Wednesday 8 May 2013

Regency Snippets - Wellington and his wife

Arthur Wellesly's (later the Duke of Wellington) was agitated during his last weeks in England. His wife, Kitty's youngest brother, Henry, "had run into debt  through gambling and persuaded her to lend him the housekeeping money. Arthur's imminent departure for Portugal brought in all the unpaid bills, Kitty could not settle her accounts and one of the tradesmen dunned Sir Arthur. His anger was unforgiving. She had misappropriated his funds.

This painful episode spoilt the last days together of husband an wife. Its echoes were to haunt Arthur's memory for the rest of their married life."

Wellington. Elizabeth Longford.