Olga Alexandrovna Zherebtsova, née Zubova, also known as Madame Gerebtzoff (russian: Ольга Александровна Жеребцова, 1766–1849), was a Russian aristocrat and socialite, known foremost for her political involvement and love life. She was the sister of the celebrated

Zubov The Zubovs (russian: Зу́бов) were a Russian noble family, rose to occupy some of the highest offices of state in the 1790s, when Platon Zubov became the last favourite of Empress Catherine the Great (). The Zubovs were first noticed in ...

brothers, Prince

Platon Platon may refer to: People * Plato (Πλάτων, romanized as ''Plátōn''), Greek philosopher * Plato (comic poet) (fl. 420–391 BCE) * Plato of Bactria (2nd century BCE), Greco-Bactrian king * Plato (exarch) (fl. 645–653), Byzantine exarc ...

and Counts Nikolay and Valerian. After her brothers' fall from grace following

Catherine II , en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes , house = , father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp , birth_date = , birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anha ...

's death, they conspired with

Count Pahlen Peter Ludwig Graf von der Pahlen (russian: Пётр Алексе́евич Па́лен, translit= Pyotr Alekseyevich Palen; , Palms Manor, Palmse, Palms (now ) – , Mitau (now )), a Baltic-German courtier and general, played a pivotal role in ...

to assassinate her successor

Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

whom they viewed as the author of their misfortunes. The conspirators met and discussed their plans at Zherebtsova's house. Some maintain that she appropriated the funds the British government passed through her lover

Charles Whitworth, 1st Earl Whitworth Charles Whitworth, 1st Earl Whitworth, GCB, PC (29 May 1752 – 13 May 1825), known as The Lord Whitworth between 1800 and 1813 and as The Viscount Whitworth between 1813 and 1815, was a British diplomat and politician. Early years Whitwort ...

to the conspirators. "Once diplomatic relations with England were broken, Whitworth was ordered to leave the capital with all his staff". Zherebtsova followed Lord Whitworth to England where she was shocked to learn about his prospective betrothal to the widow of

John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset, KG (25 March 174519 July 1799) was the only son of Lord John Philip Sackville, second son of Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset. His mother was the former Lady Frances Leveson-Gower. He succeede ...

. I
was rumored
that Madame Gerebtzoff extorted from her rival some 10,000 pounds before turning her attention to

the Prince Regent George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

, whose mistress she is said to have become. She is even said to have given birth to a natural son, named George Nord, after his purported royal father.The suggestion is discussed and rejected at http://anthonyjcamp.com/page10.htm, under page 197. In the declining years of her life, Madame Gerebtzoff returned to the Russian capital, where she again became immersed in court intrigues through her powerful son-in-law, Prince Aleksey Orlov. In the 1840s, she was the patron of

Alexander Herzen Alexander Ivanovich Herzen (russian: Алекса́ндр Ива́нович Ге́рцен, translit=Alexándr Ivánovich Gértsen; ) was a Russian writer and thinker known as the "father of Russian socialism" and one of the main fathers of agra ...

, who would recall her character and opinions with admiration in his memoirs
My Past and Thoughts
:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zherebtsova, Olga Mistresses of George IV of the United Kingdom Russian nobility 1766 births 1849 deaths