13. Clara Ward was an American socialite who married into European royalty, shocking the upper classes but entertaining readers of gossip magazines
She may be largely forgotten today, but for a short time in the 1890s, Clara Ward was one of the most famous (and infamous) people in the whole world. And all because of a chance encounter with one of Europe’s lesser royals. Clara was born into a wealthy industrialist family in Detroit. As a young lady, she would sometimes pay visits to the family mills. And it was on one such visit that she caught the eye of the Prince of Caraman-Chimay. The Belgian was in Detroit as part of a trade mission. However, he left Michigan with a wife.
News that an ‘ordinary’ American girl had married into royalty spread fast. The self-styled Clara, Princess of Chimay made headlines around the world. She relished the attention and loved showing off her new wealth and social status. Inevitably, Clara became a fixture in the gossip columns of the time. While some people loved and admired her, many others were envious and the ‘American Princess’ soon became a hate figure. In the end, the marriage turned out to be a short one. After just 6 years, Clara eloped with a Hungarian gypsy musician. Her Prince divorced her and Clara was forced to turn to glamour modelling to get by.