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Grace Dalrymple Elliott (1754–1823) was a Scottish socialite who was resident in Paris at the time of the French Revolution and an eyewitness to events. She was once mistress of the Duke of Orléans, who was cousin to King Louis XVI. She was arrested and held awaiting death by guillotine but released after the death of Robespierre. She wrote an autobiographical account of her experiences, Ma Vie Sous La Révolution, published posthumously in 1859.
She was the youngest daughter of Lord Cholmondeley. [2]
She met Lord Cholmondeley at the
A dramatic portrayal of part of her life is contained in the 2001 film The Lady and the Duke. English actress Lucy Russell played Grace and Jean-Claude Dreyfus played the Duke of Orleans.
She was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery.[10]
Although many of her friends met their deaths including Madame du Barry, Grace did not. She narrowly avoided death and was released after the Reign of Terror came to an end. In total she had been confined to four different prisons by the republican government. In later years, rumour had it that she has an attachment with Napoleon Bonaparte, but had rejected his offer of marriage. She died a wealthy woman at Ville d'Avray, in present day Hauts-de-Seine in May 1823, while lodger of the commune's mayor. [9]
George, Prince of Wales, introduced her to the French Duke of Orleans in 1784. The couple started an affair and in 1786 Grace settled in Paris. She remained there throughout the revolution. The duc sided with the revolutionaries, took the name Philippe Égalité, voted for the execution of his cousin, the King and whipped up hatred against Louis's wife, Marie Antoinette. Grace supported the monarchy and became a devoted follower of Louis XVI and his family. His execution in 1793 devastated her. France was plunged into a reign of terror and paranoia gripped the people. Grace was imprisoned from December 1793 to 4 October 1794.[8]
[6] said in January 1782 that he admitted responsibility. However, when the child, which was very dark, was first shown to the Prince he is said to have remarked, "To convince me that this is my girl they must first prove that black is white". The Prince and many others regarded Lord Cholmondeley as the father, though the Prince's friends said that Charles William Wyndham (brother of Lord Egremont), whom she was thought to resemble, claimed paternity. Yet others thought she might have been fathered by Morning Post Grace declared that the Prince was the father of her child and the
[5][2]
France, Age of Enlightenment, American Revolutionary War, French Consulate, French Third Republic
United Kingdom, European Union, Italy, Canada, Spain
Ottoman Empire, World War I, British Empire, Peter the Great, Russia
United Kingdom, Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, Isle of Man, Parliament of Great Britain
French Revolution, Louis XV of France, France, House of Bourbon, Louis XVII of France
House of Orléans, French Revolution, Age of Enlightenment, France, Russian Empire
French Directory, Napoleon, The Mountain, 9 Thermidor, Committee of Public Safety
Alice Keppel, Alison Cockburn, Grace Elliott, Helen D'Arcy Stewart, Jemima Blackburn
Mary Boleyn, Agnès Sorel, Alexandrine-Caroline Branchu, Amy Brown (royal mistress), Anne Nompar de Caumont