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Movie Review from Radio Free Talking Rock, Jawja - we WROK your world! We are always fascinated by tidbits of history that you never read about in the history books! The Truth is often stranger than fiction.
A fascinating movie is out on DVD now. It is THE DUCHESS, starring the beautiful Kiera Knightly as Georgiana and Ralph Fiennes as the William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire. The acting, costumes and cinematography are magnificent. It is a typical British "thinking" movie and therefore would not appeal to those viewers, who like violent action and thrills. I lusted in my heart after Kiera throughout the movie. That's appropriate, because most of the men of the UK lusted after Georgiana during the late 1700s!
Georgiana was born into a famous noble family. The day before her 17th birthday, she entered into an arranged cold marriage with the older, Duke of Devonshire, one of the richest men in England. He was primarily interested in having a "looker" for his companion at royal events, and the production of a male heir. However, he was a clutz with her in the bedroom. and seemed to be turned only mainly by sacking servants and maids. They were a bad match from the start, because she was beautiful, intelligent, interested in politics, set the fashion trends of the UK, and adored by the commoners. She ran in the same circles as the Radical Whigs led by Charles Fox and later, Charles Grey. She was the first English woman of noble birth to openly campaign for commoner politicians.
The tabloids of her day were constantly filled with gossip about Georgiana. In response to the insecurities of a loveless marriage, she became a habitual gambler, but also an ardent spokeswoman for social causes. After the birth of two daughters, her best friend, Lady Bess Fostor (married at the time) moved in with Georgiana and her husband, and quickly became the Duke's primary mistress. Their menage a trois continued until Georgiana's death, whereupon the Duke married Bess. The Duke sired more children with both women while in this three way relationship. Georgiana subsequently had a scandelous affair with a 23 year old Whig policitian, Charles Grey, for whom she had campaigned. She had a child by him also. I won't tell you any more details so you will enjoy the surprises of the movie.
Now here when the irony of history gets really, really interesting!
Did you know that the Radical Whig faction in England openly supported the American Revolutionaries? Georgiana and her friends wore blue and buff clothes throughout the Revolution that mimicked the officers' uniforms of the Continental Army. They held parties to celebrate American victories. That's right . . . she was the Jane Fonda of her day. Not only that . . . the Prince of Wales was one of their strongest supporters. The Prince openly accused his father, King Georgia III, of causing the war and wanting to become a tyrant.
Their views were generally mirrored among the common folk of England. The Whigs openly celebrated each American victory in a war that lasted the same length as the Viet Nam War. Fox and Grey communicated directly with Jefferson and Franklin during the war. One suspects that military information was also passed along. After the American victory, the Whigs hoped that the Revolution would spread to England. To avoid this happening, Fox was elected Prime Minister.
How did the Cavendish family become so incredibly wealthy? Captain William Cavendish was on the Grenville Rescue Mission that was sent to the Roanoke Colony in 1585. He returned home with a barrel of harsh Indian tobacco. It was he who invented the process of flue curing tobacco and sweetening it with sugar. He was made an earl for his services to Queen Elizabeth in the war with Spain, colonization of Virginia, and also for introducing tobacco, a profitable trade item for England. The Cavendish family subsequently became the equivalent of modern day billionaires off the Virginia tobacco trade.
Georgiana's lover, Charles, Earl of Grey, came from a long line of revolutionairies. He was a later generation relative of the famous (and beheaded) Lady Jane Grey. He became a close friend of Charles Dickens and eventually, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It was he, who pushed through many reforms - the most famous was when the UK abolished slavery in the British Empire. Grey was a prominent character in the movie, "Amazing Grace."
Earl Grey is best known by Americans today by the formula of tea he invented!
Oh . . . and what about some of the famous personalities of today, who are descended from Georgiana Cavendish? Would you believe that both Princess Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York were descendants of Georgiana? In fact, Princess Diana's life was in many ways similar to that of Georgiana. They had many, many similar personality traits and life experiences. Both were married as teenagers, primarily to produce a male heir. Both endured cold marriages. Both became immersed into social causes and craved the public's adoration as a substitute for a loveless marriage. Both endured long term affairs by their husbands. Both had affairs with young men while married, and both died relatively young. Georgiana died at age 46 from a chronic and excrutiatingly painful sinus infection. It is a very interesting story.
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| Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire ~ A Modern Day Woman in the Late 1700s |
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