Frances Stewart, Duchess of Richmond

Lady Frances Stewart, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox (* 1648 in Paris, † 1702 in Lethington ) was a Scottish noblewoman and mistress of King Charles II of England. It was called La Belle Stuart by her beauty and served as a model for the figure of Britannia.

Life

Frances was the daughter of Walter Stewart, physician to Queen Henrietta Maria (1609-1669) and a distant relative of the house of Stuart. Her parents fled from Oliver Cromwell from England to France, where she was born in 1648 in Paris.

The Queen Dowager Lady Frances appointed maid of honor to the young king 's wife ( queen consort ) Catherine ( 1638-1705 ), a Portuguese princess. After the monarchy had been made ​​in England again, the women traveled to London in 1663. At the English court had Lady Frances numerous candidates, including George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham ( 1628-1687 ) and Sir Francis Digby were († 1672). Meanwhile, unrequited love described by the famous poet John Dryden (1631-1700) in some of his essays. In 1665 the king became aware of Lady Frances - their beauty, charm and wit charmed him. Maybe he was there also important that they not interested in politics and court intrigues avoided. On March 21, 1667 Frances Stewart married in London the fourth-degree cousin of the king, Sir Charles Stewart, 3rd Duke of Richmond ( 1639-1672 ). Her husband was sent on a diplomatic mission to Scotland and later to Denmark, where he died in 1672 of smallpox. The marriage remained childless. After the death of her husband, Frances Stewart, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, returned to the court. Although she was disfigured by smallpox ( 1669), they retained the favor of the king as well as the Queen. She died in 1702, leaving her nephew Lord Blantyre a considerable fortune.

After the English- Dutch War 1665-1667 King Charles II had make a commemorative medal. This showed the Britannia, as a model Frances Stewart was taken. Her face appeared later on other medals, coins and statues.