Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Isabella Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford

I recently found a prettily framed print at a yard sale, obviously from the Regency Era and credited to Joshua Reynolds. For $20, I readily claimed it as my own. A quick Google search confirmed my good taste. The lady is one Isabella Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford, and one of the Prince Regent's many mistresses. One must feel for her husband, Francis Seymour-Conway, who apparently relocated his family to Ireland in order to keep his wife away from Prince George. This seems to have been to little avail. Isabella was married at age sixteen, so I cannot find her terribly to blame if her eye wandered in later years. Their relationship was a long one, spanning from 1807 to 1819. As it seems she maintained relations with her husband throughout, I suppose he reconciled himself to sharing his wife. Most interesting is the influence she used with the Prince to align him with Tory politics. 

I still need to find a place on my wall for her, but once I have it will be my delight to suppose she and her royal paramour spent quiet evenings together reading the Austen novels he so admired. If anyone can furnish me with additional informat6ion about her, I am all ears.

No comments:

Post a Comment