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The Duchess Countess: The Woman Who Scandalized Eighteenth-Century London
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About This Book
Discover the adventurous life of the stylish and scandalous Elizabeth Chudleigh, Duchess of Kingston—a woman whose infamous trial was bigger news in British society than the American War of Independence. " Bridgerton fans take For sheer incident and drama, Chudleigh's story rivals any episode of the popular Regency-era Netflix series. And it's all true" ( The Washington Post ). As maid of honor to the Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Chudleigh enjoyed a luxurious life in the inner circle of the Hanoverian court. With her extraordinary style and engaging wit, she both delighted and scandalized the press and public. She would later even inspire William Thackeray when he was writing his classic Vanity Fair , providing the inspiration for the alluring social climber Becky Sharp. But Elizabeth's real story is more complex and surprising than anything out of fiction. A clandestine, candlelit wedding to the young heir to an earldom, a second marriage to a duke, a lust for diamonds, and an electrifying appearance at a masquerade ball in a gossamer dress—it's no wonder that Elizabeth's eventual trial was a sensation. Charged with bigamy, an accusation she vehemently fought against, Elizabeth refused to submit to public humiliation and retire quietly. "A superb, gripping, decadent, colorful biography that brings an extraordinary woman and a whole world blazingly to life" (Simon Sebag Montefiore, New York Times bestselling author), The Duchess Countess is perfect for fans of Bridgerton , Women of Means , and The Crown .
Reviews
"Well written and researched ..."
"inheritances!) become overwhelming, and occasional psychological musings interrupt the flow ..."
"An indomitable subject finds a biographer worthy of her."
"Ostler includes enlightening discourses on Hanoverian court dramas and the financial and social constraints placed on women of the era, but her suggestion that Elizabeth may have suffered from borderline personality disorder somewhat muddies the picture."
"The last years of Chudleigh's life...are colorful but less interesting than the account of the trial, which Ostler carries off masterfully."
"She has a remarkable ability to demonstrate her deep knowledge of the period without being boring or a show-off."
"The desperate, ordinary people hurt by aristocrats living on credit never get the space they deserve in such biographies, but at least the omission accurately conveys the myopia of those pre-revolutionary elites ..."
"She tells Elizabeth's story with admirable style and gusto, and clearly finds her heroine irresistible."
"She is often indignant on her heroine's behalf and decidedly indulgent when it comes to Elizabeth's greed, duplicity (a member of Parliament said she was guilty of forgery) and delight in her status as a scandalous figure ..."
"And to Ostler's obvious delight, Chudleigh's life is like the longest and most jaw-dropping society story you've ever read ..."
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