|
|
Robert Henry Herbert, 12th Earl
of Pembroke,
9th Earl of Montgomery, (1791-1862)
Born 19 September 1791 London, Hill Str.
Died 25 April 1862 Paris
Buried Paris, Pere-la-Chaise
Married 17 August 1814 Butera Palace, Palermo
Princess Octavia Spinelli
Died 1857
Children by (a) Alexina Sophia Gallot
|
Early in 1814 he went on holiday to Sicily where he was introduced
to Prince and Princess Buttera de Rubari. The princess, Octavia Spinelli,
much younger than her husband but also much older than Robert, was soon
rumoured to be his mistress. Also according to rumour, she had extracted
a promise that Lord Herbert would marry her when her elderly husband died.
The rumour reached England and, when the Prince died in June 1814, Robert's
father, the Earl of Pembroke, hurried over but arrived one day after a
clandestine marriage had already taken place.
The Sicilian laws required three previous proclamations and, as the
marriage had taken place without the benediction of a priest, the marriage
was regarded illicit, rendering both parties liable with imprisonment,
the groom in a fortress and the bride in a convent.
However, these laws were hardly ever enforced; but when the enraged
Lord Pembroke applied to the Sicilian Government to prevent any further
form of marriage, a decree was issued to enforce the punishments.
The Government showed their distaste for the matter by giving Robert
the opportunity to escape; but as he declined this chance, on 21 August
1814 both Robert and Octavia were arrested. A few months in prison cooled
Robert's ardour and, when offered a second chance, he took it and, in December
1814, was back in England. Soon Octavia was
released on bail and made her way to London, where she took a house
and styled herself Lady Herbert. She started Court proceedings to have
her conjugal rights restored but achieved little else but having their
marriage declared to be valid. Sicilian laws prevented her from taking
her dower out of the Country, while at the same time Lord Herbert was
described as "with a wife and no wife".
In October 1827 his father died and Robert became 12th Earl of Pembroke
and 9th Earl of Montgomery. It seems that Octavia had returned to Sicily
and, having declared never to make his home in England, Robert left for
Paris, taking with him the choicest pieces of
French furniture. In 1832 when Sidney, his half-brother, came of age,
assuming responsibility for the maintenance of the great house and estate
of Wilton.
In 1852 Sidney was summoned to Paris to visit the dangerously ill Robert.
However, he also found Robert's mistress, Alexina Sophia Gallot, and their
three little boys. During the lengthy illness Sidney took care of Robert
and lectured him on his irregular life. Robert
recovered but had no intention of discarding his mistress, and three
years later a little girl was born. As Robert had no legitimate children,
his heir was Sidney who, after being made Baron Herbert of Lea, died in
1861. When Robert died in Paris in 1862, it was Sidney's
son who became the next Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
|
|
