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67-432: Emilie Charlotte, Lady de Bathe (née Le Breton , formerly Langtry ; 13 October 1853 – 12 February 1929), known as Lillie (or Lily ) Langtry and nicknamed "The Jersey Lily", was a British socialite , stage actress and producer. Born on the island of Jersey , she moved to London in 1876 upon marrying. Her looks and personality attracted interest, commentary, and invitations from artists and society hostesses , and she

134-459: A Jersey native, eventually painted her portrait. Langtry's nickname, the "Jersey Lily", was taken from the Jersey lily flower ( Amaryllis belladonna ), a symbol of Jersey . The nickname was popularised by Millais' portrait, entitled A Jersey Lily . (According to tradition, the two Jersey natives spoke Jèrriais to each other during the sittings.) The painting attracted great interest when exhibited at

201-453: A beauty, and he described me to everybody he knew, until one day one of his friends met me and he was duly introduced. Then Mr Miles came and begged me to sit for my portrait. I consented, and when the portrait was finished he sold it to Prince Leopold. From that time I was invited everywhere and made a great deal of by many members of the royal family and nobility. After Frank Miles I sat for portraits to Millais and Burne-Jones and now Frith

268-453: A book called Portraits and Criticisms . In it, he claimed that Gladstone had numerous extramarital affairs, including one with Langtry. Gladstone's son Herbert Gladstone wrote a letter calling Wright a liar, a coward and a fool; Wright sued him. During the trial, a telegram, sent by Langtry from Monte Carlo, was read out in court saying, "I strongly repudiate the slanderous accusations of Peter Wright." The jury found against Wright, saying that

335-558: A daughter, whom she named Jeanne Marie. The discovery in 1978 of Langtry's passionate letters to Arthur Jones and their publication by Laura Beatty in 1999 support the idea that Jones was the father of Langtry's daughter. Prince Louis' son, Earl Mountbatten of Burma , however, had always maintained that his father was the father of Jeanne Marie. In 1902, Jeanne Marie Langtry married the Scottish politician Sir Ian Malcolm at St Margaret's, Westminster . They had four children, three sons and

402-485: A daughter. Jeanne Marie died in 1964. Her daughter Mary Malcolm was one of the first two female announcers on the BBC Television Service (now BBC One) from 1948 to 1956. She died on 13 October 2010, aged 92. Jeanne Marie's second son, Victor Neill Malcolm, married English actress Ann Todd . They divorced in the late 1930s. Victor Malcolm remarried in 1942, to an American, Mary Ellery Channing. In 1881, Langtry

469-665: A few years, she gave up attempts to breed blood-stock. Langtry sold Regal Lodge and all her horse-racing interests in 1919 before she moved to Monaco . Regal Lodge had been her home for twenty-three years and received many celebrated guests, notably the Prince of Wales. In honour of her contributions to thoroughbred racing, since 2014 the Glorious Goodwood meeting has held the Group 2 Lillie Langtry Stakes . During her stage career, she became friendly with William Gladstone (1809–1898), who

536-482: A large breeding stud, a racing stable, and more money than he knew what to do with": this was George Alexander Baird or Squire Abington, as he came to be known. He inherited wealth from his grandfather, who with seven of his sons, had developed and prospered from coal and iron workings. Baird's father had died when he was a young boy, leaving him a fortune in trust. In addition, he inherited the estates of two wealthy uncles who had died childless. Langtry and Baird met at

603-568: A longer relationship with Arthur Clarence Jones (1854–1930). He was the brother of her sister-in-law and both were illegitimate children of Lord Ranelagh. In June 1880, she became pregnant. Her husband was not the father; she led Prince Louis to believe that he was. When the prince told his parents, they had him assigned to the warship HMS  Inconstant . The Prince of Wales gave her a sum of money, and Langtry went into her confinement in Paris, accompanied by Arthur Jones. On 8 March 1881, she gave birth to

670-590: A mercantile business that expanded into banking and railroad stocks. Gebhard's father died when he was 5 years old and his mother died when he was about 10. He and his sister, Isabelle, were raised by a guardian, paternal uncle William H Gebhard. With Gebhard, Langtry became involved in horse racing . In 1885, she and Gebhard brought a stable of American horses to race in England. On 13 August 1888, Langtry and Gebhard travelled in her private carriage attached to an Erie Railroad express train bound for Chicago. Another railcar

737-553: A philanderer, and fathered illegitimate (or natural) children by various of his parishioners. When his wife Emilie finally left him in 1880, he left Jersey. On 9 March 1874, 20-year-old Lillie married 26-year-old Irish landowner Edward Langtry (1847–1897), a widower. He had been married to the late Jane Frances Price. Her sister, Elizabeth Ann Price, had married Lillie's brother William. Lillie and Edward held their wedding reception at The Royal Yacht Hotel in St Helier , Jersey. Langtry

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804-473: A racecourse when he gave her a betting tip and the stake money to place on the horse. The horse won and, at a later luncheon party, Baird also offered her the gift of a horse named Milford. She at first demurred, but others at the table advised her to accept, as this horse was a very fine prospect. The horse won several races under Langtry's colours; he was registered to "Mr Jersey" (women were excluded from registering horses at this time). Langtry became involved in

871-728: A relationship with Baird, from 1891 until his death in March 1893. When Baird died, Langtry purchased two of his horses, Lady Rosebery and Studley Royal, at the estate dispersal sale. She moved her training to Sam Pickering's stables at Kentford House and took Regal Lodge as a residence in the village of Kentford , near Newmarket, Suffolk . The building is a short distance from Baird's original racehorse breeding establishment, which has since been renamed Meddler Stud . Langtry found mentors in Captain James Octavius Machell and Joe Thompson, who provided guidance on all matters related to

938-401: A relationship with an American, Frederick Gebhard, described as a young clubman, sportsman, horse owner, and admirer of feminine beauty, both on and off the stage. Gebhard's wealth was inherited; his maternal grandfather Thomas E. Davis was one of the wealthiest New York real estate owners of the period. His paternal grandfather, Dutchman Frederick Gebhard, came to New York in 1800 and developed

1005-432: A role that brought power and influence. In the 21st century, the term "socialite" is still attached to being wealthy and socially recognized. The lines between being a socialite and celebrity with an exuberant partying lifestyle have since become blurred due to the influence of both popular culture and the media , particularly when the status of being a celebrity is largely due to that lifestyle. Celebrity Paris Hilton

1072-523: A second Cesarewitch winner with Yentoi, and a third place with Raytoi. An imported horse from New Zealand called Uniform won the Lewes Handicap for her. Other trainers used by Langtry were Jack Robinson, who trained at Foxhill in Wiltshire, and a very young Fred Darling , whose first big success was Yentoi's 1908 Cesarewitch. Langtry owned a stud at Gazely, Newmarket. This venture was not a success. After

1139-582: A show of force in Brighton at which he gave a speech defending the movement from attempts by the government to take control of it. He insisted that an independent volunteer militia was both cheaper and more effective for the country than a centrally organised force. He asserted that the English character preferred independence and distrusted "organisation", claiming that "we trust to our own pluck, that indomitable pluck that all Englishmen possess". At this period Ranelagh

1206-590: A statement giving his side of the story, which was published in the New York Journal. Edward died a few months later in Chester Asylum , after being found by police in a demented condition at Crewe railway station . His death was probably the result of a brain haemorrhage after a fall during a steamer crossing from Belfast to Liverpool. He was buried in Overleigh Cemetery ; a verdict of accidental death

1273-571: A successful horse racing stable. The Lillie Langtry Stakes horse race is named after her. One of the most glamorous British women of her era, Langtry was the subject of widespread public and media interest. Her acquaintances in London included Oscar Wilde , who encouraged Langtry to pursue acting. She was known for her relationships with royal figures and noblemen, including the future King Edward VII , Lord Shrewsbury , and Prince Louis of Battenberg . Born in 1853 and known as Lillie from childhood, she

1340-414: A theatre actress; he used his influence to help and encourage her. With the withdrawal of royal favour, creditors closed in. The Langtrys' finances were not equal to their lifestyle. In October 1880, Langtry sold many of her possessions to meet her debts, allowing Edward Langtry to avoid a declaration of bankruptcy. In April 1879, Langtry had had a short affair with Prince Louis of Battenberg , but also had

1407-557: Is an example of a 21st-century socialite due to her ability to attract media attention and fame based only on her connections and associations. Hilton is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton , the founder of Hilton Hotels & Resorts , and heiress to the Hilton Hotel fortune. Due to her outrageous lifestyle, Hilton was hailed by the media as "New York's leading It Girl " in 2001. Gossip Girl , an American television series airing between September 2007 and December 2012, focuses on

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1474-401: Is depicted in works by Sir Edward Burne-Jones . She became much sought-after in London society, and invitations flooded in. Her fame soon reached royal ears. The Prince of Wales , Albert Edward (later Edward VII ), arranged to sit next to Langtry at a dinner party given by Sir Allen Young on 24 May 1877. (Lillie's husband Edward was seated at the other end of the table.) Although the Prince

1541-508: Is putting my face in one of his great pictures. In 1877 Lillie's brother Clement Le Breton married Alice, an illegitimate daughter of Thomas Heron Jones, 7th Viscount Ranelagh , who was a friend of their father. Following a chance meeting with Lillie in London, Ranelagh invited her to a reception attended by several noted artists at the home of Sir John and Lady Sebright at 23 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge , which took place on 29 April 1877. Here she attracted notice for her beauty and wit. Langtry

1608-455: The Social Register , a directory of the names and addresses of the "preferred social contacts" of the prominent families in the 19th century. In 1886, Louis Keller started to consolidate these lists and package them for sale. The concept of socialites dates to the 18th and 19th century. Most of the earliest socialites were wives or mistresses of royalty or nobility, but being a socialite

1675-544: The Brisbane Herald ) in 1882, Lillie Langtry said: It was through Lord Raneleigh [ sic ] and the painter Frank Miles that I was first introduced to London society ... I went to London and was brought out by my friends. Among the most enthusiastic of these was Mr Frank Miles, the artist. I learned afterwards that he saw me one evening at the theatre, and tried in vain to discover who I was. He went to his clubs and among his artist friends declaring he had seen

1742-749: The County Antrim Callwell family, being related in marriage to the McCalmonts. Told of a good horse for sale in Australia called Merman , she purchased it and had it shipped to England; such shipments were risky and she had a previous bad experience with a horse arriving injured (Maluma). Merman was regarded as one of the best stayers ; he eventually went on to win the Lewes Handicap, the Cesarewitch , Jockey Club Cup , Goodwood Stakes, Goodwood Cup , and Ascot Gold Cup (with Tod Sloan up). Langtry later had

1809-559: The Marchioness of Londonderry , Daisy, Princess of Pless , Lady Diana Cooper , Mary Constance Wyndham , Lady Ursula d'Abo , Margaret Greville and the Mitford sisters . Since the 1960s, socialites have been drawn from a wider section of society more similar to the American model, with many socialites now coming from families in business or from the world of celebrity. Despite this, the notion of

1876-570: The Royal Academy and had to be roped off to avoid damage by the crowds. Langtry was portrayed holding a Guernsey lily ( Nerine sarniensis ) in the painting rather than a Jersey lily, as none of the latter was available during the sittings. A friend of Millais, Rupert Potter (father of Beatrix Potter ), was a keen amateur photographer and took pictures of Lillie whilst she was visiting Millais in Scotland in 1879. She also sat for Sir Edward Poynter and

1943-706: The Sloane Ranger still emphasises many socialites' connections to Britain's ruling class . The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is widely regarded as the current home of socialite activity in the UK. The television show Made in Chelsea has explored the lifestyles of young socialites living in London in the 21st century. American members of the Establishment , or an American " society " based on birth, breeding, education, and economic standing, were originally listed in

2010-591: The "gist of the defendant's letter of 27 July was true" and that the evidence vindicated the high moral standards of the late Gladstone. In 1888, Langtry became a property owner in the United States when she and Frederick Gebhard purchased adjoining ranches in Lake County, California . She established a winery with an area of 4,200 acres (17 km) in Guenoc Valley , producing red wine. She sold it in 1906. Bearing

2077-652: The Langtry Farms name, the winery and vineyard are still in operation in Middletown, California . During her travels in the United States, Langtry became an American citizen and on 13 May 1897, divorced her husband Edward in Lakeport, California . Her ownership of land in America was introduced in evidence at her divorce to help demonstrate to the judge that she was a citizen of the country. In June of that year Edward Langtry issued

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2144-416: The Prince of Wales as co-respondent. Rosenberg also wrote about Patsy Cornwallis-West , whose husband sued him for libel . At this point, the Prince of Wales instructed his solicitor George Lewis to sue also. Rosenberg pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced to two years in prison. For some time, the Prince saw little of Langtry. He remained fond of her and spoke well of her in her later career as

2211-626: The Prince, Langtry ended her physical relationship with him when she became pregnant. The father was probably her old friend Arthur Jones, who accompanied her to Paris for the birth of the child, Jeanne Marie, in March 1881. In July 1879, Langtry began an affair with Lord Shrewsbury ; in January 1880, Langtry and the earl were planning to run away together. In the autumn of 1879, scandal-mongering journalist Adolphus Rosenberg wrote in Town Talk of rumours that her husband would divorce her and cite, among others,

2278-521: The United Kingdom were almost exclusively from the families of the aristocracy and landed gentry . Many socialites also had strong familial or personal relationships to the British royal family . Between the 17th and early 19th centuries, society events in London and at country houses were the focus of socialite activity. Notable examples of British socialites include Beau Brummell , Lord Alvanley ,

2345-480: The de Bathe family. They lived together and seven of their children were born out of wedlock. They married after the death of Sir Henry's father in 1870. Hugo was their first son to be born in wedlock – making him heir to the baronetcy. The wedding between Langtry and de Bathe took place in St Saviour's Church, Jersey, on 27 July 1899, with her daughter Jeanne Marie Langtry being the only other person present, apart from

2412-474: The first socialite to appear on stage. She starred in many plays in both the United Kingdom and the United States, including The Lady of Lyons , and Shakespeare's As You Like It . Eventually she ran her own stage production company. In later life she performed "dramatic sketches" in vaudeville . From the mid-1890s until 1919, Langtry lived at Regal Lodge at Newmarket in Suffolk, England. There she maintained

2479-416: The hamlet of West Stoke near Chichester. These were Woodend, with 17 bedrooms and set in 71 acres; Hollandsfield, with 10 bedrooms and set in 52 acres; and Balsom's Farm of 206 acres. Woodend was retained as the de Bathe residence whilst the smaller Hollandsfield was let. Today the buildings retain their period appearance. Modifications and additions have been made, and the complex is now multi-occupancy. One of

2546-506: The houses on the site is named Langtry and another Hardy. The de Bathe properties were all sold in 1919, the same year Lady de Bathe sold Regal Lodge. During her final years, Langtry, as Lady de Bathe, resided in Monaco whilst her husband, Sir Hugo de Bathe, lived in Vence , Alpes Maritimes. The two saw one another at social gatherings or in brief private encounters. During World War I , Hugo de Bathe

2613-415: The journey, but her body was taken to St Malo and across to Jersey on 22 February aboard the steamer Saint Brieuc . Her coffin lay in St Saviour's overnight surrounded by flowers, and she was buried on the afternoon of 23 February. Socialite The word socialite is first attested in 1909 in a Tennessee newspaper. It was popularized by Time magazine in the 1920s. Historically, socialites in

2680-553: The lessee and manager of London's Imperial Theatre . It opened on 21 April 1901, following an extensive refurbishment. On the site of the theatre is now the Westminster Central Hall . In a film released in 1913 directed by Edwin S. Porter , Langtry starred opposite Sidney Mason in the role of Mrs Norton in His Neighbor's Wife in what would be her only film appearance. For nearly a decade, from 1882 to 1891, Langtry had

2747-421: The lives of New York City socialites who live on Manhattan 's Upper East Side . The show is a strong influence on how socialites are regarded in the 21st century because of the presence of scandal, wealth, and fashion in each episode. Pop culture gives the impression that by simply being wealthy and fashionable, an individual has the opportunity to become famous. Consequently, it is an individual's ability to climb

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2814-566: The movement to create a volunteer army, which had arisen from fears of a French invasion. He created and commanded the 2nd South Middlesex Rifle Volunteers in 1859, the nucleus of which was formed from members of the Ranelagh Yacht Club. Ranelagh became a de facto leader of the Volunteer movement and was introduced as such to the French emperor Napoleon III . In 1863 Ranelagh helped to organise

2881-509: The night before the opening. The show moved to another venue and opened the following week. Eventually, her production company started a coast-to-coast tour of the US, ending in May 1883 with a "fat profit." Before leaving New York, she had an acrimonious break with Henrietta Labouchère over Langtry's relationship with Frederick Gebhard , a wealthy young American. Her first tour of the US (accompanied by Gebhard)

2948-709: The officials. This was the same day that Langtry's horse Merman won the Goodwood Cup . In December 1899, de Bathe volunteered to join the British forces in the Boer War . He was assigned to the Robert's Horse Mounted brigade as a lieutenant. In 1907, Hugo's father died; he became the 5th Baronet, and Langtry became Lady de Bathe. When Hugo de Bathe became the 5th Baronet, he inherited properties in Sussex, Devon and Ireland; those in Sussex were in

3015-606: The part of Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth . In 1903, she starred in the US in The Crossways , written by her in collaboration with J. Hartley Manners , husband of actress Laurette Taylor . She returned to the US for tours in 1906 and again in 1912, appearing in vaudeville . She last appeared on stage in America in 1917. Later that year, she made her final appearance in the theatre in London. From 1900 to 1903, with financial support from Edgar Israel Cohen , Langtry became

3082-570: The production at the Haymarket and started her own company, touring the UK with various plays. She was still under the tutelage of Henrietta Labouchère. American impresario Henry Abbey arranged a tour in the United States for Langtry. She arrived in October 1882 to be met by the press and Oscar Wilde, who was in New York on a lecture tour. Her first appearance was eagerly anticipated, but the theatre burnt down

3149-500: The purpose of transferring certain lands from owners to tenants. After the divorce from her husband, Langtry was linked in the popular press to Prince Paul Esterhazy  [ de ] , an Austro-Hungarian diplomat. They shared time together and both had an interest in horse-racing. However, in 1899, she married 28-year-old Hugo Gerald de Bathe (1871–1940), son of Sir Henry de Bathe, 4th Baronet , and Charlotte Clare. Hugo's parents had initially not married, because of objections from

3216-415: The relationship he broke off the engagement, leading to a meeting between Annie and Ranelagh in which he suggested that she should sue Hunt for breach of promise . In the end, she married Ranelagh's cousin. Ranelagh was also responsible for introducing Lillie Langtry to London high society. According to Langtry herself, "he completely changed the current of my life". She became the centre of attention at

3283-769: The social ladder due to his or her wealth and recognition that makes them a socialite. According to The New York Times , socialites spend between $ 98,000 and $ 455,000 per year (young and old, respectively) to maintain their roles as successful socialites. Just the evening wardrobe of an individual regularly attending society functions can cost $ 100,000 annually. Examples of modern-day American socialites include: The Kardashian-Jenner family , Jill Kelley , Tinsley Mortimer , EJ Johnson , Olivia Palermo , Lauren Santo Domingo , Paris Hilton , Derek Blasberg , and Jean Shafiroff . Thomas Heron Jones, 7th Viscount Ranelagh Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Heron Jones, 7th Viscount Ranelagh KCB (9 January 1812 – 13 November 1885)

3350-700: The stage, and with further coaching, Langtry made her debut before the London public, playing Kate Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer at the West End 's Haymarket Theatre in December 1881. Critical opinion was mixed, but she was a success with the public. She next performed in Ours at the same theatre. Although her affair with the Prince of Wales was over, he supported her new venture by attending several of her performances and helping attract an audience. Early in 1882, Langtry quit

3417-455: The turf. When her trainer Pickering failed to deliver results, she moved her expanded string of 20 horses to Fred Webb at Exning . In 1899, James Machell sold his Newmarket stables to Colonel Harry Leslie Blundell McCalmont , a wealthy racehorse owner, who was Langtry's brother-in-law, having married Hugo de Bathe's sister Winifred in 1897. He was also related to Langtry's first husband, Edward, whose ship-owning grandfather George had married into

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3484-416: Was Richard le Breton , allegedly one of the assassins in 1170 of Thomas Becket . Lillie's French governess was reputed to have been unable to manage her, so Lillie was educated by her brothers' tutor. This education was of a wider and more solid nature than that typically given to girls at that time. Although their father held the respectable position of Dean of Jersey, he earned an unsavoury reputation as

3551-664: Was an ambulance driver for the French Red Cross. Langtry's closest companion during her time in Monaco was her friend Mathilde Marie Peat. Peat was at Langtry's side during the final days of her life as she was dying of pneumonia in Monte Carlo. Langtry left Peat £10,000, the Monaco property known as Villa le Lys, clothes, and her motor car. Langtry died in Monaco at dawn on 12 February 1929. She had asked to be buried in her parents' tomb at St Saviour's Church in Jersey. Blizzards delayed

3618-571: Was an enormous success, which she repeated in subsequent years. While the critics generally condemned her interpretations of roles such as Pauline in The Lady of Lyons or Rosalind in As You Like It , the public loved her. After her return from New York in 1883, Langtry registered at the Conservatoire in Paris for six weeks' intensive training to improve her acting technique. In 1889, she took on

3685-462: Was baptised in St Saviour on 9 November 1853. Lillie was the sixth of seven children and the only girl. Her brothers were Francis Corbet Le Breton (1843–1872), William Inglis Le Breton (1846–1924), Trevor Alexander Le Breton (1847–1870), Maurice Vavasour Le Breton (1849–1881), Clement Martin Le Breton (10 January 1851 – 1 July 1927), and Reginald Le Breton (1855–1876). Purportedly, one of their ancestors

3752-524: Was calling for a volunteer "people's army", an aspiration supported by a section of the press at the time. He continued to command the Volunteers until his death in 1885. Ranelagh started a relationship with Annie Miller when her fiancé William Holman Hunt was away in the Middle East. He was described in the letters of Hunt and his friends as a "notorious rake" because of his womanising. When Hunt learned of

3819-404: Was celebrated as a young woman of great beauty and charm. During the aesthetic movement in England, she was painted by aesthete artists. In 1882 she became the poster-girl for Pears Soap , and thus the first celebrity to endorse a commercial product. In 1881, Langtry became an actress and made her West End debut in the comedy She Stoops to Conquer , causing a sensation in London by becoming

3886-409: Was in mourning for her youngest brother, who had been killed in a riding accident, so in contrast to the elaborate clothes of most women in attendance, she wore a simple black dress (which was to become her trademark) and no jewellery. Before the end of the evening, Frank Miles had completed several sketches of her that became very popular on postcards. Another guest, Sir John Everett Millais , also

3953-586: Was in need of money. Her close friend Oscar Wilde suggested she try the stage, and Langtry embarked upon a theatrical career. She first auditioned for an amateur production in the Twickenham Town Hall on 19 November 1881. It was a comedy two-hander called A Fair Encounter , with Henrietta Labouchère taking the other role and coaching Langtry in her acting. Labouchère had been a professional actress before she met and married Liberal MP Henry Labouchère . Following favourable reviews of this first attempt at

4020-471: Was known for his involvement in the volunteer movement to recruit amateur soldiers for the defence of Britain, and for his links to glamorous women, notably the Pre-Raphaelite model Annie Miller and the actress Lillie Langtry . Heron Jones succeeded to an Irish peerage, becoming Viscount Ranelagh and Baron Jones of Navan in 1820 on the death of his father. Ranelagh was an enthusiastic supporter of

4087-464: Was married to Princess Alexandra of Denmark and had six children, he was a well-known philanderer . He became infatuated with Langtry, and she soon became his mistress. She was presented to the Prince's mother, Queen Victoria . Princess Alexandra chose to never display any jealousy about her husband's infidelities and accepted and acknowledged Lillie. Lillie's liaison with the Prince lasted from late 1877 to June 1880. Although remaining friends with

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4154-413: Was more a duty and a means of survival than a form of pleasure. Bashful queens were often forced to play gracious and wealthy hostess to people who despised them. Mistresses had to pay for their social reputation and had to use their social skills to obtain favor in the court and retain the interest of their lovers. With the increase of wealth in the US in the 19th century, being a socialite developed into

4221-531: Was returned at the inquest. A letter of condolence later written by Langtry to another widow reads in part, "I too have lost a husband, but alas! it was no great loss." Langtry continued to have involvement with her husband's Irish properties after his death. These were compulsorily purchased from her in 1928 under the Northern Ireland Land Act , 1925. This was passed after the Partition of Ireland , with

4288-623: Was the Prime Minister on four occasions during the reign of Queen Victoria. In her memoirs, Langtry says that she first met Gladstone when she was posing for her portrait at Millais' studio. They were later friends and he became a mentor to her. He told her, "In your professional career, you will receive attacks, personal and critical, just and unjust. Bear them, never reply, and, above all, never rush into print to explain or defend yourself." In 1925, Captain Peter Emmanuel Wright published

4355-628: Was the daughter of the Very Reverend William Corbet Le Breton and his wife, Emilie Davis (née Martin), a recognised beauty. Lillie's parents had eloped to Gretna Green in Scotland, and, in 1842, married at St Luke's Church, Chelsea , London. The couple lived in Southwark , London, before William was offered the post of rector and dean of Jersey . Emilie Charlotte (Lillie) was born at the Old Rectory, St Saviour , on Jersey . She

4422-742: Was transporting 17 of their horses when it derailed at Shohola, Pennsylvania , at 1:40 am. Rolling down an 80-foot (24 m) embankment, it burst into flames. One person died in the fire, along with Gebhard's champion runner Eole and 14 racehorses belonging to him and Langtry. Two horses survived the wreck, including St Saviour, full brother to Eole. He was named for St Saviour's Church in Jersey, where Langtry's father had been rector and where she chose to be buried. Despite speculation, Langtry and Gebhard never married. In 1895, he married Lulu Morris of Baltimore ; they divorced in 1901. In 1905 he married Marie Wilson; he died in 1910. In 1889, Langtry met "an eccentric young bachelor, with vast estates in Scotland,

4489-513: Was wealthy enough to own a large sailing yacht called Red Gauntlet , and Lillie insisted that he take her away from the Channel Islands . In 1876 they rented an apartment in Eaton Place, Belgravia , London, and early in 1878 they moved to 17 Norfolk Street off Park Lane to accommodate the growing demands of Lillie's society visitors. In an interview published in several newspapers (including

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