MRS ROBINSON("PERDITA") 1758-1800
English
actress, poet and novelist
Mary Robinson was a successful actress, highly
esteemed and admired for her beauty when the Prince Regent (later to become George IV), took her as
his mistress. She had successfully played several Shakespearian roles at Drury Lane (hence her nickname) between
1776 and 1780. The Prince
Regent treated her as badly as all his other mistresses, giving her a Bond for
£20,000 which he never
paid. In 1780 she threatened to
publish their letters, forcing George III to pay £5,000 to recover them. She was a prolific writer,
publishing 2 plays and several novels, including a bestseller (Vincenza) in 1792.She also wrote poetry which
was greatly admired by Coleridge. There were rumours of two children born of the relationship, but no
proof, although the Prince Regent claimed that her "adopted" daughter was his. Mrs
Robinson retired to Middle Hill in Englefield Green because of failing health and died there in poverty.She
is interred in a vault in Old Windsor
churchyard. The original of the Gainsborough portrait of Mrs
Robinson painted in 1781 is regarded as one of his masterpieces. She was also painted by Sir Joshua
Reynolds, Zoffany and Hoppner..
MRS
MARIA ANNE FITZHERBERT 1756-1837
English wife of
George IV
The Prince of
Wales discarded "Perdita" when he became obsessed by Mrs
Fitzherbert.Mrs Fitzherbert, described as "uncompromising and of
superb integrity, who bore with loyalty the
ribulationsof a
love quite out of the ordinary" was persuaded by the Prince of Wales to
marry him in 1785. Under
the Act of Settlement the marriage was invalid because she was a Roman Catholic and they
did not have Royal consent. The Prince later denied that it had taken place. On
his marriage to Princess Caroline in 1795 the relationship was severed, but
later, after the Prince sent her a letter threatening suicide, she was
granted permission by the Pope to resume the affair. It was finally broken in 1811 (by the
now Prince Regent who had fallen in love with Lady Jersey!). Her wedding ring
is on display in Brighton Pavilion. The archives in Windsor Castle contain the wedding licence, a
35 page proposal of marriage letter and his will in which he cuts off the Princess of Wales with
a shilling and bequeaths his entire possessions to his ("true wife")
Mrs Fitzherbert.
The exhibits are:-
A Hand-Written
poem attributed to "Perdita"
A postcard copy of
a portrait of Mrs Robinson by Gainsborough (1781)
An edition of
"Memoirs of the late Mrs. Robinson" written by herself
George IV
(1820-1830), when Prince of Wales, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds
Part of the letter
written by the Prince in 1799 begging Mrs Fitzherbert to resume their
relationship
Portrait of Mrs Fitzherbert
painted by Cosway
Joan
Wintour
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