Research Catalog

Maria Fitzherbert : the secret wife of George IV

Title: Maria Fitzherbert : the secret wife of George IV / James Munson.
Author: Munson, James.
Publication: London : Constable, 2001.

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Status	Format	Access	Call Number	Item Location
Request for On-site Use Request Scan How do I pick up this item and when will it be ready?	Text	Use in library	DA538.F5 M86 2001	Off-site

Details

Description

xiii, 414 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations; 24 cm

Summary

"The notorious love affair between the Prince of Wales, later George IV, and Maria Fitzherbert is one of the most bizarre episodes in the history of the Royal Family. It is the story of a young Catholic widow who, in 1785, became the secret wife of the heir to the throne because she had steadfastly refused to become his mistress." "James Munson's account reveals a genuine love story between the spoilt, egocentric prince and the older woman who brought a measure of peace and order to his life of restlessness and excess, and led to a marriage that defied English law and broke all the rules of monarchy." "Maria Smythe was born in 1756 to an old Catholic family and lived a sheltered country childhood. Two early marriages, both ending in widowhood, gave her social standing and wealth, and at twenty-four she settled in London with an income large enough to make her an attractive prospect for any suitor." "The young prince, emerging from his first scandalous love affair, fell heavily for the 'Widow Fitzherbert' - he wanted her, but she wanted marriage. He tried to force her hand by attempting suicide, but she fled to France, returning a year later to be married secretly at night by an Anglican priest sworn to silence. Inevitably, the marriage became something of an open secret." "Plunged into the centre of court and political intrigue, Maria's stormy life was led much in the public eye. Two themes dominate - the steadfast love of a kind-hearted woman for a charming but ultimately faithless prince, and the perilous state of the monarchy in this eventful and ever-popular period of history."--BOOK JACKET.

Subject

Genre/Form

Biographies.
History.

Bibliography (note)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 391-404) and index.

ISBN

0094782202
9780094782204

LCCN

2002318354

OCLC

ocm48363625
48363625
SCSB-14104461

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library