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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
"inheritances!) become overwhelming, and occasional psychological musings interrupt the flow ..."
"The last years of Chudleigh's life...are colorful but less interesting than the account of the trial, which Ostler carries off masterfully."
"Ostler, a writer with considerable flair, evidently admires Elizabeth's chutzpah, and she portrays the convicted bigamist as perhaps suffering from a borderline personality disorder but always refreshingly surprising and fearless ..."
"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."
"Well written and researched ..."
"Ostler has undertaken impressive international archival research and always follows the money meticulously."
"Many extraordinary and touching details."
"In addition to recounting Chudleigh's many escapades, Ostler attempts to find the origin of the duchess's behavior and motivations; she superficially links them to an unhappy childhood, an ill-defined personality disorder, celebrity, and early feminism in a patriarchal misogynist society."
"Ostler's CV includes stints as editor of both ES magazine and Tatler, so there's not a peerage or princely title for which she is not prepared to go the full Debrett's."
"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 ..."
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