Page 54 - All About History 48 - 2017 UK

14 Notorious Royal Mistresses

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Diane de Poitiers

Royal lover: Henry II of France Years as mistress: 1534-59

enri and Diane’s relationship began personal terms, it did produce ten children. Diane
in Henri’s youth. As he grew, so too wielded great influence over her royal lover, and
H did his devotion to the enchantingly enjoyed the privileges that came with the role of
beautiful and intelligent Diane, and it was a love mistress. She was created Duchess d’Etampes and Diane was surprisingly fair
that would endure until the end of his life. In given several important royal manors, but earned She saw Henri needed an heir
1533, Henri was married to Catherine de Medici, the enmity of Queen Catherine. When Henri died
a match for which he had little taste. It was in a jousting accident in 1559, the opportunity So she sent him to mate
Diane, realising his need to sire male heirs, who for revenge presented itself. Diane’s power With the wife he did hate
encouraged Henri to visit his wife’s bedchamber, immediately fell away, and she was forced to And he sired ten kids in her lair
and though the marriage was unsuccessful in spend the remainder of her life away from court.

12

Lillie Langtree

Royal lover: Edward VII of England Years as mistress: 1877-80

famous beauty and successful actress, it The relationship, however, came to an end
was not long before Lillie caught Edward’s when French stage and film actress Sarah
A eye. He asked to be seated next to her Bernhardt superseded Lillie in the prince’s
t a dinner party on 24 May 1877 and became affections, but the two remained on good terms.
nfatuated with her. Edward was, at this time, Furthermore, it was not long before Lillie, too,
Eddie caused sweet Lillie glee prince of Wales, and a married father to six moved on from the affair, and became embroiled
with several others. She became pregnant by
children. Lillie was also married, her husband
In their love nest by the sea being Edward Langtry, and her relationship with Prince Louis of Battenberg, and subsequently
But then it ended the prince was not the first of her extra-marital gave birth to a daughter. By this time she was
So she befriended affairs. Edward was generous to his mistress, estranged from her husband, and they eventually
divorced. In 1899, she married Hugo Gerald de
spending vast amounts of money on her, and
The prince of another countr building her a house in Bournemouth. Lillie was Bathe,amarriageofconvenience.Lilliediedin

Risks and rewards of being a royal mistress

Pros Cons
LAVISH GIFTS GRAND TITLES NEW PLACE FICKLE FORTUNES VENEREAL DISEASE DEATH
Gif ts were a perk that Ifamistresswas Anewhousewasthe Themomentawoman Kingsof tenhadmore Death in childbirth was
came in a variety of forms favoured then she might ultimate sign of royal becameamistress than one mistress, and always a possibility for
and from an assortment of be given a title. Charles af fection. Caroline shewasfacedwith womentoocouldbe a mistress who became
people: not only a mistress’s II’s mistresses, Barbara Lacroix,themistressof competitionfromothers, promiscuous. This naturally pregnant by her royal
royal lover, but also those VilliersandLouisede LeopoldIIofBelgium, vyingforherplace.If meantthattherewasa lover. More chillingly,
who sought to bribe her to Kérouaille,werecreated wasgiventheVilla thekingbecamebored risk of venereal disease. if she displeased or
use her inf luence with the duchessofClevelandand Leopolda on the French of her, she could be Charles II’s mistress, Lucy betrayed the king,
monarch for their benefit. duchessofPortsmouth. Riviera by her lover. cast away at any time. Walter,probablydiedof the consequences could
Jewels and money were 8 this in 1658. sometimes be fatal.
popular choices. 9 9 8 8
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