Wellingtons Dearest Georgy

Book excerpt: Using a wealth of unpublished sources, this book tells the story of Lady Georgiana Lennox and the unique friendship she cherished with the 1st Duke of Wellington. Georgy first met the Duke on his return from India when he was serving under her father the Duke of Richmond who was then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The Lennox family moved to Brussels in 1813 and Georgy's mother threw the now legendary Duchess of Richmond's Ball the night before the Battle of Waterloo. Georgy had a front row seat to the battle, and remained in Brussels afterwards to help the many wounded soldiers who returned from the front. Georgy was a beautiful and immensely popular young lady with many suitors during her youth. She and the Duke enjoyed a flirtatious early friendship, which blossomed into an intimate friendship in later years. At twenty-nine Georgy married the future 23rd Baron de Ros who became a diplomatic spy and later Governor of the Tower of London. Georgy had three children, and died at the impressive age of 96, by which time she was one of the last people alive who had been a personal friend of the Iron Duke.