Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt (1900–1976) was the only child of George Washington Vanderbilt II and his wife Edith Stuyvesant Dresser.
Cornelia Vanderbilt was born into a wealthy family and educated in private schools including The Madeira School. In 1924 she married the British aristocrat, John F. A. Cecil, a descendant of William Cecil. Their sons, George (b. 1925) and William (b. 1928), eventually inherited Biltmore Estate.
George Cecil, the older of the two sons, chose to inherit the majority of the estate's land and the Biltmore Farms Company, which was more profitable than the house at the time. The younger son, William Cecil, inherited Biltmore House. He is credited with preserving the chauteau, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Although still privately owned, the mansion has been opened to the public for heritage tourism.