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Grace Eliot found herself in the midst of a revolution
Grace Dalrymple was born in Edinburgh. Her parents separated while she was young and she was raised by her grandparents before being sent abroad to France for a convent education. Her father recalled her to Edinburgh to make her debut in society. By that time, she was a beautiful young lady and attracted the attention of Sir John Eliot, 1st Baronet, who was the physician to the Prince of Wales. Grace was 17 and John was 18 years her senior when they married. Three years after the marriage, Grace met Lord Valentia and entered into an affair. John had the coupled followed to obtain proof of the affair. He evidently found suitable proof as he sued Lord Valentia and won £12,000 in damages (a sum equivalent of more than £2,000,000 in today’s money). John was also granted a divorce.
Grace was ostracized from polite society for her affair and left with little income or prospects. To support herself, she became a professional courtesan, and embarked upon love affairs with prominent men. Her brother tried to save her from this life by taking her to a French convent. However, Lord Cholmondeley brought her back to Britain and became her lover for three years, and a friend for the rest of her life.
In 1782, she entered into an affair with George, the Prince of Wales. During this liaison, she became…
