Right Royal Scandal: Two Marriages that Changed History

(Hardback)

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Almost two books in one, A Right Royal Scandal recounts the fascinating history of the irregular love matches contracted by two successive generations of the Cavendish-Bentinck family, ancestors of the British Royal Family. The first part of this intriguing book looks at the scandal that erupted in Regency London, just months after the Battle of Waterloo, when the widowed Lord Charles Bentinck eloped with the Duke of Wellington's married niece. A messy divorce and a swift marriage followed, complicated by an unseemly tug-of-war over Lord Charles' infant daughter from his first union. Over two decades later and while at Oxford University, Lord Charles' eldest son, known to his family as Charley, fell in love with a beautiful gypsy girl, and secretly married her. He kept this union hidden from his family, in particular his uncle, William Henry Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland, upon whose patronage he relied. When his alliance was discovered, Charley was cast adrift by his family, with devastating consequences. A love story as well as a brilliantly researched historical biography, this is a continuation of Joanne and Sarah's first biography, An Infamous Mistress, about the eighteenth-century courtesan Grace Dalrymple Elliott, whose daughter was the first wife of Lord Charles Bentinick. The book ends by showing how, if not for a young gypsy and her tragic life, the British monarchy would look very different today.

Reviews

"This really is a case of 'You couldn't make it up'. The plots may seem to come straight out of the world of Regency Romance but they are all true, and carefully annotated and verified by Major and Murden. With An Infamous Mistress, this family saga would make an excellent historical drama series."--Naomi Clifford "Glimpses of Love, Life and Death in the Georgian Era"
"While the tone and language of the book may not suit some hardened historians, Major and Murden keep their text entertaining and light throughout, making for an easy read of a subject that keeps you engrossed from start to finish. This book is brilliant for those who enjoy the scandals of historical television, with the added authenticity of historical fact."-- "History of Royals" (2/1/2017 12:00:00 AM)

Author Bio

Sarah Murden and Joanne Major are joint authors of this compelling biography, brought together through their shared passion for history and genealogy, having met online via a genealogy forum. Living hundreds of miles apart from each other, lengthy telephone conversations to discuss 'long dead folk' became very much the norm, and it was during one of these calls that Joanne asked Sarah if she had heard of the gypsy girl who married the ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II. This book is the result of that innocent question. For more information visit: www.georgianera.wordpress.com