1. Lady Randolph Churchill was not only mother to Winston, she was also a socialite and promiscuous lover in her own right
Now best-remembered for being the mother of British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in her time, Lady Randolph Churchill was one of the brightest stars on the London social scene. The death of Sir Randolph after 20 years of marriage freed her to live life to the fullest, including in the bedroom. It was said that the Prince of Wales took a shine to her and he became one of her 200 lovers. Most notably, soon after her husband’s death, she embarked on a passionate affair with George Cornwalis-West, an army officer who was just 26 days older than her own son, Winston.
The two married, but the union was doomed from the start, and they were divorced in 1914. In 1918, Lady Randolph married again. This time her husband, a diplomat called Montagu Phippen Porch was three years younger than Winston. Unsurprisingly, the union caused quite a scandal in London society. As she recalled in later life: “My second marriage was romantic but not successful; my third marriage was successful but not romantic.” She remained wed to Phippen Porch until she died at the age of 67.
Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“Winston Churchill’s American mother.” Daily Telegraph, January 2008.
“On this day in 1927: Isabella Duncan was killed in a car accident.” History.com.
“Anne Hathaway: Wife of Shakespeare.” Encyclopaedia Britannica.
“Anaïs Nin: Many words, many lovers and a host of lies.” Chicago Tribune, October 1993.
“Mae West: Remembering Hollywood’s wittiest sex goddess.” The Telegraph, April 2016.
“The Scandalous – But Fascinating – History of Cougars.” Huffington Post, September 2016.
“The Victorian Era Was the Age of Cougars.” Jezebel, December 2012.