took the occasion of putting in a word and cautioning him against the wiles of the woman, whose reputation is in such bad odour that, despite all the endeavours of H.R.H., nobody will receive her in their house. ' 37
Hamilton could have saved his breath; Gladstone took no notice.
Yet, granted the fact that the Prime Minister's underlying interest in Lillie Langtry was sexual, their relationship – on a superficial level – was probably innocent. As much as by her erotic aura and scandalousreputation, Gladstone would have been attracted by her independent spirit.
With characteristic discretion, she refers to the 'uplifting effects' of his visits. How wonderful, she gushes, 'that this great and universally sought-after man should give me and my work even a passing thought.' He gave her advice, he brought her books (including his favourite,
Sister Dora
, a biography of a high-born woman who worked as a nurse among the poor), he read aloud his favourite passages from Shakespeare, he interested himself in her financial affairs (Hayward kept him informed on these) and they discussed, of course, religion. 'One could not be in his company without feeling that goodness emanated from him,' 38 says Lillie piously.
One piece of advice she always remembered. 'In your professional career, you will receive attacks, personal and critical, just and unjust. Bear them, never reply and, above all, never rush into print to explain or defend yourself.' 39
The advice could have applied, equally well, to himself.
'I may have my faults,' the Prince of Wales once said. 'No one is more alive to them than I am; but I have held one great principle in life from which I never waver, and that is loyalty to one's friends . . .' 40
This was true. And it was certainly true of the Prince's relationship with Lillie Langtry. Although the white heat of his love for her had cooled, he remained as fond of her and as loyal to her as ever. Throughout her stage career, which was to burgeon as spectacularly as her social career had once done, she could count on the interest and support of the Prince of Wales. He could always be relied upon to exert a little pressure here and to use a little influence there. Bertie loved the theatre; often his presence alone was enough to ensure the success of a play. And there were few of Lillie's London opening nights on which the plump, bearded and immaculately dressed figure of the Prince of Wales was not to be seen in the royal box. Often, to the consternation of the rest of the cast, he would leave his seat after the first act and spend the rest of the evening in Lillie's dressing room, eagerly awaiting her stage exits and chatting, in his affable way, to her dresser as he waited.
On a less professional level, too, the couple kept in touch. They wrote to each other, they exchanged photographs, they paid little visits, they went racing together. And there was still the occasional candle-lit supper at Rules or Kettners at which His Nibs, as sheaffectionately called him, would respond anew to the quick mind, spirited manner and enduring beauty of the Jersey Lily.
In fact, far from having ended, their relationship had merely entered a different phase.
Part Two
'MY OWN DARLING DAISY WIFE'
8
Independent Women
I N THE DECADE since her liaison with the Prince of Wales had ended, Lillie Langtry had become an even greater celebrity. If her relationship with the Prince had helped launch her on her acting career, it was her own colourful behaviour that ensured its continuing success. Lillie Langtry might not have been much of an actress but she certainly knew how to fill a theatre.
Her contract with the Bancrofts had not lasted long. Once she had come to appreciate that it was her notoriety that was attracting such enthusiastic audiences, she decided to form a company of her own. A successful tour of ten British cities encouraged her to accept an offer to take her company to the United States. The boast – by Henry Abbey,
Hamilton could have saved his breath; Gladstone took no notice.
Yet, granted the fact that the Prime Minister's underlying interest in Lillie Langtry was sexual, their relationship – on a superficial level – was probably innocent. As much as by her erotic aura and scandalousreputation, Gladstone would have been attracted by her independent spirit.
With characteristic discretion, she refers to the 'uplifting effects' of his visits. How wonderful, she gushes, 'that this great and universally sought-after man should give me and my work even a passing thought.' He gave her advice, he brought her books (including his favourite,
Sister Dora
, a biography of a high-born woman who worked as a nurse among the poor), he read aloud his favourite passages from Shakespeare, he interested himself in her financial affairs (Hayward kept him informed on these) and they discussed, of course, religion. 'One could not be in his company without feeling that goodness emanated from him,' 38 says Lillie piously.
One piece of advice she always remembered. 'In your professional career, you will receive attacks, personal and critical, just and unjust. Bear them, never reply and, above all, never rush into print to explain or defend yourself.' 39
The advice could have applied, equally well, to himself.
'I may have my faults,' the Prince of Wales once said. 'No one is more alive to them than I am; but I have held one great principle in life from which I never waver, and that is loyalty to one's friends . . .' 40
This was true. And it was certainly true of the Prince's relationship with Lillie Langtry. Although the white heat of his love for her had cooled, he remained as fond of her and as loyal to her as ever. Throughout her stage career, which was to burgeon as spectacularly as her social career had once done, she could count on the interest and support of the Prince of Wales. He could always be relied upon to exert a little pressure here and to use a little influence there. Bertie loved the theatre; often his presence alone was enough to ensure the success of a play. And there were few of Lillie's London opening nights on which the plump, bearded and immaculately dressed figure of the Prince of Wales was not to be seen in the royal box. Often, to the consternation of the rest of the cast, he would leave his seat after the first act and spend the rest of the evening in Lillie's dressing room, eagerly awaiting her stage exits and chatting, in his affable way, to her dresser as he waited.
On a less professional level, too, the couple kept in touch. They wrote to each other, they exchanged photographs, they paid little visits, they went racing together. And there was still the occasional candle-lit supper at Rules or Kettners at which His Nibs, as sheaffectionately called him, would respond anew to the quick mind, spirited manner and enduring beauty of the Jersey Lily.
In fact, far from having ended, their relationship had merely entered a different phase.
Part Two
'MY OWN DARLING DAISY WIFE'
8
Independent Women
I N THE DECADE since her liaison with the Prince of Wales had ended, Lillie Langtry had become an even greater celebrity. If her relationship with the Prince had helped launch her on her acting career, it was her own colourful behaviour that ensured its continuing success. Lillie Langtry might not have been much of an actress but she certainly knew how to fill a theatre.
Her contract with the Bancrofts had not lasted long. Once she had come to appreciate that it was her notoriety that was attracting such enthusiastic audiences, she decided to form a company of her own. A successful tour of ten British cities encouraged her to accept an offer to take her company to the United States. The boast – by Henry Abbey,
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