Adeline, Countess of Cardigan and Lancastre

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Adeline Louisa Maria, Countess of Cardigan and Lancastre (1825 - 1915), nee de Horsey, was the wife of James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, and later the wife of Don Antonio Manuel de Lancastere Soldana, Conde de Lancastre. She published her memoirs under the title My Recollections in 1909 using her full name of Adeline Louisa Maria de Horsey Cardigan and Lancastre, though strictly speaking she was not allowed by the rules governing the British peerage to join both her titles together. Her book detailed events and people coupled with gossip concerning the establishment of Victorian England. In 1846 on her marriage to Cardigan, Queen Victoria had refused to have her at court because Cardigan had left his first wife [1]

As a widow in old age she scandalised society by wearing thick make-up and organizing steeplechases through the local graveyard "and became everyone's idea of a merry widow".[2] Despite marrying her second husband in 1873 she continued to reside at Deene Park, the Cardigan ancestral home, ruining the Cardigan's fortune with her extravagances.

In old age she became eccentric. Keeping her coffin in the house, she would often lie in it, asking for opinions on her appearance. Eventually her profligate spending led to bankruptcy which forced the sale of many of her clothes, carriages and horses. She was often seen, locally, cycling clad in her first husband's regimental trousers [3]

A character who may have been very loosely based on her was played by Vanessa Redgrave in The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968 film).

[edit] References

  1. ^ James Thomas Brudenell, 7th. Earl of Cardigan 1797 - 1868 accessed 26 October 2006
  2. ^ Deene Park accessed 26 October 2006
  3. ^ Deene accessed 26 October 2006