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Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, Countess of Montgomery (January/March 1737 – 30 April 1831) was the daughter of Charles Spencer and Elizabeth Trevor.
Born ''Elizabeth Spencer'' to Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough and Elizabeth Trevor.
Her siblings were George, Charles, and Diana.
In 1756, aged nineteen, she married
Humphrys family tree
*Henry, Elizabeth and George: Letters and Diaries of Henry, 10th Earl of Pembroke and his Circle (1734–80), 16th Earl, 1939, repub as: The Pembroke Papers vol. I (1734–80), 1942–50. *The Pembroke Papers vol. II (1780–94), 16th Earl, 1950, UL9(42073) Pem. {{DEFAULTSORT:Pembroke and Montgomery, Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of 1737 births 1831 deaths British and English royal favourites English countesses Daughters of British dukes Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery Ladies of the Bedchamber Court of George III of the United Kingdom Residents of Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park
Biography
Born ''Elizabeth Spencer'' to Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough and Elizabeth Trevor.
Her siblings were George, Charles, and Diana.
In 1756, aged nineteen, she married Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke
Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke, 7th Earl of Montgomery (3 July 173426 January 1794) of Wilton House in Wiltshire, was an English peer, politician and courtier who served as a Lord of the Bedchamber to King George III in 1769. He was renown ...
. In 1762, he left her to elope with another woman.
"Husbands are dreadfull and powerful animals," wrote the long-suffering Elizabeth after reconciling with her husband in 1762. She refused to allow his illegitimate son from that affair to keep the surname Herbert, and she and Henry ended up living in separate quarters at Wilton (he downstairs, she upstairs).
She was admired by George III in the early 1760s, becoming a Lady of the Bedchamber to his wife, Queen Charlotte. The King and Queen stayed for two nights with Henry and Elizabeth at Wilton House in 1778.
She would eventually move to Pembroke Lodge
Pembroke Lodge is an initial, mainstream category listed (Grade II) Georgian two-storey large house in Richmond Park in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It sits on high ground with views across the Thames valley to Windsor, the Chi ...
in Richmond Park in 1788, which King George had put at her disposal. However, the King – who had been attracted to Elizabeth as long as he had known her – suffered his first bout of insanity that same year, and she had to endure the embarrassment of his sporadic and unwanted attentions until his recovery later that year.
Issue
In fiction
*She features in the movie '' The Madness of King George'' (1994) played by Amanda Donohoe. **It is set in 1788, and so she was actually much older than portrayed. **Its mention of a mother-in-law who "lost her wits" is an invention, since her mother-in-law Mary Fitzwilliam died in 1769. **the King introduces her: "Now, that's Lady Pembroke. Handsome woman, what? Daughter of the Duke of Marlborough. Stuff of generals. Blood of Blenheim. Husband an utter rascal. Eloped in a packet-boat.", **the movie shows the mad King harassing her, but she (and the Queen) remaining loyal to him.Sources
Humphrys family tree
*Henry, Elizabeth and George: Letters and Diaries of Henry, 10th Earl of Pembroke and his Circle (1734–80), 16th Earl, 1939, repub as: The Pembroke Papers vol. I (1734–80), 1942–50. *The Pembroke Papers vol. II (1780–94), 16th Earl, 1950, UL9(42073) Pem. {{DEFAULTSORT:Pembroke and Montgomery, Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of 1737 births 1831 deaths British and English royal favourites English countesses Daughters of British dukes Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery Ladies of the Bedchamber Court of George III of the United Kingdom Residents of Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park