Frances Villiers, Countess of Jersey

Lady Frances Villiers, Countess of Jersey (* February 25, 1753; † July 23, 1821 in Cheltenham ) was a mistress of the British King George IV

Life

Frances was the daughter of Philip Twysden, Bishop of Raphoe (1746-1752), and his wife Frances Carter. On March 26, 1770, she married in St. Martin-in -the-Fields, George Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey ( 1735-1805 ), only son of William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey, and Lady Anne Egerton. A grandson of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. Her husband was the equerry of the Prince of Wales and later a member of the political advisory body of the British monarch, George IV of the marriage ten children were born.

In 1782, Lady Frances was a liaison with the future King, George, Prince of Wales ( 1762-1830 ), a. Besides, they also maintained relationships with members of the English aristocracy, including Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle ( 1748-1825 ) and George Bryan Brummell ( 1778-1840 ). Due to the spendthrift ways amassed debts to the Prince of Wales and his father, King George III. , Refused to support him. Lady Frances, it should have been, a marriage between the heir to the throne and his cousin ( first degree) Princess Caroline of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel ( 1768-1821 ) suggested. The marriage of Crown Prince pair was not happy; and a few months after the birth of the only legitimate daughter, Princess Charlotte Augusta (1796-1817), Georg split from Caroline. The prince took his 1799 marriage to the left hand with Maria Fitzherbert ( 1756-1837 ) again, until he left her in 1807 for his new favorite, Marchioness Isabella Anne Seymour - Conway, Marchioness of Herford, final. Since Lady Frances enjoyed the confidence of the Crown Princess, which disapproved of Prince George, she still led his life and the budget. After the death of her husband in 1805 Lady Frances moved slowly back from the royal court and lived on her estate in Cheltenham. She died on 23 July 1821 and was buried at Middleton Stoney.

Worth mentioning

In the Aubrey - Maturin series, naval historical novels by British author Patrick O'Brian (1914-2000), Lady Frances Villiers is often described.