Elizabeth Denison (1770-1861)
daughter of Joseph Denison, Banker and Elizabeth Butler
Born circa 1770
Died 11 October 1861 Bifrons, Canterbury
Affaire with George IV
King of Great Britain and Ireland 1820-1830
Born 12 August 1762 London, St.James's Palace
Died 26 June 1830 Windsor Castle
On 5 July 1794 she married Henry Conyngham, Viscount Conyngham, and
they became the parents of five children. In 1797 he was elevated and became
Earl Conyngham.
Frances, Lady Jersey, as mistress of the Prince-Regent, the future
King George IV, had been replaced by Isabella, Lady Hertford, and the latter
was replaced by Elizabeth, Countess Conyngham. Elizabeth remained George
IV's mistress for the rest of his life. In 1816 Elizabeth's husband was
elevated again, and became Marquess Conyngham. It was said that she received
jewels worth œ80,000 from the king. In 1821 Greville stated: "She comports
herself entirely as Mistress of the Household, lives in one of the houses
in Marlborough Row and has presents of enormous value." And in 1829, he
continued: "The wealth Lady Conyngham must have accumulated by savings
and presents must be enormous; the king continues to heap all kinds of
presents upon her, and she lives at his expense. They (Elizabeth and her
husband) do not
possess a servant; all such have situations in the king's household
from which they receive their pay, while they continue in the service of
the Conynghams. They dine every day, while in London, at St.James's, and
when they give a dinner, it is cooked at St.James's, and brought up to
Hamilton Place".
In 1820 Elizabeth was a plump, handsome woman; the king was in love
with her in his rather limited fashion, and some called it a misuse of
language to call her the king's mistress as, probably, they never went
beyond a little elderly dalliance. Society women thought her rather vulgar
and not very intelligent, unlike the king, who considered her "wittier
than any male or female of his acqaintance".
She was careful to preserve appearances and never stayed under the
same roof as the king without being accompanied by her husband. It was
later said that, during George IV's last illness, she
carted away sufficient jewellery, plate, etc., to fill two wagons.
All the time she professed the greatest distress, and prayed with unction
for his recovery. As was said: "First she packed and then she prayed. And
then she packed again". She survived the king by thirty-one years.
Source: Leo van de Pas
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