Much has been written about this ill-starred match, but there are no kind words in any account for the Duke, who has been described as surly, critical, suspicious and without intellectual qualities.. When Consuelo Vanderbilt did her duty and produced the required "heir and a spare" for the 9th Duke of Marlborough, she rocked her boys in a regal cradle, which is still on view at Blenheim Palace. It was about to get so much worse. How do you think its going to go? The last straw, reportedly, was when Willie struck up an affair with none other than Consuelos namesake, Alvas best friend Consuelo Yznaga. Little did England know, Consuelo had more scandals up her sleeve. As they traveled out for their vacation to Europe, Consuelo watched her new husband preen at all the congratulatory letters he was getting from other members of the nobility, including from Queen Victoria herself. Reginald Fellowes[20] (the liaison did not last, to the relief of Fellowes's parents),[21] while the duke fell under the spell of Gladys Marie Deacon, an eccentric American of little money but, like Consuelo, dazzling to look at and of considerable intellect. But for once, Alva Vanderbilt got far more than she bargained for. Consuelo Vanderbilt March 2, 1877 - December 6, 1964. Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan Vanderbilt and his daughter, Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough, at the races in Paris. When they were married the duke was 23. Her mother leaked the news to the press right away. As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure. Her second husband was the dashing French pilot and man about town Jacques Balsan, who was her lover in the days leading up to her official divorce. Consuelos family was already hiding shadowy secrets. Consuelo Vanderbilt was a willowy beauty of 17 when the 26-year-old Frenchman and future aviation pioneer, Jacques Balsan, first saw her and fell in love. In the interim between proposing and Consuelo visiting, he had apparently gotten a major case of buyers remorse and presented her with one of the worst excuses for not marrying her. As she walked down the aisle with her fatherwho Alva only allowed to come for the sake of appearances before he left immediately afterthe crowd turned to face her. LADY SARAH SPENCER-CHURCHILL, who has died suddenly in Connecticut, aged 78, was a powerful personality, 6 ft tall, rich and well-known in international society for several decades. Living out the next decade in Long Island, New York, she followed her husband and son into the grave on December 6, 1964, passing at the age of 87. Almost as soon as she heard about her daughters broken engagement, Alva miraculously recovered from her deathbed, though not enough to treat Consuelo with any warmth in the coming weeks. The sweet, stunning Consuelo was barely in her teen years when she began getting offers of marriage from almost every man who met her. W.K. During this Rapunzel period, Alva did let Consuelo out to attend the best society balls, naturally. [16] They had two sons, John Albert William Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (who became 10th Duke of Marlborough), and Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill. She Was A Golden Child Advertisement In the end, not even the day of Consuelos engagement to a duke was worthy of a fairy tale. But unlike Consuelo, his second marriage was far from blissful. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. By the time Consuelos honeymoon wrapped up and she arrived at Blenheim Palace, she was a thoroughly broken woman. Consuelo Vanderbilt-Balsan (formerly Consuelo Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough; born Consuelo Vanderbilt; March 2, 1877 - December 6, 1964) was a socialite and a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family.Her first marriage to the 9th Duke of Marlborough has become a well-known example of one of the advantageous, but loveless, marriages common during the Gilded Age; as such . Consuelo Vanderbilt Earl, a great-great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt and an heiress to the family's tremendous railroad fortune who became a notable breeder of Skye and Silky terriers . The eldest child and only daughter of the main Vanderbilt heir William and his wife Alva, Consuelo was all the hopes of the Gilded Age of America rolled into one. Mrs. Earl was a long-time resident of Ridgefield, CT. Commodore Vanderbilt was an American financier who. When the infamous Vanderbilt divorce officially went through, high society couldnt help gossiping about what was going on. Travel is her escape, Paris her favorite destination, and there she is often able to enjoy the company of her exuberant father. Instead, all she got was more hurt and disappointment. Husbands hiding things from wives, mothers from children, and generation from generation. Still, Rutherfurd was no prince and no duke, and Consuelo was terrified of her mother finding out about their love. Consuelo was allowed to consider the proposal of just one of the men, Prince Francis Joseph of Battenberg, but she developed an instant aversion to him. Life at Blenheim also has its consolations. Consuelo was young, but she wasnt dumb: She knew what her mother was up to, and she knew it spelled certain doom. The family lived in an elaborate, castle-like home on . Heartwarmingly enough, Balsam had been in love with Consuelo since her debutante days; hed fallen in love with her when he first saw her just before her 18th birthday. The entire time that they were in Europe, Alva had one man on her mind: Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, the ninth Duke of Marlborough. Were always looking for your input! Perfect for readers of Jennifer Robson and lovers of Downton Abbey. In marrying the Duke, Consuelo became the cousin of Winston Churchill, who would remain a dear friend and confidant to her throughout her life. As for Consuelos feelings on the matter? Her marriage to the ninth Duke of Marlborough was an international emblem for . Vanderbilt was born to Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (1880-1925), a railroad heir, and his second wife, Gloria Laura Mercedes Morgan (1904-1965), who was 19 years old when she gave birth. She quickly swooped in to separate the pair as soon as possible, foiling any plans they might have made. From the beginning, Alva expected her daughter to be nothing short of perfect, and from a young age forced Consuelo to wear a steel rod along the length of her spine to improve her posture. Her youngest son, Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill, developed a brain tumor, and his health quickly went downhill. A quiet and serious man who had suffered an unhappy childhood, the Duke was devoted to the duty that he had inherited. (Socialite) Consuelo Vanderbilt was an American socialite from the Vanderbilt family who became the Duchess of Marlborough following her marriage to Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, the 9th Duke of Marlborough. Well, they werent what you think. In fact, such transactions occur with such frequency in the Gilded Age that the New York Times periodically prints a list of the sums changing hands. Instead of succumbing to her daughters will, Alva exploded with rage, insulting Consuelo and Winthrop alike for their stupidity. In her desperation, Alva tells Consuelo there is madness in the Rutherfud family and that he cant have children. And then one day, they took it as far as they could. Consuelo Vanderbilt-Balsan (formerly Consuelo Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough; born Consuelo Vanderbilt; March 2, 1877 December 6, 1964) was a socialite and a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Family (1) Trivia (6) Great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Inside, the cream of New York society (minus most of the Vanderbilts) watches the weeping bride approach the altar like a lamb to the slaughter. In 1810 he purchased his first . Consuelo was described as having a " piquante oval face perched upon a long slender neckenormous dark eyes fringed with curling lashes". In 1954, they begin summering in Southampton in the shingled cottage on Ox Pasture Road variously known as Gardenside and Cara Mia. Just months before their daughters wedding in 1895, Alva and William are officially divorced and a year later Alva becomes Mrs. O.H.P. The commotion was such that the police were called in, with the strict instructions not to use their nightsticks due to the fact that most of those in attendance were girls from good families. As a well-known journalist and author, Cooper has a net worth of about $50 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com. When Consuelo married into the Spencer-Churchill family, she inadvertently changed the course of history. This was the very definition of a mercenary marriage both Consuelo and the Duke were in love with other people. While Balsan was being lionized as a hero, Consuelo was enduring a loveless marriage and lonely exile as the wife of a foppish English peer of the realm. [30], During World War I, Consuelo Vanderbilt worked as the chair of the Economic Relief Committee for the American Women's War Relief Fund.[31]. It is a busy and happy time, though its carefree nature ends with the advent of the Great War. It was a total nightmare. On July 4, 1921, before the ink on her divorce papers was dry, she married again. It all started, perhaps, with a high society invitation. On November 6, 1895, Consuelo Vanderbilt married Charles Spencer-Churchill, aka the 9th Duke of Marlborough, at St. Thomas's Episcopal Church at 5th Avenue and 53rd Street in Manhattan. The Balsans build a villa on the French Riviera but when the Nazis invade France, they are forced to make a daring escape through Spain to Portugal and eventually to the United States where they live the rest of their lives. In fact, it was in one of those courtrooms that Consuelos mother Alva made a heartbreaking confession. She had transformed into, of all things, a vehement suffragette. Although that . [19] However, given the ill-fitting match between the duke and his wife, it was only a matter of time before their marriage was in name only. The Vanderbilt family fortune was once equal to $185 billion. The Duke, who has set a high price on himself and his title, has arrived late for the ceremony after last-minute negotiations to squeeze more from the Vanderbilt fortune. Yet like so many of Consuelos romances, her dalliance with her old lover was going to go up in flames. Pastel on canvas. After learning of the proposal, Alva watches Consuelo like a hawk, intercepts her mail and refuses to allow Rutherfurd into the house.She sweeps Consuelo off to Europe and when Rutherfurd follows, Consuelo is forbidden to see him. In fact, she continued to feed information to the papers about everything from Consuelos gown to the gold fastenings on her undergarments in order to build public excitement in the lead up to the wedding. Also a textile manufacturing heir, Balsan was a younger brother of tienne Balsan, who was an early lover of Coco Chanel. When Consuelo Vanderbilt's grandfather died, he was the richest man in America. small-scale classes for girls. Morgan Englund . The dream home of 26,000 square feet is called Casa Alva, in honor of her mother. The dream home of 26,000 square feet is called Casa Alva, in honour of her mother. Privacy Policy, The former director of the Fricks personal collection is to be offered as a highlight of the Old Masters sale in New York, The legends of the sky god who lost an eye, the unborn child who was sewn into his fathers thigh, and more, The story of American heiress Consuelo Vanderbilts celebrity wedding in 1895 and a very personal portrait that she kept until her death, Paul Csar Helleu (French, 1859-1927), Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough, circa 1900. But that friendship was about to endure a horrible shock. Consuelo Vanderbilt was considered a great beauty, with a face compelling enough to cause the playwright Sir James Barrie, author of Peter Pan, to write, "I would stand all day in the street to see Consuelo Marlborough get into her carriage. "I forced my daughter to marry the duke", Alva Belmont told an investigator, adding: "I have always had absolute power over my daughter. To the ambitious Alva, only a prince or a duke was good enough to marry her daughter and lift up the Vanderbilt dynastywhether Consuelo liked them or not. Her mother leaked the news to the press right away. She was a woman of rare beauty and elegance, and all of six feet against Sunny's five feet seven inches. A reasonable enough goalexcept Alva was something of a true brute. The crowds outside the church were testament to the success of her strategy, although when Consuelo and her father arrived late for the ceremony, it was obvious that the bride had been crying. Mrs. Balsan, widow of Lieut. Consuelo Vanderbilt Earl, the last surviving child of William K. Vanderbilt II, builder of the Eagle's Nest estate in Centerport where she spent summers growing up, has died. So they carried on a courtship right under Alvas nose, with Rutherfurd even sending Consuelo a single red rose on her 18th birthday. Is Consuelo Vanderbilt still alive? Deportment is emphasized all day long. Consuelo passed away on February 21 2011, at age 107. Perhaps most harsh, Alva orders creation of a steel brace to run from Consuelos forehead to her waist to ensure correct posture, and, indeed, Consuelo is often praised for her regal carriage. As Peter Pan playwright J M Barrie once put it, I would stand all day in the street to see Consueloget into her carriage. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. Consuelo Vanderbilt was a willowy beauty of 17 when the 26-year-old Frenchman and future aviation pioneer, Jacques Balsan, first saw her and fell in love. It is often said that the Dukes nickname, Sunny, was not given because it reflected his personality, but was simply taken from his first courtesy title, the Earl of Sunderland. The argument carried on for hours, and Consuelo left, depleted and exhausted, with no clear path forward. Catching Up With Morgan Englund. He was inoffensively and blandly handsome, and she thought he was somewhat smart and somewhat nice, but not much more. See more ideas about vanderbilt, charles spencer, marlborough. After their agonizing will-they, wont-they back and forth, she eventually did hook up with Winthrop Rutherfurd shortly after her marriage. While Consuelos tycoon father William was no saint in the boardroom or the bedroom, there was a much naughtier secret at play. No clan is left untouched, and even families that seem happy and normal on. Consuelo in course of time, spent many more millions to renovate the 'decrepit heap' that was Blenheim, at the time of her marriage. By the time Consuelo and her second husband Jacques Balsan were happily entering middle age, the duke and Gladys were doing nothing but tormenting each other. William Morris Hunt pulled out all the stops on this extravagant showplace designed to allow Alva to display her wealth and high-end francophilia to the world. Home page of Morgan Englund Music, an indie artist from Los Angeles. Still, when it comes to Consuelos bedroom life, thats just the beginning. CONSUELO VANDERBILT BALSAN (1877-1964) - THE PAWN. He did, however, make sure to show up to the settlement meeting the very next day, where he finalized Consuelos 3-million-dollar dowry. Unfortunately for the poor girl, Consuelo was utterly beautiful as a young woman. Consuelo therefore became the most prominent of the Dollar Princesses heiresses from the United States who married into aristocratic families from Europe; families whose titles and grand homes belied the fact that their fortunes had diminished over generations. Although the teenage Consuelo was opposed to the marriage arranged by her mother, she became a popular and influential Duchess. Consuelo is just one of nine American girls who make such a marriage in 1895. In 1956, Consuelo got devastating news. Not content to limit herself to her daughters looks, Alva also rigorously corrected Consuelos personality and behavior. [7] None of the others, however, was good enough for Alva Vanderbilt, herself the daughter of a cotton broker. Thanks for your time! When Consuelo Vanderbilt's grandfather died, he was the richest man in America. Consuelos rival Gladys Deacon was incredibly captivating, but she was also incredibly narcissistic. And after all that, Alva still had her cruelest card up her sleeveand she was about to play it. The story explored an arranged marriage, Costin said, and looked at the societal pressures and family positioning that had plagued Vanderbilt women of the past, dating back to Consuelo Vanderbilt's marriage to the Duke of Marlborough at the end of the nineteenth century. The wedding, set for November 6, 1895, precipitates weeks of excited anticipation for nearly everyone but the heartbroken bride-to-be. A Confederate loyalist, Alva was infamous in her hometown of Mobile, Alabama for being a spoiled little girl who enjoyed mistreating the slaves she and her family owned. In honour of her mother, she married again hurt and disappointment for hours and... Nose, with a high society couldnt help gossiping about what was going to go up in.! Music, an indie artist from Los Angeles Consuelos bedroom life, thats just beginning! 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