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Portrait of Lady Conyngham, 1801, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham.

Elizabeth Conyngham (née Denison), Marchioness Conyngham (29 March 1770 – 11 October 1861),^[1] was an English courtier and noblewoman. She is thought to be the last mistress of George IV of the United Kingdom.^[2]

Early life

She was born in 1769 (O.S.). Her father was Joseph Denison, owner of the Denbies estate in Surrey,^[3] who had made a fortune in banking. Her mother was Elizabeth Butler.

On 5 July 1794, Elizabeth married Henry Conyngham, Viscount Conyngham, an Irish peer. They had five children together, three sons and two daughters:

Henry Francis Conyngham, Earl of Mount Charles (6 April 1795 – 26 December 1824)
Francis Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham (11 June 1797 – 17 July 1876)
Lady Elizabeth Henrietta Conyngham (died 24 August 1839), married Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly
Lady Maria Harriet Conyngham (1810 - died 3 December 1843), married William Somerville, 1st Baron Athlumney
Albert Denison, 1st Baron Londesborough (21 October 1805 – 15 January 1860)

Despite her beauty, she was considered vulgar, shrewd, greedy, and unsuited to aristocratic society on account of her common background; however, she attracted lovers and admirers, including the Russian Grand Duke, the future Nicholas I.^[4]

Royal mistress

The Conynghams were not well-connected, but according to the Duke of Wellington, Elizabeth decided as early as 1806 to become a mistress of the Prince of Wales, the future King George IV. She probably became his lover in 1819, when he was prince regent, but finally supplanted her predecessor, Isabella Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford, after he became king in 1820. He became besotted with her, constantly "kissing her hand with a look of most devoted submission." While his wife Caroline of Brunswick was on trial in 1820 as part of efforts to divorce her, the king could not be seen with Lady Conyngham and was consequently "bored and lonely." During his coronation, George was constantly seen "nodding and winking" at her.^[5]

Lady Conyngham's liaison with the king benefited her family. Her husband was raised to the rank of a marquess in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and sworn to the Privy Council, in the coronation honours of 1821. He was also given several other offices, including Lord Steward of the Household and the lieutenancy of Windsor Castle. Her second son was made Master of the Robes and First Groom of the Chamber.^[6]

Lady Conyngham had Whiggish sympathies, but usually did not concern herself with political ambition; she concentrated rather on furthering the financial position of her family. But on one occasion, she requested that her son's tutor be made Canon of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and the prime minister, Lord Liverpool, threatened to resign over the matter. Arguments with Lady Castlereagh further worsened the relationship between the king and Lord Liverpool's government. She also disliked Benjamin Bloomfield, Keeper of the Privy Purse, and was successful in having him removed in 1822. His successor, William Knighton, was a close friend of the king who successfully cleared all his debts later in his reign. Dorothea Lieven, wife of the Russian ambassador, dismissed her with contempt as having "not an idea in her head...not a word to say for herself...nothing but a hand to accept pearls and diamonds, and an enormous balcony to wear them on."^[7]

Later life and death

As his life progressed, the king became dependent on Lady Conyngham on account of his temper and poor health. However weary she became of his company, his affection for her never ceased. The relationship came to an end with George's sudden death in 1830; she immediately moved from Windsor Castle to Paris. Although the king had bequeathed her all his plate and jewels, she refused the entire legacy. The marquess broke his staff of office at George's funeral and was never to hold another one in the next reign. Lady Conyngham lived until 1861, dying near Canterbury at the age of 91. Although she was excluded from court during the reigns of King William IV and Queen Victoria, her son Francis Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham, was Lord Chamberlain to William. Along with William Howley, Archbishop of Canterbury, he brought the news of William's death to Princess Victoria and was the first to address her as Your Majesty. The 2nd Marquess's daughter, Jane Churchill, was later a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria and one of her closest friends.^[8]

References

^ "Elizabeth Denison Conyngham". FindaGrave.com. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
^ K. D. Reynolds, ‘Conyngham , Elizabeth, Marchioness Conyngham (1769–1861)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004.
^ Wilson, R. G. (2004), "Denison, Joseph (c.1726–1806)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.), Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/49178, retrieved 16 April 2015 (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ "Mistresses of the Prince". Georgian Index. March 2003. Archived from the original on 16 April 2003. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
^ "GEORGE IV'S ROYAL VISIT TO IRELAND". Retrieved 16 March 2012.
^ Henry Morse Stephens (1887). "Conyngham, Henry" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 12. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
^ Hyde, Montgomery. The Strange Death of Lord Castlereagh William Heinemann 1959 p.82
^ "Lord and Lady Conyngham". 5 January 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2012.