Devonshire House and the Grand Whiggery

To understand the social and political atmosphere during the Regency, one needs to understand the workings of society in the Georgian era. In fact, since much of what follows on in the Regency period extends from the Georgian era, there is a very fine line of demarcation between the two. Traditionally, the late eighteenth century is included in the Regency.

It was during this border period that the great minds of the Tories and the Whigs went head to head, Pitt vs. Fox. Other notables of the time included Castlereagh, Canning, Wellington, Palmerston, Grey, etc. Major international crises included the American Revolution and the French Revolution. On the social scene, the libertine morals and decadence of the aristocracy were not only prevalent, but well-accepted, giving way to discretion in the early 1800s.

It was in such a background that the Grand Whiggery existed. Though the Tories may have had many prominent members, the Whigs had a tight-knit, inbred community, whose members were well-known for excesses in food, drink, gambling and philandering. They were an exclusive set and outsiders sometimes found it difficult to penetrate into their society. In addition, they tended to favour certain names, such that it was sometimes difficult to ascertain exactly who was whom. And it was to Devonshire House that these members congregated.

At the center of the Devonshire circle was Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Her popularity stemmed not only from her renowned beauty, but also her inexplicable charm. Yet, her sun did not overshadow her husband’s own standing. Despite the fact that he was a lethargic figure, the Duke of Devonshire was well-respected in his time. Though the political elite could never spur him into a more active political life, he was still central to their plans.

The Prince of Wales was a member of this political elite and conspired with them against Pitt, the prevailing Tory of George III’s reign. As King George declined into madness, the Whigs discussed the possibility of a regency, which the Prince fully endorsed. However, when the regency came about, the Prince turned his back on his friends and they never forgave him. To be fair, the Prince had very little choice given the political situation and international tensions at the time. But, because the Whigs showed antagonism to him, the Prince became even more hostile to their cause.

Charles Fox was the Whig leader at the time. There were rumours that he and Georgiana had a liaison, but this was never confirmed. He shocked society when it was revealed that he had married his mistress, Mrs. Armistead. Mrs. Armistead had been a well sought-after courtesan at the time she met Fox. They were married for eight years before they revealed it to their closest friends in 1802.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the famous dramatist, was a member of the Devonshire Circle. He was one of the few who belonged, not because of birth, but because of talent. He personified the Devonshire set with his dissolute life.

Charles, Earl Grey, the future PM, was also prominent. Georgiana had campaigned for both Fox and Grey, and it was during her campaigning for Grey that she had an affair. As a result of the affair, she gave birth to a daughter, who was given up to Grey’s parents to be raised as his own sister.

Perhaps the most famous families in the Whiggery were the Lambs, the Cavendish, and the Spencers. Though the Herveys were not in the most elite circles of the Whiggery, they also played a part.

Little is mentioned of Sir Peniston Lamb, 1^st Viscount Melbourne, who was rather shy and dull. This characteristic may help explain how the Melbourne Miscellany, a nickname given to his supposed progeny, came about. Lady Melbourne was attributed with the advice to young brides to produce a legitimate heir for their husbands, then take their pleasures where they found them. She lived by this motto, and it was presumed that after producing her legitimate heir, she had four more, each supposedly by a different father. There are some who suggested that her youngest may have been legitimate; however, it is interesting to note that it was the second child, William, who inherited the title and became an important political figure. William married Lady Caroline Ponsonby, who had a scandalous affair with Lord Byron. Byron was suspected of carrying on an affair with Lady Melbourne as well. He eventually married Lady Melbourne’s niece, Annabella Milbanke, whom he had dubbed the “Princess of Parallelograms“ due to her passion for mathematics. William became Lord Melbourne and Prime Minister after Caroline’s death. Another son, George, married Caroline St. Jules (known as Caro). Emily Lamb married Lord Cowper and was one of the leading patronesses of Almack’s. She later married Lord Palmerston.

The Cavendish family was led by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The duke, William, had inherited his title at the age of 16. Contrary to what was shown in the movie, the duke was not a “much older” husband for Georgiana. She was 17 at the time of the wedding and he was 25. That is not a huge age discrepancy, even by today’s standards. There is much debate about the relationship between these two characters, especially when taken into account with Lady Elizabeth Foster; however, there is evidence to indicate they were fond of each other, despite their troubles. As with most Whig families, they were unfaithful to each other. It is not too much to wonder at how the trio could have existed given the laxity of morals during that period.

The duke had an illegitimate daughter from his mistress, Charlotte Spencer (no relation to Georgiana), also named Charlotte, who was born shortly after his marriage to Georgiana. She was raised as an adopted daughter in the Devonshire household. After many years of miscarriages, the couple were making the rounds of watering holes to treat their infertility when they made friends with Lady Elizabeth Foster (Bess). Elizabeth and Georgiana became inseparable. It is unclear when Elizabeth began her affair with the duke. But evidence suggests that Georgiana did not become aware of this until sometime after their two illegitimate children became incorporated into the household. Whether Georgiana chose to ignore their growing attraction to one another or whether she refused to believe what was happening or even whether she was truly and naively innocent to the entire menage a trois is unclear, but to those outside the trio, the situation was fairly obvious.

Georgiana and William’s first daughter, Georgiana (known as Little G), was born about a year after the fateful meeting with Bess. The second daughter, Harriet (known as Harry-O), was born within a few weeks of Bess and William’s first daughter, Caroline St. Jules (Caro). Bess’ pregnancy went undetected by her closest friends and she went to Europe to have the child, having recruited her older brother’s help at the last minute. Caro was left to French parents and after several years was taken into the Devonshire circle as an “adopted” child of Bess’. She did not discover her parentage until after the duke’s death. A second child, August Clifford (known as Clifford and later made a baronet) was born to Bess three years later. Again, her pregnancy was undetected and her son was left with surrogate parents, but eventually he was incorporated into Devonshire House at the age of nine. The duke’s legitimate heir, William, known as Hart, was born two years after Clifford. At the time, the duke and his entourage were touring Europe and there was speculation amongst the ton that it was Bess, and not Georgiana, who was pregnant.

It was after the birth of Hart that Georgiana indulged in an affair with Lord Grey, whom she had met after Bess was installed at Devonshire House. The movie seemed to suggest that Lord Grey and Georgiana had met before she was married. When the duke discovered that Georgiana was pregnant with Grey’s child, he forced her into exile in Europe. Bess accompanied her. Georgiana and Grey’s daughter, Eliza Courtney, was handed over to foster parents and eventually made her way to Grey’s parents. (At some point, Eliza may have been aware of her parentage because she named her daughter Georgiana, although this may have just been a Whig practice.) The duke did not allow them to return immediately after the birth. In fact, he kept them in Europe for another two years. Yet, when they returned, he arranged an elaborate homecoming.

The relationship between the trio altered and it is possible that the affair between Bess and the duke was cooling off. There is a suggestion that the duke embarked on other affairs. However, Georgiana became more submissive, and her health began to deteriorate. Georgiana was a compulsive gambler and her debts had always been an issue between her and the duke. Dissolute living began to take their toll. She had an eye infection that scarred her beautiful features, forcing her to remove herself from society. Eventually, she suffered a series of gallbladder attacks, the last resulting in her demise.

The Cavendish children were initially very accepting of Bess, but as they grew up, they began to question her presence. Harry-O became the most antagonistic and attempted to influence her brother and sister as well. She resented Bess’ presence, especially after Georgiana died, when Bess acted as mistress of the house, yet had no such authority to do so. Yet, Bess continued to try and do her best for them. It was she who encouraged Harry-O in her attraction to Lord Granville, who was having an affair with Harriet, Harry-O’s aunt. When the duke finally married Bess, two years after Georgiana’s death, there was much opposition within the Cavendish and Spencer family, but Harriet sided with Bess, out of friendship and loyalty. Bess’ relationship with the children improved, especially when the duke suddenly passed away two years later. However, Harry-O never became friendly.

The Spencer family was also another important family. Georgiana, the eldest, married the Duke of Devonshire. The second child, a son, became Earl of Spencer, an ancestor to Princess Diana (and comparisons can be made between Georgiana and Diana). Harriet, the youngest, was extremely close to her sister and a good friend to the duke and to Bess. She, like Georgiana, had an eventful life. She was married to Frederick Ponsonby (Viscount Duncannon, then Earl of Bessborough) and had four children by him, the most famous being Caroline Ponsonby, who married William Lamb and had an affair with Byron. There are suggestions that he was an abusive husband and she, in turn, had numerous affairs, most notably with Sheridan, and later, Lord Granville. Lord Granville proved to be the love of her life, and she bore him two children. He was also much younger than her. She had to give up her illegitimate children and eventually, she knew she also had to give up her lover. In the end, she was gracious enough to give him up to her niece, Harry-O. Harry-O and Granville eventually adopted Harriet’s two illegitimate children. Harriet suffered several strokes at a very early age, yet she managed to outlive her sister. The Dowager Lady Spencer, as well as her son and daughter-in-law, were very antagonistic towards Bess at Devonshire House and never attempted to conceal their dislike. Yet, Harriet and Georgiana remained Bess’ closest female friends.

The Herveys were another matter altogether. They were not associated with Devonshire House until Bess became a member. However, the Herveys were well-known for Whig ties as well as eccentricities. Bess’ father married into a Tory family and initially appeared quite normal. However, he later proved to be quite unreliable and eccentric. Despite all this, he was made a bishop, and became known as the Earl-Bishop, when he unexpectedly became Earl of Bristol (he was a third son). After 30 years of marriage, the Herveys suddenly separated and the earl’s eccentricities intensified.

The first daughter, Mary, married the Earl of Erne (who was much older). After the birth of their daughter, Mary and Erne separated. Mary and Bess were living together when they received the fateful visit from the Devonshires. The first son, George, died at the age of nine while the family was touring Europe. The third child, John, was Bess’ favourite sibling. It was he who helped cover-up the birth of her first illegitimate child. He was rather a rake.

Bess was the fourth child. She married John Foster and had two sons. She was very unhappy in her marriage, which seems to have been forced upon her by her father. Bess and John separated and she lost her children. She was living with Mary and her infant son, preparing to lose him, when the Devonshires arrived. She did not see her children again until her husband died, sixteen years later. The eldest, Frederick, was idle and made Devonshire House his home; while Augustus was more industrious, becoming a diplomat. He was never very comfortable at Devonshire House and because of his upbringing, he never developed a good sense of self-confidence, even after his achievements. He eventually committed suicide.

Bess’ younger sister, Louisa, married Robert Banks Jenkinson (Lord Hawkesbury, Earl of Liverpool). Lord Liverpool was a Tory MP and minister who later became Prime Minister. As such, Louisa did not approve of the Devonshire set. The last child, Frederick, succeeded his father as Earl of Bristol, and later 1^st Marquess of Bristol.

It is interesting to note that even though emphasis was placed on only four families out of the 100 that made up the Grand Whiggery, one can see that it was quite inbred. They interacted with each other in such a way that it was nearly impossible for someone outside to step in. They married, had affairs with, promoted each other as an exclusive set. And at the heart of it all was Devonshire House. Anyone who wanted to be anybody had to be a member of that circle.

The Prince of Wales figured in the lives of the members of this set, but it is the younger generation (the Cavendish children as well as the Lambs) who are frequently mentioned in Regency romances, especially Lady Caroline Lamb and Lord Byron.

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Countess Lieven and her intrigues

Countess Lieven, later Princess Lieven, is often mentioned in Regency novels because she was one of the seven patronesses of that sacred establishment, Almack’s.  However, little, if any, mention is ever made about her contributions to the politics of the day.  But, because of her “intrigues”, she was hated by many, feared by some, and loved by a few.

Countess Lieven’s life began in Russia on December 17, 1798 in Riga.  She was born Dorothea von Benckendorff.  Her father was a military governor, who was favored by Catherine the Great and made a baron.  Her mother was an attendant on Princess Sophia Dorothea of Wurttemberg (later known as Marie Feodorovna when she adopted the Orthodox faith), whom Catherine had chosen as a bride for her son, Paul.  It was this Princess, later Empress, who was Dorothea’s namesake and godmother.  Dorothea’s mother died when she was 11, and the Empress took over her upbringing, so Dorothea grew up in the Royal household.  Both her parents were Germans, who spoke French as their primary language, and Dorothea followed in this tradition.  Because of the “European” nature of the Russian court, she was fluent in several languages.

During this time, Countess Charlotte Lieven, the matriarch of the Lieven family, found favor in the Royal court through Catherine the Great, who hired her as governess to her grandchildren – Alexander, Constantine, and Nicholas.  Countess Lieven prospered under Catherine’s son, Paul, but was made a hereditary princess in 1826 when Nicholas ascended to the throne.  At the same time, her son, Christopher and daughter-in-law, Dorothea, inherited the title as well.

At the age of 14, Dorothea was married to Countess Lieven’s second son, Christopher- Count Lieven, nicknamed “Bonsi”.  It was not a marriage of love, at least not from Dorothea’s side.  Count Lieven enjoyed royal privilege and did well under all the Tsars, despite a brief period of uncertainty near the end of Paul’s reign.  He was made an ambassador to Prussia in 1809, but when diplomatic relations broke down in 1811, the Lievens were recalled.  In 1812, Napolean invaded Prussia as the Lievens were leaving.  In the same year, Count Lieven was made ambassador to England, ostensibly to recruit financial support from the English.

Dorothea’s first impressions of England were not positive.  She found polite society far too relaxed and indulgent.  On the other side, the British found her haughty and were suspicious of her.  She cultivated friendships with the elite, especially those of the Grand Whiggery, whose extravagent lifestyles appealed to her.  She also sympathized with their philosophies, which in hindsight was quite contradictory to Russian policy. 

Because her beginnings in England were so inauspicious, it is somewhat surprising that she was made a patroness of Almack’s.  However, this may have come about through her friendship with Lady Cowper.  Lady Jersey, who was mistress to the Regent at the time of Dorothea’s arrival, initially feared a rivalry until she found that Dorothea’s physical appearance (tall and thin) was the opposite of the Regent’s taste in more “mature” ladies.  Lady Castlereagh was also a friend when Dorothea intrigued with Lord Castlereagh over the alliances in Europe.  Princess Esterhazy, the wife of the Austrian ambassador, arrived on the scene much later, and was a fierce rival to Dorothea.  This was most likely due to Dorothea’s haughtiness and envy of those younger and prettier than herself.  Dorothea was not known to be beautiful.

Dorothea remained in the background and had difficulty in being accepted in English society until 1814 when Napolean’s reign was coming to an end and the leaders of the quadruple alliance met in England.  This was when Tsar Alexander sent his sister, Grand Duchess Catherine, to visit, then later snuck into the country incognito.  There was much friction between the meeting of the Regent with Catherine and Dorothea had to serve as intermediary.  Similarly, when Alexander arrived, he did not approve of the Regent.  The situation was not improved when the public booed their Prince and welcomed the Russians with open arms.

Dorothea became a favorite with the Regent because of her efforts to smooth relations with the Russians.  His acceptance paved the way for her to soon become fashionable.  But, it was her relationship to the Austrian chancellor, Prince Metternich, which became the most valuable political force.

She had met Metternich casually during the London festivities in 1814 but thought little of him.  However, when another congress was called in 1818 to discuss the withdrawal of troops from France, she met him again.  He had been advised to cultivate a friendship with her and he went out of his way to entice her.  And it worked. She fell passionately in love, perhaps because she was in a position to fall in love. She had been suffering from boredom and depression prior to this fated meeting.  Nevertheless, it was a very strong attachment, at least from her side.

It is unclear whether Metternich returned the passion, or whether he simply used it in order to further his diplomatic ambitions.  At the time, he was married to an invalid.  Dorothea and Metternich began a long correspondence, which was used on many sides.  In England, Castlereagh, gained useful information by befriending Dorothea.  The Tsar and his foreign secretary also found the correspondence in their favor.  On the other side, Metternich benefitted by the association to gauge reactions from both England and Russia.  Dorothea became caught up in this and enjoyed her position, both politically and personally.

In England, she became a prominent socialite, holding a very popular political salon, where numerous members of the political elite gathered.  While events were unstable in Europe, she was extremely busy with her intrigues, which helped to keep her from feeling bored.  However, when she did not get her way, or if she was ever in danger of being reprimanded by those in higher authority (and she did not bow to anyone except her Russian leaders), she became “ill” and took to her bed.

During the years of her intrigue, Dorothea showed herself to be very fickle.  This was because she was aiming to influence events to Russia’s benefit.  She was a great friend to Castlereagh, the great foreign secretary who organized the Vienna congress.  Castlereagh’s policies were in line with Dorothea’s as well as Russian and Austrian interests.  However, upon his suicide in 1822, Canning became foreign secretary and relationships began to change. 

Though Canning, like Castlereagh, was a Tory, he was universally hated for his extreme views and undiplomatic behavior.  Initially, Dorothea hated him, especially because of his dislike for Metternich.  Dorothea conspired with Wellington, the Austrian ambassador Esterhazy and the King (George IV) to overthrow Canning.  However, Canning sensed the intrigue and was able to outmaneuver them in different ways.  Yet, despite of his mistrust of Dorothea, he was intent on cultivating a friendship with her.  As was to be revealed later, it was because he wished to break the tie between Russia and Austria.  When diplomatic relations between the two countries started to decline in 1825, Tsar Alexander finally turned friendly towards Canning and Dorothea’s allegiance switched.  At the same time, her relationship with Metternich became cooler.  It was not all political, for nothing was political without it being personal with Dorothea.  She had discovered that after Metternich’s wife died, he was courting a younger and prettier woman.  In England, Dorothea’s change of allegiance was a matter of gossip and speculation.  But, she was so attached to Canning, despite his “plebeian” background (for Dorothea despised anyone beneath her social status), that when he died suddenly in 1827, shortly after attaining the premiership, she was devastated. 

At this point, no one wanted to take over Canning’s policies, partly because Canning had kept much to himself and it was difficult for anyone, even his own Cabinet, to understand his thought processes.  George IV appointed an ineffective and ineffectual Frederick Robinson (Lord Goderich) to take over.  After only a few short months, he begged to be released from his duty.  George IV had to call in Wellington in early 1828 because he did not trust Lord Grey and the Whigs.  Wellington did not want to follow Canning’s foreign policy, which annoyed Dorothea.  His  job was not made any easier by having Dorothea intriguing against him.  She attempted to drive a spoke in every wheel, even on domestic issues, in order to drive him from government.  When George IV died in 1830, she tried to “talk” to William IV, who had been a long-time Whig supporter, about Wellington.  He resisted her efforts and kept Wellington in office.  However, as European issues became tumultous again, Dorothea suddenly realized the unwisdom of her actions.  But, it was too late.  When Wellington was finally defeated and it was inevitable that Grey, her long-time friend and one-time lover, would take over, she was faced with a dilemma. 

Russia did not want the Whigs in power and Dorothea had to smooth relations on both sides, sometimes inventing things to match how she wanted events to shape up.  She had advocated for Lord Palmerston, another one-time lover, as foreign secretary.  Palmerston was, at this time, a lover to Lady Cowper, one of Dorothea’s closest friends.  Yet, it did not prevent her from intriguing against him when it was to her country’s benefit.  It was to prove to be her undoing as Palmerston turned on her in the end.  The Lievens were finally recalled in 1834.  Though she did come back to visit England briefly after this, it was the end of her intriguing days.

During her time in England, Dorothea was rumoured to have had affairs with all the prominent politicians.  It was presumed that was how she exercised her influence.  The media hated her and wrote many disparaging articles regarding her meddling in British politics.  Though the politicians were aware of this, many of them criticizing those under her spell, they were impotent in disposing of her.  Even Wellington was reluctant to ask for her recall.  It fell upon Palmerston to finally make it impossible for the Lievens to remain.  She switched allegiance many times over, as her political preferences were influenced by her personal feelings.

Dorothea did not appreciate her life in England until the day she was recalled.  She was miserable back in Russia and endured several personal tragedies before her husband and the Tsar thought it was advisable for her to go to France to recover.  While there, she found herself another lover, a Mr. Guzot, a rising politician.  However, she did not meddle in politics anymore.  Her relationship with Guzot differed from all her previous affairs.  It proved quite serious and she refused to return to her husband.  However, even after her husband died, she refused to marry Guzot (unlike her friend Lady Cowper, who married Palmerston two years after Lord Cowper died).  It appears that she was reluctant to relinquish her title, Her Serene Highness, the Princess Lieven.

The Prince Regent and his deadly sins

The Prince Regent had many enemies and few admirers, yet because he was the most prominent royal figure in his day, he was tolerated. His vices were many, but he had some good qualities. His social graces were impeccable and defined the manners of polite society of the time. His patronage of the arts and architecture helped to promote and propagate many different styles of the age. Though today we can thank him for “giving” us the styles of the Regency era, it was his dark side that prevailed in his time.

Many people have indulged in one or another of the deadly sins in their lives, but the Regent lived them. Though he started as a handsome, promising young man, his many sins led to his final destruction. Some historians have tried to analyse his behaviour to determine the cause and have suggested that it was part of a retaliation to his upbringing. Whatever the case, as Prince Regent to King George IV, he continued a profligate life which turned him into an anti-hero.

It may be difficult to separate the seven deadly sins into distinct parts when discussing our Prince Regent’s life, as he tended to display multiple sins in one single action. But we can see that he was definitely guilty of all the sins through his life.

Lust. There is no doubt that he, like many men of wealth and rank in his time, was lustful. He had several mistresses and was even married to two women at the same time. His first wife, Mrs. Fitzherbert, who bore him several children, was unfortunately a Catholic, and the union was deemed illegal. However, he did stay emotionally faithful to her, and returned to her between mistresses.

Gluttony. From a handsome young man with a neat figure, the Regent indulged in excessive food and drink, to become a stout figure who relied on tight stays and corsets to appear smaller than he was. This practice was the subject of much ridicule.

Greed. His extravagant lifestyle imposed a heavy debt which his allowance could not cover nor curb. In order to bring him to a sense of his responsibilities, Parliament agreed to pay his debts and increase his allowance if he married – someone more appropriate that Mrs. Fitzherbert. So, in effect, he married his Princess for the money he was promised. As it turned out, the extra money was not enough to maintain his new status. He spent much of his time devising means to obtain a larger allowance. Meanwhile, he continued his grandiose living.

Sloth. The Regent was a man of words more than action. He also liked to attribute other’s glories onto himself. He took little interest in politics except as it concerned his own position. He did not attempt to make his marriage work, nor did he show much concern for his daughter’s welfare. Of course, the Regent was active in society for his own pleasure, but he was not known for any charitable work.

Wrath. Like the spoilt child that he really was, the Regent flew into rages when circumstances were not what he wished them to be. This was most apparent in his relations, or lack thereof, with his wife and daughter. But he was also known to throw tantrums in public and against persons who disagreed with him. He and Princess Caroline shortly after the birth of Princess Charlotte and he spent considerable time and effort to obtain a divorce. He even resorted to using questionable means to discredit his enemies. Though he had alienated his wife, he sought vengeance against her subsequent insubordination. He even refused her attendance at his coronation.

Envy. Princess Charlotte was the most popular member of the royal family. This angered the Regent, who made her childhood miserable. He was jealous of her popularity and once, when she had invited the Duke of Wellington to a dinner party, the Regent attempted to keep the duke from attending by insisting that he be present at another function. He was unsuccessful, of course, which only made his anger worse. The Regent was also jealous of the public support for his wife against himself. He tried to sway popular opinion by humiliating her with accusations. It was known that he was also envious of the Duke of Wellington for his popularity after defeating Napolean.

Pride. It was his pride that perhaps explains all his feelings of anger, envy, greed, lust and sloth. It was his pride that forced him to squeeze himself into corsets rather than admit that he was fat. It was pride that made him live his extravagant lifestyle, accumulating enormous debts, patronising artists and architects who built his Pavilion and maintaining his other homes. It was his pride that caused his ultimate downfall in popularity.