On November 6, 1895, huge crowds gathered outside St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Manhattan. That day, Consuelo Vanderbilt, one of the richest young women in the United States at the time, was getting married. She was so wealthy that the press dubbed her the "Dollar Princess". The heiress was marrying Duke Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill. But it wasn’t a marriage of love.
Her mother arranged the marriage
Consuelo’s mother orchestrated her marriage to the Duke of Marlborough. It was no secret that she had long wanted to secure a place for herself and her daughter in an aristocratic family. Before selecting her daughter’s future husband, she first visited his aunt. A year later, Consuelo attended a ball organized by the Duke and Duchess de Gramont. Allegedly, within a few months, the young woman received five marriage proposals.
However, her mother had a different plan, which she meticulously executed. A divorce had ruined her social life. She was no longer welcomed in high society, which she couldn’t accept. Gaining entry into New York’s elite circles had taken 20 years and cost her a great deal. She was determined to achieve her goal. By marrying her daughter into aristocracy, Alva knew her own status would change. And that was what she craved.
Shortly after Consuelo and Duke Spencer-Churchill became engaged, her mother shared the news, along with many other details, with the press. This wedding was to be the talk of New York - at the very least! She provided the media with details about the elegant wedding dress and even such specifics as gold clasps on the lingerie. Judging by the crowds that gathered outside the church that day, she achieved success in this regard too. It was the wedding of the decade.
The "Dollar Princess" was blackmailed by her mother. She loved someone else
While for Alva it was undoubtedly "the happiest day of her life", the bride’s sad face drew curious looks. In truth, Consuelo was already in love with someone else and was secretly engaged. Alva, however, forced her to change her mind, reportedly faking a heart attack to convince her. The Duke, too, was in love with someone else. He agreed to the marriage purely for financial reasons. He needed the Vanderbilt fortune to maintain his servants, lifestyle, and family estate. He was convinced that the money gained from the marriage would help him fund the planned renovations of the palace.
The bride, against her will and with tears in her eyes, married the Duke, fulfilling her mother’s wishes. A satirical caricature in New York newspapers depicted Consuelo kneeling beside the Duke in her wedding dress, with her hands shackled behind her back and tied to a chain held by her mother, as reported on christies.com. The marriage was far from happy, though the couple had two sons. Eventually, Consuelo and Charles decided to separate, divorcing in 1921. Several years later, at the Duke’s request and with Consuelo’s consent, the marriage was annulled.
