Mordaunt

Mordaunt, Sir Charles was born 28 April 1836 in London, Middlesex. Son of Sir John Mordaunt, 9th Bt. and Caroline Sophia Murray. He married 1) Harriett Sarah Moncreiffe 6 December 1866 (divorced 11 March 1875) and 2) Mary Louisa Cholmondeley 24 April 1878 in Adlestrop. He appears on the 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 & 1911 for Wellesbourne Hastings, Warwickshire. He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. He was a Conservative MP for Warwickshire (1859-1868) and a magistrate. 10th Baronet of Massingham Parva, Warwickshire. He died 15 October 1897. See Photographs.

"Sir Charles was a stolid country squire with no interests beyond hunting and shooting, and Harriet was a giddy young beauty. She had already caught the eye of the Prince [Prince Albert Edward, The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII)]. Harriet had license, or thought she did, to carry on affairs with other men. While Sir Charles killed foxes, deer, grouse, and salmon, or sat in Parliament, Harriet entertained numerous lovers, including the Prince and several of his aristocratic friends.

In 1869, Harriet gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, and then confessed everything to Sir Charles, who was enraged. His offended servants had compiled diaries of the affairs.

He sued for divorce. The historical record shows that the Prince of Wales was never named as a co-respondent in the divorce case, but Mordaunt threatened to do so. Harriet's father, who had several other daughters to marry off, announced that she was mad. That would prevent a divorce trial and save the family reputation. She was incarcerated in various rented houses, and after some weeks either broke down or agreed to feign madness: smashing plates, eating coal, howling and crawling. The case was brought to court and the Prince of Wales was called as a witness, he admitted visiting Lady Mordaunt but nothing further was proved.

In 1875, Sir Charles sued again. Viscount Cole (father of Harriet's child) pleaded guilty to adultery with her, so Sir Charles got his divorce. Harriet was kept in asylums for the rest of her life. However, her daughter Violet married the future Marquess of Bath." - Wikipedia entry for Sir Charles Mordaunt.