8. Struggling British Noblemen Took Out Ads for Dollar Princesses
Although the dollar princesses whose parents bought their way into British nobility were met with skepticism and disdain by many in Britain, the trend definitely took off when struggling noblemen realized that they could reclaim their fortunes by marrying an American girl. They were quite eager to list themselves as eligible bachelors in what might have looked like a modern dating service. The Titled American was one publication that not only displayed the happiness that the American brides had found with their new titles but also listed the eligible British bachelors who had paid for an ad and were willing to sell their names for money.
One such ad was from the Marquess of Winchester. It read, “The Marquess of Winchester is 32 years of age and a captain of the Coldstream Guards.” It also listed their incomes, estates, professions, and other eligible family members. If an American girl (or, more often, her mother) was interested in the prospective groom’s profile, she could respond to the ad instead of swiping right or sending a smiley face. The publication was revised every year so that the super-wealthy girls always had an updated list of Britain’s most eligible bachelors to choose from.