Lady M: The Life and Loves of Elizabeth Lamb, Viscountess Melbourne 1751-1818

During the Georgian period, Elizabeth Milbanke, Viscountess Melbourne, was a shrewd political hostess who used her sex and husband's wealth to hold court with glittering figures such as Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, Charles James Fox, and Sheridan. She also schemed on behalf of her children, and her son William Lamb became the young Queen Victoria's confidant and Prime Minister. Colin Brown examines the Regency period and its pre-Victorian code of morals from the perspective of a powerful and influential woman on the 200th anniversary of her death.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2019
Publisher: Amberley Publishing

In the midst of a burgeoning era of women leaders, the life of Elizabeth Milbanke, Viscountess Melbourne, emerges as a particularly captivating narrative. Renowned as the shrewdest political hostess of the Georgian period, she garnered the moniker "Lady M" from none other than Byron himself. However, it was Byron's tumultuous and highly public affair with Elizabeth's daughter-in-law, Lady Caroline Lamb, that scandalized the era. Undeterred by adversity, Lady M rose above the challenges, leveraging her allure and her husband's considerable wealth to establish herself as a prominent figure in the glittering world of aristocracy. She graced the presence of notable figures such as Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, the influential Whig leader and wit Charles James Fox, and the renowned playwright Sheridan. Among her numerous lovers were Lord Egremont, a wealthy patron of Turner, and the future George IV. Elizabeth's strategic maneuvers were driven by her unwavering devotion to her children and her ambitions were ultimately fulfilled when her son, William Lamb, known as "Lord M," became a trusted confidant and Prime Minister of the young Queen Victoria.

To commemorate the 200th anniversary of her passing, Colin Brown delves into the Regency period and its pre-Victorian moral code through a comprehensive examination of primary sources—diaries, archives, and extensive correspondence between Lady M and Lord Byron. By exploring the life and times of this remarkable woman, Brown offers a fresh perspective on the era, shedding light on the complexities and contradictions of a society that was still grappling with the transition from the old to the new.

Weight: 266g
Dimension: 199 x 133 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781445689456