Consuelo Montagu, Duchess of Manchester

Her Grace
The Duchess of Manchester
Personal details
Born Consuelo Yznaga
1853
New York City, New York, United States
Died 20 November 1909 (aged 56)
5 Grosvenor Square Mayfair,[1] London, United Kingdom
Spouse(s) George Montagu, 8th Duke of Manchester
Children William Montagu, 9th Duke of Manchester
Lady Jacqueline Montagu
Lady Alice Montagu
Parents Antonio Modesto Yznaga del Valle
Ellen Maria Clement

Consuelo Montagu, Duchess of Manchester (1853 – 20 November 1909), née Consuelo Yznaga[2][3][4] (also spelled Iznaga by some sources[5]) was a Cuban-American woman who married George Montagu, Viscount Mandeville. and later became the Duchess of Manchester.

Biography

Parents

Consuelo was born in 1853, in New York City, the second of four children of diplomat Antonio Yznaga del Valle and Ellen Maria Clement.[6] Her father was from an old Cuban family who owned a large plantation (see Torre Iznaga)[7] and sugar mills in the vicinity of Trinidad, Cuba; they had connections to several Spanish aristocratic families.

Ellen Maria Clement, was the daughter of Samuel Clement, a steamboat captain and Maria Augusta Little. She grew up at Ravenswood Plantation[8] in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, which she inherited when her parents died. Mr. and Mrs. Yznaga acquired properties in New York and in Newport, Rhode Island, while retaining the plantations in Cuba and Louisiana.

Marriage

On 22 May 1876 in Grace Church, New York, Consuelo married George Montagu, Viscount Mandeville. After that they settled on the Duke of Manchester's estate in Ireland. They had a son and twin daughters:[9]

Life

In her teenage years Consuelo became known on New York's social scene as one of the group called the Buccaneers.

During her marriage Lady Mandeville engaged herself in charitable organizations. Poverty was a cause that concerned her, and she was also interested in education and health.

The Duchess of Manchester was a renowned beauty. The same were her sisters, Emilie Yznaga and Natividad (Natica) Yznaga[12] The latter was the wife of Sir John Pepys Lister-Kaye, 3rd Baronet. The Duchess was a celebrated society figure, belonging to the intimate circle of Edward VII of the United Kingdom, formerly the Prince of Wales.

Legacy

On her death in 1909[13] the Duchess bequeathed a bracelet to her friend Queen Alexandra[14] New York Times, December 21, 1909

The Manchester tiara, created for the Duchess by Cartier in 1903, is now in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.[15]

Titles and styles

Styles of
Consuelo Montagu,
Duchess of Manchester
Reference style Her Grace
Spoken style Your Grace
Alternative style Ma'am

References

  1. ↑ "Residents of Grosvenor Square". Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Consuelo (née Yznaga), Duchess of Manchester". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  3. ↑ Jardine, Cassandra (3 April 2007). "The Dollar Princess who changed history". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "LORD MANDEVILLE'S WEDDING.;". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2015., Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  5. ↑ Ryan, Pat. "For Edith Wharton’s Birthday, Hail Ultimate Social Climbers". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  6. ↑ Browning, C.H. "Americans of Royal Descent". Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "Manacas Iznaga Tower-La Torre Manacas Iznaga". Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  8. ↑ Weiner, Robert. "Ravenswood Plantation". Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "The Peerage". Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  10. ↑ "Museum of the City of New York".
  11. ↑ "Museum of the City of New York".
  12. ↑ "Americans of Royal Descent". Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  13. ↑ "Duchess Consuelo Dead". Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  14. ↑ "Bracelet Left to Queen". Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  15. ↑ "Manchester Tiara". Victoria & Albert Museum.
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