Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan (2 March 1877 – 6 December 1964) was an American socialite. She belonged to the Vanderbilt family and was the only daughter of William Kissam Vanderbilt and Alva Erskine Smith. Her first marriage to Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, is a famous example of the beneficial but loveless marriages common during the Gilded Age. The Duke received a large dowry through the marriage and reportedly told her during their honeymoon that he married her only "because he felt he had to save Blenheim," his family home.
During the marriage, she became a well-known and respected duchess. For most of their 25-year marriage, the couple lived apart. They officially separated in 1906 and later divorced in 1921. Their divorce was annulled in 1926. Her first marriage produced two sons, John (the 10th Duke) and Ivor. She later married Jacques Balsan, a wealthy French aviator, and continued her charitable work. Consuelo and Balsan lived in France before World War II and then moved to the United States. As stated in her will, she was buried at St. Martin's Church, the parish church for Blenheim Palace.
Early life
Consuelo was born in New York City and was the only daughter and oldest child of William Kissam Vanderbilt, a wealthy railroad businessman from New York, and his first wife, Alva Erskine Smith, a Southern woman known for her charm and support of women's rights. Alva was the daughter of Murray Forbes Smith. Consuelo’s Spanish name honored her godmother, Consuelo Yznaga, who was half-Cuban and half-American. In 1876, Consuelo Yznaga caused a social stir by marrying George Montagu, Viscount Mandeville, who later became the 8th Duke of Manchester. Their marriage joined European nobility with American wealth.
Consuelo’s mother, Alva, had a strong influence over her daughter and wanted her to marry someone of high social status, like her namesake. In her own writings, Consuelo described how she was forced to wear a metal rod that ran down her back and fastened around her waist and shoulders to help her stand straight. She was taught at home by teachers and learned other languages at a young age. Alva used a riding crop to discipline her for small mistakes. When Consuelo, as a teenager, disagreed with the clothes her mother chose for her, Alva told her, "I do the thinking, you do as you are told."
Like her godmother, Consuelo attracted many men with titles who wanted to marry her for her family’s money. Alva reportedly received at least five marriage proposals for Consuelo. Consuelo was allowed to consider one proposal, from Prince Francis Joseph of Battenberg, but she disliked him immediately. Alva, who was the daughter of a cotton merchant, believed none of the other suitors were worthy of her daughter.
Consuelo was considered very beautiful. The playwright Sir James Barrie, who wrote Peter Pan, once said, "I would stand all day in the street to see Consuelo Marlborough get into her carriage." Guy Fortescue, a student at Oxford, later described her as having a "piquant oval face" on a long, slender neck, "enormous dark eyes" with curling lashes, and a smile that showed "tiny teeth." Her appearance matched the popular "slim, tight look" of the Edwardian era.
First marriage
Alva Vanderbilt wanted to find the best possible husband for her only daughter, Consuelo, to show the importance of the Vanderbilt family. She arranged a meeting between Consuelo and Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, who was a nobleman but had financial problems. Lady Paget, whose real name was Mary "Minnie" Stevens, helped with the match. Lady Paget was the daughter of Marietta Reed Stevens, who was married to an American hotel owner named Paran Stevens. Paran Stevens had gained entry into New York's elite group called the "Four Hundred." Lady Paget often helped match wealthy American women with British noblemen because she needed money.
Consuelo was not interested in marrying the Duke. She was secretly engaged to Winthrop Rutherfurd, an older American socialite. Her mother, Alva, insisted that Consuelo marry the Duke. When Consuelo tried to run away with Rutherfurd, Alva locked her in her room and threatened to harm Rutherfurd. Consuelo eventually agreed to marry the Duke after Alva pretended to be very sick. When the wedding happened, Consuelo was said to be crying behind her veil. The Duke received $2,500,000 in railroad stock as part of the marriage agreement.
Consuelo married the Duke at Saint Thomas Church in Manhattan on November 6, 1895. They had two sons: John Albert Edward William Spencer-Churchill, who later became the 10th Duke of Marlborough, and Lord Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill.
As the Duchess of Marlborough, Consuelo was kind to the poor people who lived on her husband's land. She visited them and helped them. She later supported causes that helped mothers and children. She was also popular among British royalty and nobles.
The marriage between Consuelo and the Duke was not happy. A few years after their wedding, Consuelo reconnected with Winthrop Rutherfurd and spent time with him in Paris. She later told her husband that she loved Rutherfurd and wanted to run away with him. The Duke's second wife later suggested that their second son might be Rutherfurd's child. In 1900, Consuelo went to London to discuss running away with Rutherfurd, but he refused. The Duke then traveled to South Africa, where his cousin, Winston Churchill, was fighting in the Second Boer War. He stayed away for six months. When he returned, Consuelo admitted she had an affair with his cousin, Reginald Fellowes. She may also have had an affair with the artist Paul César Helleu, who painted her. The Duke and Consuelo stopped being close, and the Duke later fell in love with Gladys Deacon, an American woman. After Consuelo planned to run away with another man, the couple separated in 1906 and divorced in 1921. Their marriage was officially ended in 1926, at the Duke's request and with Consuelo's agreement.
The divorce was partly because the Duke wanted to convert to Roman Catholicism. Surprisingly, Alva, Consuelo's mother, supported the divorce, saying that the marriage had been forced. She told an investigator, "I forced my daughter to marry the Duke. I have always had complete control over my daughter." Later, Consuelo and her mother had a better relationship.
Marriage settlement and personal fortune
Consuelo Vanderbilt was one of the richest and most famous "dollar princesses" of the late 1800s and early 1900s. The financial agreement between her and the 9th Duke of Marlborough, which was part of their marriage, continues to be discussed more than 100 years after their wedding in 1895.
From 1895 to their divorce in 1921, Consuelo, her husband, and their two sons received about $20,000,000 in gifts and inheritances from William K. Vanderbilt. These included:
- A 1895 agreement: A $2,500,000 trust that gave the Duke a guaranteed yearly income of $100,000. Consuelo received $100,000 yearly from her father’s estate during his lifetime, and this amount was guaranteed from a $2,500,000 payment after his death.
- Around $2,500,000 spent from 1900 to 1904 to buy land, build, and furnish Sunderland House, a large London home for the couple.
- A $5,000,000 trust fund given to Consuelo in 1912, which would go to her children after her death.
- An additional $450,000 trust fund established in 1917 for Consuelo.
- After William K. Vanderbilt died in 1920, Consuelo received 33.33% of a $5,000,000 trust fund her grandfather had set up for her father. Her sons, Lord Blandford and Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill, each received $1,000,000, and a joint $900,000 trust fund.
The Duke received 50,000 shares of Beech Creek Railroad stock, worth $2,500,000. These shares were placed in trust, with the Duke guaranteed a yearly income of at least $100,000 for his lifetime. If he died before Consuelo, she would receive the income. After both died, the trust would go to the next Duke of Marlborough, as long as he was a descendant of the couple. If there were no male descendants, the trust would go to other descendants, as decided by the Duke.
In 1944, a court in England ruled that death duties on the trust had to be paid by Consuelo’s son, the 10th Duke of Marlborough, after the 9th Duke died in 1934. These duties, plus interest, totaled about £175,000 and were paid in 1946.
Part of the marriage agreement included a promise by William K. Vanderbilt to give Consuelo $100,000 yearly for her and the Duke’s lifetimes. This meant $2,500,000 would be paid to Consuelo’s trustees within a year of his death, with the income going to her for the rest of her life. If Consuelo died before the Duke, the income would go to him. After both died, the trust would go to their children, unless Consuelo changed this in her will.
After William K. Vanderbilt died in 1920, the $2,500,000 was treated as a debt from his estate, which was transferred to Consuelo’s trustees.
In the 1890s, wealthy British families lived in large London homes, such as Marlborough House (the Prince of Wales), Lansdowne House (the Marquess of Lansdowne), and others.
Consuelo wrote in her memoir that her husband’s family had no permanent London home before their marriage. They rented a small house on South Audley Street for the 1896 season. In 1897, they moved to Spencer House, where their first child, John, was born. Consuelo believed Spencer House was a good place for the birth because the Spencer-Churchills were descendants of the Spencer family. In 1899, they rented Alington House on South Audley Street.
Consuelo said her husband decided to build Sunderland House because he wanted to start a political career. He became Paymaster General in 1899 and later Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1903. She said her father agreed to fund the house after she mentioned their need for a permanent London home.
Newspapers reported that Consuelo’s father and husband tried to recover Marlborough House, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough, from the Crown Estate. When this failed, the Marlboroughs bought land for $380,000. They spent about $500,000 on construction and over $1,000,000 on furnishings, making the total cost more than $2,500,000. Consuelo credited the architect, Achille Duchêne, for the design.
The name "Sunderland House" was chosen after the Prince of Wales suggested it at a dinner. The site was near a slum, but Consuelo proposed "Blandford House" or "Sunderland House." The latter was chosen because the Duke of Marlborough held the title of Marquess of Blandford and Earl of Sunderland.
Before her father died in August 1920, rumors spread that he had given Consuelo $15,000,000. This led to concerns about potential inheritance taxes in New York.
In 1926, documents from the New York Surrogate’s Court revealed that William K. Vanderbilt had arranged additional trusts for Consuelo and her children after their marriage. These included:
– A $5,000,000 trust with railroad bonds, giving Consuelo a life interest and later going to her sons.
– $450,000 in bonds given to her brothers in 1919, to be held in trust for Consuelo.
William K. Vanderbilt’s will also set up an additional $2,500,000 trust for Consuelo, managed by her brothers. After her death, the money would go to her children.
Second marriage and later life
Consuelo's second marriage took place on July 4, 1921, to Lt. Col. Jacques Balsan, a French pilot who flew balloons, airplanes, and hydroplanes and set many records. He also worked with the Wright Brothers. Balsan was the son of a wealthy family in the textile business and the brother of Étienne Balsan, who was once close to Coco Chanel. Their marriage lasted until Balsan's death in 1956 when he was 88 years old.
After her first marriage ended, Consuelo kept connections with the Churchill family, especially Winston Churchill, who was the son of Jennie Jerome, an American heiress. Churchill often visited Consuelo at her château in Saint-Georges-Motel, a small village near Dreux, France, during the 1920s and 1930s.
In 1932, Consuelo built a house in Manalapan, Florida, south of Palm Beach. The 26,000-square-foot mansion was designed by Maurice Fatio and named "Casa Alva" after her mother. The property was sold in 1957. Some believe Churchill visited the house in 1946 while traveling to Missouri to give a speech at Westminster College.
As Consuelo Vanderbilt-Balsan, she wrote an autobiography titled The Glitter and the Gold in 1953. Some people thought the book was written by Stuart Preston, a writer and art critic for The New York Times, but Preston denied writing it, though he admitted to helping with it in some way. A reviewer in The Times called the book "an ideal epitaph of the age of elegance."
After Jacques Balsan died in 1956, Consuelo split her time between New York and Southampton, New York. She remained known for her refined tastes. She once admired a room with wood paneling from a French chateau and had the entire room moved to her home in Gardenside. She lived there until her death on December 6, 1964, in Southampton, Long Island, New York. She was buried near her younger son, Lord Ivor, in the churchyard at St. Martin's Church, Bladon, Oxfordshire, close to her former home, Blenheim Palace.
Her estate was estimated to be worth $1,000,000. Most of her income came from trusts that would go to her sons after her death. Her eldest granddaughter, Lady Sarah Russell, inherited her personal estate, including her Long Island home and jewelry.
Public service
Consuelo supported ideas that were considered modern and forward-thinking for someone of her social class. She promoted changes to improve society, such as free school meals, free medical checkups for children, insurance for workers, and pensions for older people. She also supported women’s right to vote, believing it would help solve social issues. However, she disagreed with aggressive actions, unlike her more extreme mother. In 1913, she became the leader of the Women’s Municipal Party to encourage more women to participate in city elections.
During World War I, Consuelo led the Economic Relief Committee for the American Women’s War Relief Fund.
In 1917, she became a member of the London County Council for Southwark West (later Southwark North) after a position became available. Though she did not want to enter politics, she felt responsible when the Women’s Municipal Party asked her to take the seat. She ran for the Progressive Party with Albert Wilson, won re-election in 1919, and held the position until she divorced the Duke.
During the time between World Wars I and II, Consuelo and Winaretta de Polignac, who inherited money from the Singer Sewing Machine company, worked together to build a 360-bed hospital to provide medical care for middle-class workers. This effort resulted in the Foch Hospital, located in Suresnes, a suburb of Paris. The hospital includes a nursing school and is one of the best hospitals in France, especially for kidney transplants. It has stayed true to its original purpose and remains a private organization that does not make money for itself. It is managed by the Fondation Médicale Franco-Américaine du Mont-Valérien, also known as the Foch Foundation.
In popular culture
During the 2014–2015 exhibition at London's National Portrait Gallery, she was included among the well-known American heiresses who married into British aristocracy. Also included in the exhibition were Margaret Leiter (married the 19th Earl of Suffolk), Jennie Jerome (married Lord Randolph Churchill), Mary Leiter (married the 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston), May Cuyler (married Sir Philip Grey Egerton, 12th Bt), Consuelo Yznaga (married the 8th Duke of Manchester), and Cornelia Martin (married the 4th Earl of Craven).
Gallery
- Consuelo with her father, William K. Vanderbilt
- The Duchess of Marlborough, by Paul César Helleu
- The Duchess of Marlborough, by Paul César Helleu