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For those unaware:
Dorothea Jordan was an Anglo Irish actress who had a 20 year romantic relationship with King William IV of the UK (at the time the Dime of Clarence). This relationship involved him living at her house and them parenting 11 children together, all of them having the surname FitzClarence due to their status as illegitimate children of a royal. It is unknown whether they were married in secret or not, some sources report they were. The reason for their splitting is unknown but William gave her a stipend but that was raised once they split then taken away and she died in poverty in France. (Obviously this story is simplified)
She’s normally given the title of “mistress” or “courtesan” though I feel this extremely unfair given the clearly emotional and romantic aspect of this relationship, nowadays we would 100% call her a girlfriend and they probably would have married but alas. Just wondering any opinions on her!
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I just googled it, William IV had an agreement with her that half of the stipend must be spent on their daughters and she must not return to stage. Actress back in the days were basically prostitute, no wonder Dorothea had many other children with different men, married men. When her other children ran into debt, she returned to stage for work, probably also misusing William’s stipend to pay the debt. Naturally, William took legal action on her, removing daughters from her care and ended the pensions. Dorothy’s children were absolutely monsters, they defrauded her borrowing money in her name, that’s why she’s so miserable at the end of her life. William was also in debt at that time, perhaps Dorothea contributed a great deal to it, that could explain why she thought it was money that separates them.
I find it interesting how common it is among British monarchs to sire a bunch of bastard kids with their beloved mistress but leave zero heir for the country. Well, I guess we have them to thank for freedom of marriage today, ha. But then again, once their affection stopped, they could be the most uncaring and coldest, just like how they once treated their arranged wife with no love, ghost them for life.
Theodora was an actress 1,300 years before her though it seems we hadn't progressed much in the time between.
Sounds like child support in modern times, titled "for children" but not used for them. Only in modern times, the army makes sure she stays with her hair and nails done and you can't not pay for it.