
30- March
30 March 1806)
1806, aged 48,
from what was thought to be anabscess of
the liver; she was buried at All Saints Parish
Church (which is nowDerby Cathedral)
 The book and the movie

Amanda Foreman wrote Georgiana the Duchess of

Devonshire, Modern Library Press, 2001. And, in 2008,
a movie was made based closely on that book, though,
with the movie focusing on one aspect and time period
from the full biography. Amanda Foreman was a
consultant on the movie. Though the movie was critiqued
for saying so in some advertising, Georgiana is, in fact,
the great-great-great-great aunt of Diana, Princess of
Wales. And, the lives and work of these two women have
eerie similarities.
The Duchess (2008)

Charles
Grey(played by
Dominic
Cooper)
Georgiana
(played by Keira
Knightley)
The Duchess (2008)

Lady Elizabeth
Foster(played by
Hayley Atwell)
The Duke(Played by
Ralph Fiennes)
The end

Project by Preda
Ioana Alexandra
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