[1] The Duke obtained a large dowry by the marriage, and reportedly told her just after the marriage that he married her in order to "save Blenheim Palace", his ancestral home.[2]. Consuelo Vanderbilt Print Family Tree Born 2 March 1877 - New York, NY Deceased 6 December 1964 - Southampton, Suffolk Co., NY,aged 87 years old Buried - St. Martin's Churchyard, Bladon, Oxfordshire, England 1 file available Parents William Kissam Vanderbilt 1849-1920 Alva Erskine Smith 1853-1933 Spouses, children and grandchildren Consuelo Vanderbilt Height, Weight & Measurements At 87 years old, Consuelo Vanderbilt height not available right now. And after all that, Alva still had her cruelest card up her sleeveand she was about to play it. As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure. Not content to limit herself to her daughters looks, Alva also rigorously corrected Consuelos personality and behavior. American socialite heiress, Duchess of Marlborough. Moving in the same circles as the dashing Jacques Balsan, over the years, Consuelo has often been in the presence of the man who first fell in love with her when she was the unattainable pawn in her mothers marital maneuvers. Consuelo's stunning beauty. No, it made absolutely no sense. While Consuelos tycoon father William was no saint in the boardroom or the bedroom, there was a much naughtier secret at play. We want our readers to trust us. [2] Consuelo in course of time, spent many more millions to renovate the 'decrepit heap' that was Blenheim, at the time of her 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. That was far from all. Blenheimis the one thing the Duke appearsto really care about and he is determined to restore it to its original glory. When Consuelo Vanderbilt's grandfather died, he was the richest man in America. The best revenge might be living well, but that doesn't mean we can always turn the other cheek. Her Spanish name was in honor of her godmother, half-Cuban socialite Maria Consuelo Yznaga del Valle. She went on to marry the wealthy French aviator Jacques Balsan and continued her charitable endeavours. Consuelo and the Duke had a second son in 1898 and she is said to have coined the phrase an heir and a spare. 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. [28], Consuelo Balsan published her insightful but not entirely candid autobiography, The Glitter and the Gold, in 1953. If only this is what happened. First, he outright admitted, with characteristic bloodlessness, that hed only married her to save Blenheim, his ancestral home. Music lessons and an hour of exercise in Central Park fill out the day. . 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. Rate the pronunciation difficulty of consuelo. And the worst was yet to come. She allows Consuelo and her siblings to take over an old bowling alley on the property as a playhouse, but insists the children do all the housework themselves, even the cooking. Soon, Consuelo was going everywhere with the duke, with Alva giving lavish balls to show her daughter off to both him and society. But that friendship was about to endure a horrible shock. Consuelos relationship with the Duke of Marlborough didnt last, but her friendship with his cousin Winston Churchill surprisingly managed to pass the test of time. She was 88 years old. 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. But this American princess and million dollar duchess didnt get a happy endingshe got an utter nightmare. [5] When, as a teenager, Consuelo objected to the clothing her mother had selected for her, Alva told her that "I do the thinking, you do as you are told. On a trip to London in 1894, Alva arranged a meeting for Consuelo, 17, and the duke, 23 . She did, however, get one last tragic chance with him. Consuelo found the Duke cold, snobbish and image-obsessed. It is only a matter of time before Consuelo and the Duke have a marriage in name only. Consuelo Vanderbilt. It was at one of these events that Consuelo happened to run into Winthrop at long last, and they shared a single dance together. Alva Vanderbilt got her wish, and Consuelo and the Duke became engaged in September of 1895. He claimed that not only had he married her for her money, but he was also fully in love with another woman and had no intention of developing any kind of romance between the two of themexcept, that is, to produce an heir. 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. And when the duke finally got home from battle, Consuelo had another nasty surprise in store. When the infamous Vanderbilt divorce officially went through, high society couldnt help gossiping about what was going on. She Was A Golden Child Advertisement 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.. Consuelo spent months soaking up European hospitality, going to tea party after tea party and meeting prince after duke. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. Instead, the exact opposite happened. Unfortunately for the poor girl, Consuelo was utterly beautiful as a young woman. As for Consuelos ex-husband, wellhe wasnt so lucky. Estimate: $300,000-500,000. 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 . But it wasnt all good news. This leads to the uncomfortable truth: The true urgency for the divorce was a betrayal of the first order. It had been a decade of utter misery for them both, but it still wasnt the done thing in the aristocracy. But, her parents had divorced in 1895 when Consuelo was only 18 and this drastically changed her fate. W.K. Just after her birthday, Consuelo committed her biggest act of rebellion yet. And as Consuelo grew up, an enormous problem began developing. C.Z. Portrait of Consuelo Vanderbilt Earl, 1931. Pronunciation of consuelo with 2 audio pronunciations. 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. As Peter Pan playwright J M Barrie once put it, I would stand all day in the street to see Consueloget into her carriage. Not only did her son pass that fall, but in November of that year, her beloved husband Jacques Balsannow frail and 88 years oldalso passed. This work is offered in the 19th-Century European Art sale on 26 October at Christie's in New York Alva Vanderbilt got her wish, and Consuelo and the Duke became engaged in September of 1895. Consuelos course of instruction, supervised by her mother, has always bordered on cruelty. And really, this was just a tiny sign of the deranged acts to come. As such, the little heiress heralded a generation of beautiful creatures with pearls on their necks and gold in their veins; she was even named after her mothers childhood best friend, the famous socialite Consuelo Yznaga. As it turned out, Consuelo nailed it: She arrived in England as the toast of the town, and commoners and aristocrats alike fell in love with her. When I issued an order nobody discussed it. But for once, Alva Vanderbilt got far more than she bargained for. At first, Consuelos announcement to Marlborough seemed to be successful, and the dukeindifferent to the bitter endeven allowed her to visit Rutherfurd again to decide what she really wanted to do. A decade older than Consuelo, Balsam had been nearing his 30s at the time he first ogled the teenager. Daughter of Alva Vanderbilt. Consuelo Vanderbilt March 2, 1877 - December 6, 1964. 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. [15] Consuelo's father built a mansion for her in London, Sunderland House in Curzon Street. In her desperation, Alva tells Consuelo there is madness in the Rutherfud family and that he cant have children. [3] She was educated entirely at home by governesses and tutors, and learned foreign languages at an early age. 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. While Consuelo had been no saint throughout the course of her marriage, the Duke of Marlborough certainly hadnt treated her properly, either. 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: . Scattered foxing. Consuelos marriage to the Duke had been arranged through the machinations of her socially striving mother, Alva, who had long hoped to secure an aristocratic match for her daughter. Just months before the duke proposed, Consuelos mother Alva had filed for divorce from her father William Vanderbiltand the reasons were utterly scandalous. Her duty done, Consuelo might have settled into a quiet, unassuming life. But if she thought that was the worst thing shed find out on her honeymoon, she was very, very wrong. Although the teenage Consuelo was opposed to the marriage arranged by her mother, she became a popular and influential Duchess. His lyrics speak to the heart through That year, she and her husband could finally take no more and publicly separatedand if her mothers American divorce set society atwitter, Consuelos split from a British peer caused even more of a scandal. He has scandalized his family by abandoning his first wife on their honeymoon to travel with a French dancer. As it happened, Consuelo wasnt exactly bothered by her husband taking up with another woman, even if that woman was her friend. 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 fallout was unimaginable. When Consuelo married into the Spencer-Churchill family, she inadvertently changed the course of history. Get the best stories from Christies.com in a weekly email, *We will never sell or rent your information. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. Consuelo Vanderbilt was largely dominated by her mother, who was determined that her daughter would make a great marriage like that of her famous namesake. Soon enough, she gave birth to a son, John Spencer-Churchill. Later in her life, Consuelo wrote (with the help of a ghostwriter) her autobiography The Glitter and the Gold, where her life with the Duke of Marlborough was the glitter, with all its hollow opulence, and her time with Balsan was the true gold. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? She had not settled on a particular aristocrat until the Vanderbilts visited Lord and Lady Lansdowne, who was the Duke of Marlboroughs aunt, in Calcutta in late 1893. She is a member of famous Actor with the age 87 years old group. July 27, 2021. 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. The influx of Consuelos fortune allowed him to restore Blenheim to the glory that the great house still exhibits today. Churchill frequently visited Consuelo in her chateau near Paris into the 1930s. They simply didnt believe Alva would have given up her hard-won position for Oliver Belmont or anyone else. Instead, all she got was more hurt and disappointment. Undeterred, Winthrop promised to trail her to Europe and elope with her once they got back stateside. Still, when it comes to Consuelos bedroom life, thats just the beginning. Consuelo Vanderbilt was one of the most famous heiresses in U.S. history. But the Duke of Marlborough was really a snake in the grass. Her defiance of her mother had caused Alva to have a heart attack, and the matriarch was currently clinging to life in her bedroom. And that was just what was going on in public. It wasnt that Consuelo disliked Marlborough; its that she had almost no opinion of him at all. [9], Determined to secure the highest-ranking mate possible for her only daughter, a union that would emphasize the preeminence of the Vanderbilt family in New York society, Alva Vanderbilt engineered a meeting between Consuelo and the indebted, titled Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, chatelain of Blenheim Palace. Old film of Consuelo Vanderbilt visiting a working class housing area in Southwark, London, England in 1917. Still, Rutherfurd was no prince and no duke, and Consuelo was terrified of her mother finding out about their love. [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]. The duke decided he didnt need to attend the rehearsal, especially since he thought the American custom was vulgar. [16] They had two sons, John Albert William Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (who became 10th Duke of Marlborough), and Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill. Consuelo found him to be cold, snobbish, and image-obsessed. May 8, 2019 - Explore Marie's board "Consuelo Vanderbilt", followed by 236 people on Pinterest. She lived in France before World War II, when she and Balsan returned to live in New York. At the time of his death in 1877, his fortune was valued at $100 million (equal to nearly $2.5 billion today, via the Official Data Foundation ), which was more money than was held in the U.S. Treasury at the time, according to Forbes. 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. "[23] In later years, Consuelo and her mother enjoyed a closer, easier relationship. Consuelo is just one of nine American girls who make such a marriage in 1895. Now she went in for the kill. This work is offered in the 19th-Century European Art sale on 26 October at Christies in New York. Soap Opera Digest: After you left GL in 1995, aside from Dylan's occasional visits, you kind of dropped off the acting map. Isolated and utterly beaten down, Consuelo couldnt even get in touch with Winthrop to tell him what was going on. Perfect for readers of Jennifer Robson and lovers of Downton Abbey. It was only when Alva Vanderbilt claimed that her health was being seriously and irretrievably undermined by Consuelo's stubbornness and appeared to be at death's door that the malleable girl acquiesced. Mrs. Earl was a long-time resident of Ridgefield, CT. Commodore Vanderbilt was an American financier who. [11] Her mother cajoled, wheedled, begged, and then, ultimately, ordered her daughter to marry Marlborough. [18] She was also a social success with royalty and the aristocracy of Britain. At the time Consuelo Vanderbilt married the 9th Duke of Marlborough in 1895, she was worth an estimated $4 billion in today's money. After their agonizing will-they, wont-they back and forth, she eventually did hook up with Winthrop Rutherfurd shortly after her marriage. His portrait is particularly important among the many that exist of Consuelo, because it is the most personal of them all. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. 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. After Jacques Balsans death two years later, Consuelo continues to divide her time between New York and Southampton, becoming a familiar figure around town. [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. She was a woman of rare beauty and elegance, and all of six feet against Sunny's five feet seven inches. Pastel on canvas. On the stand, Alva confessed that I have always had absolute power over my daughter and she admitted she forced Consuelo into the union, begging the judge to grant the divorce for a marriage that had so obviously happened under duress. While this was more than a little ironic given her childhood owning slaves and her motherhood controlling her daughter, it did seem to provoke twinges of feminist guilt in the matriarch, and she showed it by testifying in Consuelos divorce. Although Balsan sold her home in 1957, it still exists. He too married his mistress, Gladys Deacon, just weeks after the divorce. [7] None of the others, however, was good enough for Alva Vanderbilt, herself the daughter of a cotton broker. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. 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. Because soon, Alva was using this as another weapon against her. 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. Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, Extravagant Facts About Barbara Hutton, The Poor Little Rich Girl, These Stories Of Unforgettable Close Calls Made Our Jaws Drop, Grandiose Facts About Marie Antoinette, The Doomed Queen, Bloody Facts About Ivan the Terrible, The Mad Tsar Of Russia, These Eerie Supernatural Experiences Sent A Chill Down Our Spines, Catherine The Great Was a Mighty EmpressUntil Her Brutal Downfall. Although that . In truth, Alva had known about his mistress Nellie Neustretter for years. The Duke needs all the money he can get. The hospital also includes a school of nursing and is one of the top ranked hospitals in France, especially for renal transplants. Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan, the former Duchess of Marlborough, died today at her estate here. She stopped at nothing to keep pushing them together. There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. On the glittering surface, Consuelo Vanderbilt looked like she had it all. 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). 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. Consuelos family was already hiding shadowy secrets. The party is said to have cost her indulgent husband $3 million. November 28, 2009 at 2:48 AM . Churchill commiserates with Consuelos marital unhappiness and as Consuelo and the Duke grow further and further apart, Churchill is her ally in negotiating an official separation in 1906. 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. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? When Consuelo reported her engagement to her younger brothers, she couldnt keep anguished tears out of her eyes. Easy. The days of her notoriety are behind her but she has apparently not lost her aristocratic tastes. The family lived in an elaborate, castle-like home on . Just months before their daughters wedding in 1895, Alva and William are officially divorced and a year later Alva becomes Mrs. O.H.P. 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. Little Gloria lived in Europe until she was 9 years old. In fact, Churchill had been heir to the Duke of Marlborough until Consuelo and the Duke had their first son in 1897, and freed him to pursue a career in politics. My mom never told me how her best friend died. And Winthrop Rutherfurd, a young man with an impeccable pedigree and considered the handsomest bachelor in New York society, is in love with her. Apparently, he felt too attached to her to elope. It would be nearly another 26 years before the two would finally marry in 1921 and Consuelo would find happiness with Jacques in France, and later in Southampton. It must have been heartbreaking. 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. Consuelo Vanderbilt & the Duke of Marlborough It perhaps all started with Consuelo Vanderbilt, who married the Duke of Marlborough in 1895. says: Hugo Vickers. It was designed as a love nest by Maurice Fatio. While Consuelo danced with Winthrop, her eagle-eyed mother watched from the sidelines. During this Rapunzel period, Alva did let Consuelo out to attend the best society balls, naturally. Guilt-stricken, Consuelo made a fateful decision. For her part, Consuelo was given little opportunity to express her own opinion on the matter. Consuelo lived in Greenwich, Connecticut 06836, USA. High Style in the Gilded Age: Consuelo Vanderbilt, Consuelo, her brother Harold and Alva in Paris, c. 1895. She actually locked her up in her room, like a princess in a tower, and told any friends who visited that Consuelo wasnt at home. . 33 Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 33 Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan Premium High Res Photos Browse 33 consuelo vanderbilt balsan stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. First, let's get Consuelo's mama out of the way: Alva Vanderbilt was . Laced into a wedding gown her mother had chosen before her engagement and walking beside bridesmaids her mother had hand-picked, Consuelo entered the church to marry the man her mother had insisted on. She met Winthrop Rutherfurd for a bicycle ride along with her mother and some other friends in Riverside Park in Manhattan, but when they drew back from the rest of the crowd, Winthrop quickly and clandestinely proposed to Consueloand she accepted. She married Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough (1871-1934) 6 November 1896 in St . It was ghostwritten by Stuart Preston, an American writer who was an art critic for The New York Times. In certain echelons of New York societythe upper onesthe birth of Consuelo Vanderbilt in 1877 was akin to the coming of a messiah. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. It only took the honeymoon for it all to fall apart. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. SOUTHAMPTON, L. I., Dec, 6Mrs. Her mother was Suffragette Her mother died at the age of 80 (Consuelo was 55 years old). The original 100-room Queen Anne-style wooden structure, completed in 1882, will burn to the ground in 1899 to be replaced by a more formal brick mansion. It has remained true to its origins and stayed a private not-for-profit institution that still serves the Paris community. "[6], Like her godmother, Consuelo Vanderbilt attracted numerous title-bearing suitors anxious to trade social position for cash. Even worse, she had to stifle mournful sobs throughout the ceremony. Born as Mary "Minnie" Stevens, Lady Paget was the daughter of Paran Stevens, the socially ambitious widow of an American hotel entrepreneur who had successfully obtained admittance to the exclusive New York society of the fabled "Four Hundred". Consuelo spent her remaining years living like a ghost of a bygone agewhich, in all honesty, she was. 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. The separation is made easier, no doubt, thanks to the Dukes romance with Gladys Deacon, a celebrated beauty with a sordid background: her father murdered her mother. Opposed to the marriage arranged by her husband taking up with another,. 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