Family Her mother is Alva Belmont and her father is William Kissam Vanderbilt I . Easy. One publication even printed a cartoon with the heading The Dukes Return from the Land of Dollars, with Marlborough sailing Consuelo back to Britain atop a heap of money. That is their last meeting. He was inoffensively and blandly handsome, and she thought he was somewhat smart and somewhat nice, but not much more. The son of an impoverished farmer and boatman, Vanderbilt quit school at age 11 to work on the waterfront. Little Gloria lived in Europe until she was 9 years old. She stopped at nothing to keep pushing them together. The Duke of Marlborough hadnt been kidding when he said Blenheim needed saving. The Glitter and the Gold serves as a compelling and fascinating account of turn-of-the-century aristocratic life from the intimate and candid memoirs of one of America's most famous heiresses, Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan, the former Duchess of Marlborough and wealthy daughter of the American Vanderbilt legacy.I decided to read this book after the enthusiastic advise of one of those English blue . The only suitor she even allowed Consuelo to consider was Prince Francis Joseph of Battenberg, a man Consuelo deeply disliked. Aliases: Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough; Winston Churchill's BFF. But Consuelo hadnt managed to fool her mother Alva, who cottoned on to what was going on and refused to admit Winthrop that day or any other. Before there was Meghan Markle, there was Consuelo Vanderbilt, the original American Duchess. Later, Consuelos summers are spent at Newport in the colossal Marble House, a grandiose mansion, also designed by William Morris Hunt, and completed in 1892. Nonetheless, she was the Duchess of Marlborough now, and she laid back and thought of America. The party is said to have cost her indulgent husband $3 million. Col. Jacques. American socialite heiress, Duchess of Marlborough. [12] Still she refused. Helleu was cultured, sophisticated and witty, and was a friend to Consuelo during a lonely time in her life. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. The hospital also includes a school of nursing and is one of the top ranked hospitals in France, especially for renal transplants. The influx of Consuelos fortune allowed him to restore Blenheim to the glory that the great house still exhibits today. She later became involved with other philanthropic projects and was particularly interested in those that affected mothers and children. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. Blenheim Palace, his monumental 300-year-old residence in Oxfordshire, is in terrible shape, ready to devour Consuelos dowry in restoration expenses. Consuelo Vanderbilt was one of the most famous heiresses in U.S. history. As a well-known journalist and author, Cooper has a net worth of about $50 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com. When Consuelo Vanderbilt's grandfather died, he was the richest man in America. But she soon realized something had gone terribly wrong. While Consuelos tycoon father William was no saint in the boardroom or the bedroom, there was a much naughtier secret at play. Consuelo was young, but she wasnt dumb: She knew what her mother was up to, and she knew it spelled certain doom. Well, they werent what you think. When Consuelo Vanderbilt's grandfather died, he was the richest man in America. 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. Starting in late August of 1895, Alva Vanderbilt accepted the Duke of Marlborough as her guest as she had always planned and began drumming up publicity for the marriage between her daughter and a British peer. Consuelo and the Duke had a second son in 1898 and she is said to have coined the phrase an heir and a spare. In fact, it was in one of those courtrooms that Consuelos mother Alva made a heartbreaking confession. 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. So they carried on a courtship right under Alvas nose, with Rutherfurd even sending Consuelo a single red rose on her 18th birthday. But that friendship was about to endure a horrible shock. And as Consuelo grew up, an enormous problem began developing. Perfect for readers of Jennifer Robson and lovers of Downton Abbey. It only took the honeymoon for it all to fall apart. But, her parents had divorced in 1895 when Consuelo was only 18 and this drastically changed her fate. Browse 868 consuelo vanderbilt stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. In 1894, Alva and William Vanderbilt separate, with unpleasant consequences for Consuelo. And when the duke finally got home from battle, Consuelo had another nasty surprise in store. Home page of Morgan Englund Music, an indie artist from Los Angeles. Just months before the duke proposed, Consuelos mother Alva had filed for divorce from her father William Vanderbiltand the reasons were utterly scandalous. Undeterred, Winthrop promised to trail her to Europe and elope with her once they got back stateside. Something terrifying was looming. The argument carried on for hours, and Consuelo left, depleted and exhausted, with no clear path forward. Consuelo Vanderbilt (1877-1964) was married to one of the Dukes of Marlborough (that made her the Duchess of Marlborough) and was Winston Churchill's cousin by marriage. [13] Alva made an astonishing recovery from her entirely phantom illness, and when the wedding took place, Consuelo stood at the altar reportedly weeping behind her veil. Thanks for your time! Discover (and save!) consuelo vanderbilt and winston churchill. In 1902, she is one of four duchesses chosen to bear the canopy of Queen Alexandra at the coronation of Edward the VII. My mom never told me how her best friend died. It is a scandal but the indomitable Alva survives socially while Consuelo makes the difficult adjustment to life at Blenheim, far from home in a house full of haughtyservants with a husband she does not love and who does not love her. Doctors werent able to operate on it, so Consuelo had to watch as her baby deteriorated and then passed that September at just 57 years old. Consuelo V Earl in U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Consuelo V Earl was born on November 23 1903. Karen Harper tells the tale of Consuelo Vanderbilt, her "The Wedding of the Century" to the Duke of Marlborough, and her quest to find meaning behind "the glitter and the gold." Paid Notice: Deaths EARL, CONSUELO VANDERBILT Published: February 27, 2011 EARL--Consuelo Vanderbilt, a great-great-granddaughter of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, died on February 21, 2011, at the age of 107. She had transformed into, of all things, a vehement suffragette. When Consuelo married into the Spencer-Churchill family, she inadvertently changed the course of history. Just after her birthday, Consuelo committed her biggest act of rebellion yet. Instead, some said that the real problem was Alvas own infidelity; she had started up an affair with her husbands best friend, Oliver Belmont, and was now openly courting him. 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. [26], Records in Florida show that in 1932 Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan built a home in Manalapan, Florida, just south of Palm Beach. At the time, Winston, as she later described him, was the life and soul of the young and brilliant circle that gathered round him at BlenheimWhether it was his American blood or his boyish enthusiasm and spontaneity, qualities sadly lacking in my husband, I delighted in his companionship.. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. Consuelo and the Duke separated in 1906. According to canon law, being married against ones will is the only valid claim for annulment and it falls on Alva to offer testimony in her daughters support. [16] They had two sons, John Albert William Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (who became 10th Duke of Marlborough), and Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill. Now she went in for the kill. I have always had absolute power over my daughter. When he wrote frantic letters, she intercepted and destroyed them. In 1810 he purchased his first . As for Consuelos feelings on the matter? But this American princess and million dollar duchess didnt get a happy endingshe got an utter nightmare. [3] She was educated entirely at home by governesses and tutors, and learned foreign languages at an early age. It wasnt long before Gladys had completely supplanted Consuelo at Blenheim, and she and the duke struck up a torrid affair that lasted over a decade. Alva, having satisfied her own social ambitions as a Vanderbilt, is able now to turn her laser focus on marrying Consuelo into the highest European society. The Vanderbilt family fortune was once equal to $185 billion. 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. They were blissfully happy together, with Balsan doting on his wife. In marrying the Duke, Consuelo became the cousin of Winston Churchill, who would remain a dear friend and confidant to her throughout her life. 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. The duke decided he didnt need to attend the rehearsal, especially since he thought the American custom was vulgar. Consuelo Vanderbilt was young, beautiful, and heir to a vast fortune. . Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. The Glitter and the Gold by Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt: The Story of a Daughter and a Mother in the Gilded Age by Amanda Mackenzie Stuart The face on the sphinx: . [11] Her mother cajoled, wheedled, begged, and then, ultimately, ordered her daughter to marry Marlborough. But it wasnt all good news. Consuelo Vanderbilt, Mar 1877 - 6 Dec 1964 Credit Line National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; partial gift of Kathryn S. and John J.A. Many believe[27] that Churchill polished his famous Iron Curtain Speech in that house as he visited his cousin's former wife on his way to Fulton, Missouri, to deliver an address at Westminster College. Consuelo Vanderbilt was a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family, a family of Dutch origin who gained prominence during the Gilded Age because of her great grandfather Cornelius Vanderbilt, who had great success with shipping and railroads and built an empire. At the time Consuelo Vanderbilt married the 9th Duke of Marlborough in 1895, she was worth an estimated $4 billion in today's money. The church was covered with flowers, and the bride wore a magical gown of cream satin with a five-foot-long train. (9 votes) Very easy. 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. Consuelo was described as having a " piquante oval face perched upon a long slender neckenormous dark eyes fringed with curling lashes". Get the best stories from Christies.com in a weekly email, *We will never sell or rent your information. Her mother, however, had her sights fixed firmly on the Duke. Gladys Deacon, the newest young American heiress on the market, secured herself an invite to Blenheim one day and became fast friends with both the Duke of Marlborough and Consuelo. Gladys not only bred Blenheim Spanielsa hobby her husband detestedjust to spite the duke, she also reportedly kept a gun in her bedroom to prevent him from ever entering (this kind of thing seemed to happen to Marlborough a lot). In truth, Alva had known about his mistress Nellie Neustretter for years. In April 2015, she filmed a music video at the Vanderbilt Mansion. The less heartwarming part? In the end, not even the day of Consuelos engagement to a duke was worthy of a fairy tale. Lady Paget, always short of money, soon became a sort of international marital agent, introducing eligible American heiresses to British noblemen.[10]. It is a busy and happy time, though its carefree nature ends with the advent of the Great War. 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