Author Ian Graham's book, which has a portion devoted to Lille Langtry, a mistress of Edward Albert, Prince of Wales, this month's Mistress of the Month, is the primary reference for the posts I present. This book has a long list of women who have been "Scarlet." Several of them have already been featured here at Mistress Manifesto. In Chapter Six, Princes of Pleasure, we learn that Queen Victoria was disappointed in her oldest son, destined to be King of England, and until then titled the Prince of Wales. Prince Edward Albert was called Flirty Bertie. He did much more than flirt, frequently visiting prostitutes in French brothels, and without concern for what his wife, Alexandra of Denmark, who he married in 1863, might think. Marriage did not confine Edward Albert.
Today practicing Safer Sex is the only way to go, with our valid concerns for our health because venereal diseases, now called SID's, such as HIV and herpes. Then? Edward Albert was a sex addict, as I see it. In his case, having a wife and a mistress, or a series of them, did not cure him. He was involved in several scandals" with married women.
In August 2024 I featured one of his known mistresses, Catherine Walters, as Mistress of the Month, referencing a different book. He is known to have many affairs.
This months we focus on...
An 1885 Portrait of Lily by William Downey
image from Wikipedia
LILLIE LANGTRY - THE JERSEY LILY
Emilie Charlotte Le Breton
"The Jersey Lily"
1853-1929
Emilie Le Breton was a tomboy, running wild with her many brothers as a child and living the life of an island girl. Because her family had the means, she was given an education through tutors though a girl. Her father was a womanizer and adulterer, though a cleric; He reportedly fathered several children with parishioners. At fourteen she began to receive marriage proposals and at twenty she accepted the proposal of Edward Langtry, rich enough to own an eighty foot boat, especially impressive for 1874. They sailed away and set up house in London, where her outstanding beauty was only more obvious because of the simple clothing she wore.
After a lonely first year in London, she was painted by a local artist, who had prints of her image in shop windows. From then she posed for a number of artists and photographers who are respected today. She was welcomed into high society, into literary circles, as a friend and inspiration. Her husband went his own way, socializing with his men friends who went fishing and drinking. He was not paying enough attention. It's said that Lillie would ruin his life.
In 1877, the Prince of Wales managed to have her sit next to him at a dinner party. In what seems to be the custom of friends of a Prince, they invited her husband to events in order to give Edward Albert and Lillie time to pursue an affair. He also gave her a house which she designed, as a love nest. They enjoyed themselves openly and he gifted her with jewelry and designer clothing. In 1878 she was even formally presented to Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales' mother. Once presented, other Princes and men of wealth and power were interested in Lillie.
Lillie was acknowledged as Edward Albert's mistress for three years. The relationship began to dwindle when, at this point, Lillie's husband began to activate and may have threatened to divorce her and reveal that the married Edward Albert was his wife's lover. Other women were no doubt attractive to him, and Lillie had competition.
As well, she began an affair with the Prince of Battenburg and became pregnant. While the Prince of Battenburg was sent away on a navy assignment, she went away to Paris and gave birth to a daughter in March 1881. The infant was soon sent away to be raised by her mother.
Once the Prince of Wales had moved on, creditors moved in on her and her husband, who went bankrupt. She also had to sell some of the rich things she had acquired. She had to go on and, like some other mistresses I've presented here at Mistress Manifesto, she used her beauty and connections to get a break. When she made her debut as an actress, the Prince of Wales attended, showing his support - and friendship. Lillie Langtry moved forward into stage acting and, controversially, divorced her husband. The Prince of Wales persisted in his friendship with Lillie, such as being there in 1897 when a horse she owned won a race.
In 1881 Lillie gave birth to a daughter and left her with her own mother to be raised. The father was Prince Louis of Battenburg.
In 1899 at the age of forty-five Lillie Langtry married Hugo de Bathe, nineteen years younger than she, and became Lady de Bathe when his father died in 1907. She retired in Monaco and died there. Her husband did not attend her funeral. He was not in her will.
This month we'll learn more about Lillie Langtry, and celebrate Valentine's Day. As I read about how Edward Albert, Prince of Wales, and his friends managed so that he could have liaisons with a mistress, I was reminded of Prince Charles, now King Charles III, and Camilla Parker-Bowles, now Queen Camilla - and featured here in the past. You can read about Camilla by going into my archives.
Missy
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Information of Lillie Langtry appears in pages 242 - 248 of the book buy Ian Graham.
A Biography of Princess Louise by Lucinda Hawksley
