But for all her mid-life happiness, the next decades brought final tragedies to Consuelos story. 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. The beautiful heiress to the massive Vanderbilt wealth, her future had shone like a diamond from the moment she was born. [24] Jacques Balsan died in 1956 at the age of 88. All the same, Rutherfurd wouldnt budge, and Consuelo had to go back to Marlborough with her tail between her legs. But before Consuelo could get a word out, disaster struck. In 1902, she is one of four duchesses chosen to bear the canopy of Queen Alexandra at the coronation of Edward the VII. This was the very definition of a mercenary marriage both Consuelo and the Duke were in love with other people. A cartoon in the New York papers satirising the wedding showed Consuelo kneeling next to the Duke in her wedding gown with her hands handcuffed behind her back and attached to a chain being held by her mother. On November 6, 1895, Consuelos nightmare finally became a reality. #Royals Consuelo Vanderbilt contrajo matrimonio con Charles Spencer-Churchill, Duque Marlborough el 6 de noviembre de 1895, su vestido, que era una creacin de la casa Worth es considerado un icono dentro de la historia de la alta costura #consuelovanderbilt #vanderbilts #royalwedding #highsociety #houseofworth # . 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. For Consuelo, one of the worst parts of being a wife was sharing her marriage bed with a man whom she didnt love, and who felt utterly indifferentif not outright scornfultoward her. While Alva planned out her daughters titles and nuptials, Consuelo had a much different idea for a groom. At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. Arthur Halmi\nHungarian, 1866-1939\nPortrait of Consuelo Vanderbilt Earl, 1931\nSigned Halmi and dated NY 1931 (lr)\nPastel on paper laid to canvas\n40 x 30 inches\n\nC Estate of Consuelo Vanderbilt Earl\n\nToned. She was buried alongside her younger son, Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill, in the churchyard at St Martin's Church, Bladon, Oxfordshire, England, near her former home, Blenheim Palace. On March 26, 1883, Alva hosts a masked ball for 1,000 guests to officially open her Fifth Avenue castle and confirm her triumph in entering the highest ranks of New York society. Guilt-stricken, Consuelo made a fateful decision. Is Consuelo Vanderbilt still alive? Without apparent embarrassment she states: I forced my daughter to marry the Duke. Isolated and utterly beaten down, Consuelo couldnt even get in touch with Winthrop to tell him what was going on. 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. Mrs. Earl was a long-time resident of Ridgefie And soon, the power-tripping Alva turned her gaze on her daughter. 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. The marriage of the young, beautiful and fabulously wealthy American heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt to 'Sunny', 9th Duke of Marlborough, in 1895 was a classic of the era. Still, when it comes to Consuelos bedroom life, thats just the beginning. He too married his mistress, Gladys Deacon, just weeks after the divorce. [14] The duke, for his part, gave up the woman he reportedly loved back in England and collected US$2.5million ($81.4million in 2021 dollars) in railroad stock as a marriage settlement. Consuelo's second marriage, on July 4, 1921, was to Lt. Col. Jacques Balsan, a record-breaking pioneer French balloon, aircraft, and hydroplane pilot who once worked with the Wright Brothers. She also cast aspersions on Winthrops intentions, claiming he just wanted Consuelo for her money. In a twist on a historical theme, the duke was fortune-hunting herand her mother Alva couldnt be happier. He has scandalized his family by abandoning his first wife on their honeymoon to travel with a French dancer. Lets just, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Sensational Facts About Louella Parsons, The Queen Of Hollywood Gossip, Swoon-Worthy Facts About Madame Manos, The Unrecognized Royal, Scandalous Facts About Catherine The Great, The Scarlet Empress, Lovestruck Facts About Elisabeth of Romania, The Boy Crazy Princess. Winthrop left town, her friends had long stopped callingand her mother twisted the knife in further. Consuelos love Winthrop Rutherfurd had followed her to Europe, and had even called on where she was staying in Paris. 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. For another, she was one of the wealthiest young women in the United. She was tall elegant with a long . 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. If it sounds like the lovers were in a hurry, its because they were. Picking her own wardrobe was also seen as the height of rebellion; when Consuelo once complained about the clothes her mother had chosen for her, Alva snapped back, Ido the thinking, you do as you are told. If Consuelo said one word out of line, the matriarch was liable to whip the girl with a riding crop. Consuelo fit the bill: her father had come into a $50 million legacy, the equivalent of $1.3 billion today. By this point, Consuelo had given up on ever fully escaping her marriage, so she had to fall back on merely hurting her husband any way she knew how. Eventually, karma came for him. Consuelo spent months soaking up European hospitality, going to tea party after tea party and meeting prince after duke. Her mother, Alva, was ambitious for her daughter's marriage prospects and named her after Consuelo Yznaga, a childhood friend. W.K. Because soon, Alva was using this as another weapon against her. When he wrote frantic letters, she intercepted and destroyed them. See more ideas about vanderbilt, charles spencer, marlborough. Consuelo passed away on February 21 2011, at age 107. 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. As Peter Pan playwright J M Barrie once put it, I would stand all day in the street to see Consueloget into her carriage. "[29], Consuelo Balsan died at Southampton, Long Island, New York, on December 6, 1964. But that friendship was about to endure a horrible shock. Her marriage to the ninth Duke of Marlborough was an international emblem for . Her mother was Suffragette Her mother died at the age of 80 (Consuelo was 55 years old). Once, while Marlborough was away fighting in the Boer War, Consuelo took up with his cousin Freddie Guestwho was, in fact, staying at Blenheim as a guest. Consuelo's mother, the irrepressible Alva Vanderbilt, wasted no time in ordering this cradle from Italy. Thats because before she had an heir with the Duke of Marlborough, none other than his cousin Winston Churchill was next in line to inherit Blenheim. It only took the honeymoon for it all to fall apart. She lived in France before World War II, when she and Balsan returned to live in New York. Located not far from London, Crowhurst becomes the scene of many happy gatherings with friends who arrive from the city for the weekend houseparties. To say that Consuelo does not share her mothers enthusiasm is an understatement. Instead, the exact opposite happened. She Was A Golden Child Advertisement Terrified his American wife was going to come off ignorant and coarse, Consuelos husband had spent most of their honeymoon drilling her on his Spencer-Churchill family tree, as well as on other people of importance and rank in society. "[6], Like her godmother, Consuelo Vanderbilt attracted numerous title-bearing suitors anxious to trade social position for cash. She was 87 years old when she died. Alva invites Marlborough to visit Marble House, expecting him to propose to Consuelo. That was far from all. Were always looking for your input! While Consuelos tycoon father William was no saint in the boardroom or the bedroom, there was a much naughtier secret at play. Consuelo was meek, deferring to her mother on most matters. 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. Consuelo and her friends were the inspiration for Edith Wharton's unfinished novel The Buccaneers. Consuelo is only too happy to move into the charming 15h-century Tudor manor house, Crowhurst. She was previously married to Jacques Balsan and Charles Spencer-Churchill. It is a busy and happy time, though its carefree nature ends with the advent of the Great War. their appropriation quickly dissipated when it turned out that by the time william k. vanderbilt inherited the family fortune (his share enlarged considerably thanks to alva's clever manipulation of her father-in-law), willie ended up with 50 per cent of his father's residuary estate ($65 million) instead of the meagre $10 million earmarked for The influx of Consuelos fortune allowed him to restore Blenheim to the glory that the great house still exhibits today. Blenheimis the one thing the Duke appearsto really care about and he is determined to restore it to its original glory. The argument carried on for hours, and Consuelo left, depleted and exhausted, with no clear path forward. As plans for the massive, extravagant, and expensive wedding coalesced, Consuelo and her mother held a rehearsal to make sure everyone in the wedding party knew exactly what to do on the big day. Her mothers reaction was chilling. Her mother, however, had her sights fixed firmly on the Duke. Mrs. Earl was a long-time resident of Ridgefield, CT. Commodore Vanderbilt was an American financier who. Consuelo V Earl in U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Consuelo V Earl was born on November 23 1903. Its tracks stretched Vanderbilt's empire across the United States and gave him a monopoly for all rail service in and out of New York city. Consuelo's stunning beauty. Within a month, she had received five marriage proposals from various European suitors. 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. His depiction of the 23-year-old Duchess, a ribbon emphasising the long neck for which she was so famous, staring off into the distance with a brightness and intelligence to her eyes, must be as close as we can get to knowing how Consuelo would have wanted to portray herself. Col. Jacques. The year of Consuelos engagement was also the year the Vanderbilt family publicly imploded. . After five months, her fianc Winthrop still hadnt shown up. Consuelo Vanderbilt was young, beautiful, and heir to a vast fortune. The couple: Consuelo Vanderbilt and Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough When: 1895 Where: New Yorkthe ceremony at St. Thomas Church, and the reception at Mrs. Vanderbilt's home . When the duke arrived home from the conflict, she coolly informed him that she had been sleeping with his cousin, and that she never wanted to see him in her bedroom ever again. 161 likes. But the Duke of Marlborough was really a snake in the grass. [3] She was educated entirely at home by governesses and tutors, and learned foreign languages at an early age. Lady Paget, always short of money, soon became a sort of international marital agent, introducing eligible American heiresses to British noblemen.[10]. 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: . Morgan Englund . She had transformed into, of all things, a vehement suffragette. The fallout was unimaginable. The eldest child and only daughter of the main Vanderbilt heir William and his wife Alva, Consuelo was all the hopes of the Gilded Age of America rolled into one. The matchmaker was a minor American heiress turned major English hostess, Lady Paget, the wife of Sir Arthur Paget. As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure. Vanderbilt inherited a boatload of family money and took control of the Vanderbilt railroad empire. Also a textile manufacturing heir, Balsan was a younger brother of tienne Balsan, who was an early lover of Coco Chanel. The only suitor she even allowed Consuelo to consider was Prince Francis Joseph of Battenberg, a man Consuelo deeply disliked. It has remained true to its origins and stayed a private not-for-profit institution that still serves the Paris community. To Consuelo, Marble House seems like a prison, with its high surrounding wall and heavy drapes to keep out the sun and the sound of the surf. Cornelius Vanderbilt, byname Commodore Vanderbilt, (born May 27, 1794, Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York, U.S.died January 4, 1877, New York, New York), American shipping and railroad magnate who acquired a personal fortune of more than $100 million. During the course of her debutante season, shed met and fallen in love with the handsome Winthrop Rutherfurd, a young man of similaror even greaterNew York social standing as the Vanderbilts. Get the best stories from Christies.com in a weekly email, *We will never sell or rent your information. 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. She quickly swooped in to separate the pair as soon as possible, foiling any plans they might have made. Consuelo and the Duke had a second son in 1898 and she is said to have coined the phrase an heir and a spare. Pronunciation of consuelo with 2 audio pronunciations. Her mother leaked the news to the press right away. She died on December 6, 1964 in Southampton, Long Island, New York, USA. With no alternative, Consuelo masters the difficulties of managing a household with scores of servants, dinners for royalty, elaborate hunting parties and balls. Dancy Mason is the Editor-in-Chief at Factinate. [16] They had two sons, John Albert William Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (who became 10th Duke of Marlborough), and Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill. No, it made absolutely no sense. [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]. Almost as soon as she heard about her daughters broken engagement, Alva miraculously recovered from her deathbed, though not enough to treat Consuelo with any warmth in the coming weeks. Consuelo Vanderbilt & the Duke of Marlborough It perhaps all started with Consuelo Vanderbilt, who married the Duke of Marlborough in 1895. Consuelo spent her remaining years living like a ghost of a bygone agewhich, in all honesty, she was. Of the three family mansions, Cosuelos favorite is the one called Idle Hour in Oakdale on Long Island, designed by William Morris Hunt. . She was a woman of rare beauty and elegance, and all of six feet against Sunny's five feet seven inches. Family (1) Trivia (6) Great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt. He reportedly accumulated a $100 million fortune by the. For a brief time, it looked like Consuelo was going to get her happy ever after at last with Rutherfurd; around the time of Ivors conception, Rutherfurd experienced a fit of passion and proposed that they elope together. Still, she was about to find out just how awful things could get. In her newfound freedom, she is also able to take activist stands on issues important to her. When it finally came, it was a high-society tragedy. 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