María Consuelo Yznaga del Valle
Consuelo Yznaga (* 1853 in New York City , New York , † November 20, 1909 in London ) was a Cuban - American heiress and by marriage Duchess of Manchester. She was known as Lady Mandeville .
Life
Consuelo Yznaga was the eldest daughter of four children of the wealthy Cuban diplomat Don Antonia Yznaga del Valle and his wife Ellen Clements. Consuelo and her siblings accompanied their parents abroad at an early age, either to visit relatives or because of their father's diplomatic obligations. Her childhood revolved around perfect behavior and social representation.
On May 22, 1876, Consuelo married the Irish aristocrat and politician George Victor Drogo Montagu, Viscount Mandeville (1853-1892), eldest son of the politician William Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester , in Grace Church in New York City through Bishop Potter . and Luise Fredericke Auguste Countess von Alten. The marriage, which all reports said was a happy one, had three children:
- William Angus Drogo (1877–1947), later 9th Duke of Manchester
- ⚭ 1900–1931 Helena Zimmerman (1879–1971)
- ⚭ 1931 Kathleen Dawes († 1966)
- Jacqueline Mary Alva († 1895)
- Alice Eleanor Louise († 1900)
During their marriage, Lady Mandeville was involved in several charitable organizations - one major concern was education and health. In addition to nursing the sick, she also took care of people's social needs. The couple had lived separately since the 1890s. The reason was that her husband had a secret love affair with the stage actress and singer Bessie Bellwood for several years .
Lady Mandeville introduced her childhood friend Alva Erskine Smith (1853–1933), daughter of a wealthy southern cotton manufacturer , to the wealthy railway magnate William Kissam Vanderbilt (1849–1920), second son of William Henry Vanderbilt and his wife Maria Louisa Kissam. She was also the name and godmother of Consuelo Vanderbilt (1877–1964), later Lady Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. She also helped her friend raise the social status of the Vanderbilt family by trying to impress the then Grand Dame of New York Society, Mrs. Caroline Astor (1830-1908).
In the unfinished novel The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton (1862-1937) the life and work of Lady Mandeville was described under the pseudonym Conchita Closson .
Name in different phases of life
- 1859–1876 Consuelo Yznaga
- 1876–1890 Lady Consuelo Montagu, Viscountess Mandeville
- 1890-1892 Consuelo Montagu, Duchess of Manchester
- 1892–1909 Consuelo Montagu, Dowager Duchess of Manchester
Worth mentioning
- Her husband's family came from Robert von Mortain (1031-1090) from the House of Conteville , a half-brother of the first Norman king William the Conqueror .
literature
- Richard Jay Hutto: Crowning Glory. American Wives of Princes and Dukes. 2007, ISBN 0-9725951-7-1
Remarks
- ↑ Americans of Royal Descent . Retrieved July 15, 2015.
- ↑ Duke of Manchester
- ↑ The American Woman's influence in England
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Yznaga del Valle, Maria Consuelo |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Yznaga, Consuelo; Yznaga del Valle, Maria Consuelo; Mandeville, lady |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Cuban-American heiress, by marriage to the Duchess of Manchester |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1853 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | New York , New York |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 20, 1909 |
| Place of death | London |