Cupid and the King: Five Royal Paramours

by Princess Michael of Kent

The royal European courts were unsurpassed for their glamour, wealth, fame, danger, treachery, and politics. The royal mistress was at the center of that world -- admired for her beauty and sensuality; feared for the power she wielded; even vilified, envied, and resented. In times when women had very little power, the royal mistress had enormous influence, and yet she is seldom mentioned in official histories.

In Cupid and the King, Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent recounts the stories of five very different women, each of whom became a celebrated -- or notorious --

Nell Gwyn, the bawdy, vivacious orange seller turned actress who endeared herself to Charles II -- and the country -- with her wit and down-to-earth manner

Madame de Pompadour, the extravagant, elegant maitresse-en-titre of Louis XV who became one of the great patrons of her time while enraging the people of France

Marie Walewska, who became Napoleon's mistress to save her country

Lola Montez, the flamboyant, scandalous Irish beauty who reinvented herself as a Spanish aristocrat to win the heart of Ludwig I of Bavaria

Lillie Langtry, the legendary beauty immortalized by the most famous artists of her day and the only woman to completely monopolize Edward, Prince of Wales, later Edward VII

Written with an insider's keen understanding of court life and filled with delicious details born of impeccable research, Cupid and the King explores a little-known chapter of the history of women's roles in the royal bedrooms of Europe.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Historical

378 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Princess Michael of Kent (Marie Christine; née Baroness Marie Christine Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz, 15 January 1945), is a German-Born member of the British Royal Family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V.

Princess Michael is an author, and has published several books on the royal families of Europe. She also undertakes lecture tours, and supports her husband in his public work. The Kents do not officially carry out royal duties, although they have on occasion represented Queen Elizabeth II at functions abroad.

Princess Michael of Kent was born on 15 January 1945, in Karlovy Vary (formerly Carlsbad), in then-German-populated Sudetenland, in what is now the Czech Republic, near the family estates of her Austrian maternal grandmother, Princess Hedwig Windisch-Graetz, prior to the defeat and the end of Nazi Germany and of World War II in Europe, and the following expulsion of the German population later that year. Princess Michael is the only daughter of Baron Günther Hubertus von Reibnitz (of German descent) and his Austro-Hungarian wife, Countess Maria Anna Carolina Franziska Walpurga Bernadette Szapáry von Muraszombath, Széchysziget und Szapár, a daughter of Count Friedrich Szapáry von Muraszombath, Széchysziget und Szapár, an Austro-Hungarian diplomat, who served as Ambassador at St. Petersburg at the outbreak of World War I. The Princess's father also had a daughter named Margarita, born on 18 January 1924, from his first marriage to Margherita, Countess von Seherr-Thoß.

Through her mother, the Princess is a descendant of Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henry II of France, and Catherine de' Medici, Queen of France (his wife), and also of painter Peter Paul Rubens. After her parents' divorce, her father, a Nazi party member who had held the rank of Sturmbannführer or “Assault (or Storm) Unit Leader” in the SS during the Second World War[4], moved to Maforga, Mozambique. Marie Christine, her mother, and her brother, Baron Friedrich (Fred) von Reibnitz (now living in Canberra), moved to Australia, where her mother ran a beauty salon. Friedrich became an Australian Government official. He has a daughter, Princess Michael's niece Maya Scott, born 1978 in Canberra to a fellow civil servant, Mary Scott. Maya Scott is a photographer and artist based in Western Australia.

Reviews

[PurplyCookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Michael of Kent, has chronicled the lives of five of the most famous (or infamous) maitresses en titre in history:

Nell Gwyn grew up in the gutter, the daughter of an alcoholic prostitute. But through bawdy charm and talent, she became a comedic actress on the London stages, and caught the eye of Charles Stuart. Though she wasn't as high-born as his other ladies, "Nellie" retained a place in Charles' heart until his death, and was faithful to him for the rest of her short life.

Madame de Pompadour was an exceptional beauty who caught the eye of Louis XV, and was soon placed as his official mistress. Since she didn't like sex, she made herself invaluable to the king as a comforting friend, and created a salon where the cultured and artistic people of the time could gather. Unfortunately, her devotion to her king cost her her life.

Marie Walewska was groomed from childhood to marry well, and help her family. But after being married off to a disgusting old aristocrat, the beautiful Marie met her girlhood hero -- Napoleon. For the sake of her country, Marie became Napoleon's mistress, and soon fell in love with him. But his ambition to create a dynasty ended their affair.

Lola Montez was never what she seemed to be. After a nasty divorce, the Irish girl renamed herself, became a "Spanish" dancer, and lied constantly. She also snagged the heart of Ludwig I, king of Bavaria and terrible poet. As she bled the country dry, the angry inhabitants of Bavaria rebelled against their king, and sent Lola packing for the USA...

Lily Langtry was a tomboy, a prankster, and her first taste of polite society was a disaster. But after marrying, she captivated London (and Oscar Wilde) with her beauty and charm. And then she captivated playboy Edward VII, his naive young cousin, and eventually reinvented herself as a respected actress.

I found this book to be well-researched as well as an easy read. The book gave the reader those juicy details to keep your attention focused and your eyebrows raised, as well as enlightening you on significant historical events in Europe in the 17th through the 19th centuries. I recommend this book for those of you who don't like to admit being a trashy historical novel reader.

Many books have handled the history of courtesans and royal mistresses, and Princess Michael doesn't add much that is new to the mix.


Book Details:

Title Cupid and the King: Five Royal Paramours
Author Princess Michael of Kent
Reviewed By Purplycookie

[Mills · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was all set to give Cupid and the King three stars, when I found out that quite a bit of the information on Lola Montez was wrong. And what, I ask you, is the point of a biography which is wrong?

I thought I would fill in the author page for Lola Montez and just googled a couple of bits I couldn't remember from the book, only to find that several of the "facts" were inaccurate. Her birthplace? Wrong. Her date of birth? Wrong. The title and subject matter of a book she wrote? Wrong. I haven't attempted to verify any of the information in the other sections, but it stands to reason that if two minutes googling showed up the amount of inaccuracies that it did, it's likely a) that there are other mistakes that I missed, and b) that there are probably ones in the other sections as well.

The hillarious thing is the description: "filled with delicious details born of impeccable research". Impeccable? Really?

Three of the biographies are rather short - around 50 pages - and it is hard to get any kind of an accurate picture of someone in such a short space, particularly when much of the text was filler. That is not to say these mini bios weren't interesting, just that they were more synopsis than anything else. The other two were longer, perhaps as there was more information available. Unfortunately in the case of the section on Marie Walewska, this added length showed up the author's unexceptional writing skill. For a biography of Walewska, there were pages on end which did not mention her at all. There was so much extraneous material. Yes, we needed some basic information on Napoleon to place the story. But at some point the author* forgot she was writing about Walewska and started writing Napoleon's life story. This information was off-topic and irrelevant and although the section on Walewska was almost three times the length of the shorter sections, there actually wasn't a great deal more information on her.

Cupid and the King was mildly enjoyable, but evidently inaccurate and averagely written. If it's already sitting on your shelf then by all means read it, but definitely don't go out of your way to buy it.

NB: I read the updated 2006 version.

*I refuse to call her "Princess Michael". What, she doesn't have a name of her own? Surely she has some identity other than "Prince Michael's wife" for god's sake.

[MURIELLE ⚽️U Boyo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author is the biggest racist from the Royal Family. She bought two Black Sheep and named them venus and Serena Williams. She wears blackmoor brooch which fetishize images of slavery.


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.harp...

[₵oincidental Ðandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully, nearly flawlessly written; thoroughly researched (& age-old assumptions long taken for facts, corrected); abundantly rich in (fascinating) details. Succinctly put, it's everything any good biography ought to be. Well done & entirely enjoyable.

[Ratna Srivastava · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well researched, detailed and delightfully intreseting book giving a sneak peek into the intimate lives of those God-like high and mighty royals and their enigmatic love-interests that people in those days regarded with such awe.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading about these women and their lives

[Claire Biggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well researched book of 5 famous mistresses, a good insight into the early lives of the ladies and what became of them in later life

[Katelyn DeMello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good read! I enjoyed the first half better than the last half! Id enjoy something on Louis XIV's mistress's more than Edward VII

[Jill H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book about the women who often shaped the rule of Kings and Princes....all of whom any reader of history recognizes. Of the five women who appear in this book, two probably actually loved their paramours (the Pompadour and Marie Walewska) and three (Nell Gwyn, Lola Montez, and Lillie Langtry) were opportunists and basically high priced prostitutes. The early years in the life of the royal courts of Great Britain and the Continent were based on gaining favor and position through any means and these women took advantage of their beauty, and in some cases, wit, to wield power over the reigning monarch. The taking of a mistress by the King was condoned in most cases by society and had to be accepted by the monarch's wife however painful it may have been. It was a dance of manners and morals and these women held center stage, some for many years and some very briefly.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. I know there is some controversy around the author so I am cautious of that when I read her work. The instances that she chose were interesting and I was fascinated by the women and relationships they had with their kings. I think the Lola story was not so much of a romantic story as most people seem to believe but she took an unbiased approach which I liked. Though I didn't like the inclusion of Marie and Napoleon as there seems to be justification of how he treats her which I really don't think there is. He raped her. Simple as that.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this author more than I probably should. She's always a little biased in favor of her subjects and leaves out quite a bit of info that rounds out there character and would make her books that much better. Still, she has a gossipy tone and revels in details that appeal to the tabloid lover in me. I've read biographies of several of the women profiled in this book that are better, but the book is still an enjoyable read.

[Nina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book to determine if Princess Michael of Kent could write. Conclusion - not really, but it is definitely readable - an account of five paramours of different European monarchs (Madame de Pompadour, Lola Montez, Marie Walewsksa, Nell Gwynn, Diane de Poitiers) - but it does not shed any new light on their lives. It's simply a rehashing of other biographers' accounts.

[Grumpylibrarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is pretty repetitive (literally, in many sections) and HRH Princess Michael of Kent seems to stretch the reality of these relationships to suit her thesis.

It was interesting, but I don't really believe it was historically accurate or intelligent. That said, I bought it for 1GBP, so it was a good enough deal.

[Karishma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was easy to read, and informative - because when I read the book, I was clueless about the royal mistresses of any nation, and this book gave me a glimpse into that life.

I have always been fond of biographies after reading this book, and therefore I remember it with more pleasure than it is due.

[Mark Gaulding · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Princess certainly has the credentials of perspective to write about the subject. Very good book. I'm a anglophile, royal-phile and obsessed with famous courtesans, so this was a perfect fit. I was very pleasantly surprised with the author's abilities.

[Francheska Gonzales · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great look into the concubines of the past. Stories of five brave and at sometimes devious women and their struggle to keep the love and power of their king. I would definitely say if you enjoy learning about history especially from these era's then this is a good read.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's kind of hilarious that Charles II added his many illegitimate sons to the rolls of British nobility as Dukes. Now every time I read a regency romance with a Duke in it, I'm going to be wondering if he's descended from one of Charles' bastards.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such engaging stories about the lovers of the most famous Kings. Powerfully written, engrossing to read... Keen to reread it!

[susmita · Rating 4 out of 5]

mistresses,love,lies,betrayal, all sum up... a typical historical book dealing with the the then monarchs... i was not surprised though.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too long Too much info