Nicole Russell, Duchess of Bedford

Nicole Russell, Duchess of Bedford (often known professionally as Nicole Milinaire; 29 June 1920, Paris-6 September 2012) was one of the first female television producers in France, and then became the Duchess of Bedford, helping to open and popularize one of the first Stately homes to the public - Woburn Abbey. She was also a best-selling author.^[1]

Nicole Milinaire became a French television producer in the 1950s. She was the associate producer of Sheldon Reynolds television series Sherlock Holmes and of the 1951-1954 series, Foreign Intrigue. She produced the 1957 CBS series Dick and the Duchess, starring Patrick O'Neal and Hazel Court.

Born as Nicole Marie Charlotte Pierrette Jeanne Schneider,^[2] she was the third and last wife of John Russell, 13th Duke of Bedford. They were married from 1960 until his death in 2002. It was his third and her second marriage.

Nicole and her husband Ian, The 13th Duke of Bedford

Milinaire was the eldest child of Capt. Paul Schneider, a World War I flying Ace,^[3] and Marguerite Durand, of the noble Crouzet de Rayssac (or Raissac) des Roches family on her mother's side.^[4] Shortly after turning eighteen years old, her parents told her she would be married that December to Henri Milinaire, a painter 14 years older than herself whose family owned steelworks in France.^[5] With Henri she became the mother of four children: Didier Milinaire, Caterine Milinaire, Gilles Milinaire, Anyes Milinaire and three grandchildren: Serafine Klarwein, Galaad Milinaire and Thea Milinaire.^[6]

Nicole, Duchess of Bedford died in September 2012, aged 92.^[1]

Footnotes

1. "Nicole, Duchess of Bedford" (obituary), Daily Telegraph, 13 September 2012.
2. Autobiography of the Duchess of Bedford, pg 2.
3. Autobiography of the Duchess of Bedford, pg 2-3
4. Autobiography of the Duchess of Bedford, pg 4
5. Autobiography of the Duchess of Bedford, pg 43
6. Autobiography of the Duchess of Bedford, pg 178

Bibliography

• "Nicole Nobody : The Autobiography of the Duchess of Bedford" by Nicole Russell. ISBN 0-385-09773-5. Doubleday and Company, Inc., Garden City, NY (1974)
• "Le Joyeux Fantôme" by the Duchess of Bedford, illustrated by [Danièle Bour]. Grasset Jeunesse, Paris (1976)
• "Superwoman : Comment avoir le maximum d'efficacité avec le minimum d'effort" by the Duchess of Bedford and Shirley Conran. ISBN 2-246-00542-6. Bernard Grasset, Paris (1977)

External links

• Nicole Milinaire at the Internet Movie Database
• Daily Telegraph obituary
• The Guardian obituary