America’s Forgotten Heiresses

Bringing Royalty To The US

The United States was ostensibly founded on the rejection of the rule of royalty. Despite this, many Americans over the centuries have married into royal families and brought something of the royal lifestyle to American shores. Here are some of the more interesting heiresses from the last 100 or so years.

Constance Le Bailly De La Falaise

The first on this list of many actors to marry into royalty, Constance Bennett was a star of film, radio, television, and stage. She was one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood in the early 1930s. Bennett was married five times, and it was her third husband, a French nobleman, that earned her her title.

Constance Bennett Publicity Image in black dress RKO, Wikimedia Commons

Lady Charles Cavendish

Adele Astaire Douglass was a dancer, singer, and stage actress. She and her younger brother Fred (yes, that Fred Astaire) were hugely successful stage performers on Broadway and in London’s West End. While in Britain, Adele met and married Lord Charles Cavendish, becoming the Duchess of Devonshire.

Adele Astaire aboard an ocean liner Bain News Service, Wikimedia Commons

Princess Alexis Mdivani

Barbara Hutton was born one of the wealthiest women in the world, thanks to the fortune of her father Frank Woolworth. Of her seven marriages, four were to men of noble descent, though famed actor Cary Grant is likely the most well-known of her spouses.

Barbara Hutton On A Ship Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Elizabeth De La Poer Beresford

Known as an author and socialite in the early 20th Century, Elizabeth Drexel wrote two novels that exposed some of the darker sides of the glamorous life in the Gilded Age. Her third marriage was to the 5th Baron Decies and Elizabeth became the Right Honourable Baroness Decies.

Elizabeth Wharton Drexel in lace dress Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

Geraldine Lindsay-Hogg

A multi-award-winning actor, Geraldine Fitzgerald was born in Ireland but moved to New York and Broadway in 1938. Success on stage led to a film career. Geraldine married Sir Edward Lindsay-Hogg in 1936, though the couple divorced 10 years later. Their son Michael is famous for having directed some of The Beatles’ early promotional films.

Geraldine Fitzgerald and son Michael Lindsay-Hogg aged 3 in 1944 Marie Hansen (1918–1969), Wikimedia Commons

Wallis Windsor

A controversial figure in the history of the British Royal Family, Wallis Simpson was the wife of King Edward VIII. Simpson was a divorcée when she met and fell in love with the King, a fact that caused great scandal in Britain. Edward eventually abdicated the throne in order to be with Simpson, making his brother George king.

Wallis Simpson in black shirt Attributed to Angelo Laviosa, Wikimedia Commons

Virginia Child-Villiers

Virginia Cherrill was an American actress in the early days of sound films. Her big break was in Charlie Chaplin’s 1931 film City Lights, in which she played the role of a blind flower girl. After leaving acting, Cherill married numerous times. Her fourth marriage was to George Child-Villiers, through which she became Countess of Jersey.

Virginia Cherrill in City Lights Promo Still United Artists., Wikimedia Commons

Princess Artchil Gourielli-Tchkonia

Helena Rubenstein was an American businesswoman who founded the Helena Rubenstein Incorporated cosmetics company. Running this company resulted in her becoming one of the world’s richest women in the early 20th Century. She married Prince Artchil, although his claim to royalty was disputed by some and seen as a publicity stunt for the company by others.

Helena Rubenstein in coat and a hat Bain News Service, Wikimedia Commons

History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.

The Honorable Mrs Cecil Howard

Frances Drake was an actor and dancer in the early days of Hollywood. She is best known for her role as Eponine in the 1935 film Les Misérables. In 1939, she married the son of the 19th Earl of Suffolk and retired from acting when her husband came into his inheritance.

Frances Drake in silk top Margaret Chute, Getty Images

Gene Tierney

One of the great leading ladies of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Gene Tierney came to embody the glamor and sophistication of the era. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Leave Her To Heaven. Her first husband, Oleg Cassini, was descended from a Russian noble family, though the pair eventually divorced in 1952.

A promotional shot of Gene Tierney in patterned shirt Studio Publicity, Wikimedia Commons

Lucy Cotton

Lucy Cotton was a well-regarded film actor in the early days of motion pictures. She had a string of unsuccessful marriages through the Twenties, Thirties, and Forties, ending in 1941 with the Georgian-Russian Prince Vladimir.

Lucy Cotton, standing up in a dress. Bain news, Wikimedia Commons

Oona Chaplin, Lady Chaplin

Oona O’Neill was the fourth wife of acclaimed actor and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin. The 36-year age gap between the two caused a great deal of scandal, including Oona’s estrangement from her father. Chaplin was awarded Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1975, and Oona became Lady Chaplin.

Charlie Chaplin And Oona O'Neill Evers, Joost, Wikimedia Commons

Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness Of Hartington

Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy was a member of the somewhat ill-fated Kennedy family, sister to President John F Kennedy. While working in Britain for the Red Cross, Kick met the Marquess of Hartington, and the two married. Sadly, the Marquess was killed in action only a few months later, while Kick herself passed away in a plane crash in 1948.

Kathleen Cavendish in patterned dress and hat Bettmann, Getty Images

Aline Griffith, The Countess Of Romanones

Aside from having probably the longest name on this list, the Countess of Romanones was a remarkably brave woman. She served in the Office of Strategic Services during WWII and was later a spy for the CIA. She counted among her friends such luminaries as Nancy Reagan, Jackie Kennedy, and Audrey Hepburn.

Aline Griffith, Countess of Romanones in red jacket Images Press, Getty Images

Countess Consuelo Crespi

Born in New York, raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, and introduced as a model in New York in 1945, Consuelo Crespi went on to be editor of both Vogue and Vogue Italia magazines. She met Count Rudolfo Crespi in 1947 and the two were married three months later. She was recognized by the Fashion Hall of Fame for her flawless style.

Consuelo Crespi gets in a convertible car Mondadori Portfolio, Getty Images

Caroline Benn, Viscountess Stansgate

Caroline Middleton DeCamp was born in Cincinnati, Ohio but relocated to Britain in 1948 to study at Oxford University. There, she met Tony Benn who eventually became Viscount Stansgate, though he renounced his title in the mid-1960s. Caroline was well-known for her work in education reform in the UK.

British Labour Party MP Tony Benn with his wife, Caroline (1926 - 2000) Keystone, Getty Images

Patricia Anne Zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst

Patricia “Honeychile” Wilder was a film actress in the late 1930s. She had a close working relationship with Bob Hope in the Thirties, along with some minor roles in films with Buddy Ebsen and Shirley Temple. Her third husband was the son of an Austrian Prince.

Patricia Wilder, a Hollywood film actress signed by RKO Radio Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Virginia Ogilvy, Countess Of Airlie

Born to an American family living in London, Virginia Ryan met David, Lord Ogilvy, at the age of 16. The two were married in 1952 at a wedding that included Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother among the guests. In 1973, Ogilvy became the first American to be named a lady-in-waiting to the Queen.

The Countess of Airlie returns to Buckingham Palace in a carriage robertsharp, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Edith Finch, Countess Russell

Born in New York City, Edith Finch was the fourth wife of noted British writer and public intellectual Bertrand Russell. Bertrand inherited the title of Earl Russell of Kingston Russell when his brother passed away, and Edith was named Countess when she married the British polymath.

Edith Finch and husband in front of a window Baron, Getty Images

Lady Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton

Lady Douglas Hamilton was granted an honorary title even before marrying the Scottish lord who made her part of the nobility. She organized a charity effort in the US during WWII called “Bundles for Britain”, raising money and goods for the beleaguered nation. For her efforts, she was made an honorary Commander of the British Empire at the end of the conflict.

Lady Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton in black outfit Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

Baroness Pauline De Rothschild

This American fashion designer and literary translator was related to some prominent US families and included the famous Pocahontas among her relatives. Her second marriage was to Baron Phillippe de Rothschild, by which she gained her title. Phillippe was a poet and owner of the Château Mouton Rothschild winery in France.

Pauline de Rothschild in white shirt Why Pauline de Rothschild Had the Best Taste, Smithsonian Channel

Countess Mona Von Bismarck-Shönhausen

This American socialite, also known as Mona Bismarck, was the first American to be named “The Best Dressed Woman in the World”. She married five times, and two of her husbands were titled: Count Albrecht and her next spouse Count Umberto de Martini. She later realized both had married her for the money she had inherited from her previous husband Harrison Williams.

Mona von Bismarck seated portrait Bettmann, Getty Images

Princess Caroline Lee Radziwill

Born Caroline Lee Bouvier, the Princess was married three times, gaining her title from her second marriage into a Polish noble family. Caroline was also related by marriage to a family that some might consider American royalty: the Kennedys. Her older sister, Jacqueline, was married to the ill-fated 35th President of the United States, John F Kennedy.

Lee Bouvier Radziwill, 1974 at event Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

Nancy Keith, Lady Keith

A noted socialite and fashion icon in the Fifties and Sixties, Nancy “Slim” Keith gained her title, that of “baroness”, in her third marriage to Kenneth Keith, Baron Keith of Castleacre. Keith was part of the American “Jet Set”, and knew such notable Hollywood icons as Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, and Clark Gable.

Howard Hawks With Slim Hal McAlpin, Wikimedia Commons

Barbara Bach, Lady Starkey

Actor and model Barbara Bach has become titled twice in her life. Her first title, “countess”, came after her marriage to Augusto, Count Gregorini di Savignano di Romagna, though the couple divorced in 1975. In 1981, she married Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and became Lady Starkey after Starr was knighted in 2018.

Barbara Bach - 1978 United Artists, Wikimedia Commons

Barbara Carrera

A hard-working film and television actor, Barbara Carrera is perhaps best known for playing an enemy spy in the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again. Her first marriage, in 1966, was to Otto Kurt Freiherr von Hoffman, from which she gained the title “baroness”. The couple divorced in 1972.

Screenshot of Never Say Never Again (1983) TaliaFilm II Productions, Never Say Never Again (1983)

Linda McCartney, Lady McCartney

A famed photographer and member of the band Wings, Linda McCartney was also famously the wife of Beatles member Paul McCartney. An animal rights activist and vegetarian, Linda became Lady Linda when her husband was knighted in 1997 for services to music.

Paul And Linda Mccartney Wings Over America 1976 Capitol Records, Wikimedia Commons

“Mama Cass” Elliot

“Mama Cass” Elliot was one-quarter of the Sixties stars The Mamas and the Papas, but she tragically passed away from a heart attack at the age of 32. She was known for her amazing voice. In 1971, Elliot entered into a short-lived union with Donald von Wiedenman, heir to a Bavarian barony, though the couple divorced after only a few months.

Mama Cass singer in feather scarf RCA Records, Wikimedia Commons

Baroness Jenna De Rosnay

A world-record holding windsurfer, Jenna Severson became Jenna de Rosnay in 1981 when she married Arnaud Louis Fromet de Rosnay, a French noble. The pair loved windsurfing, though Arnaud tragically went missing in 1984 attempting to surf from China to Taiwan. Jenna was inducted into the Speedsailing hall of fame in 2010.

Portrait of Jenna de Rosnay, April 11, 1986 Alexis DUCLOS, Getty Images

Mary Eccles, Viscountess Eccles

Mary Eccles was a renowned book collector before marrying into nobility. She was known for amassing one of the largest private collections of 18th-century literature with her first husband, Donald Hyde. Eccles married David Eccles, 1st Viscount Eccles in 1984 and gained the title Viscountess Eccles.

British politician Sir David Eccles Baron, Getty Images

Bette Midler

Beloved by millions for her musical and acting careers, the divine Bette Midler is also related to an aristocratic family. The star married performer Martin von Haselberg, a comedy performer who descends from a German noble family. The pair married in 1984 and are still together to this day.

Bette Midler (1990) Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Jamie Lee Curtis, Baroness Haden-Guest

Just when you thought Jamie Lee Curtis couldn’t get any more interesting. Yes, that Jamie Lee Curtis, famous for the Halloween franchise and acknowledged “scream queen” is also a baroness. Her husband, filmmaker Christopher Guest, inherited the title from his father, though Curtis does not use the title.

Jamie Lee Curtis and husband, Christopher Guest - 1990 Vicki L. Miller, Shutterstock

Laura Harring

Laura Harring is best known to US audiences for her starring role in David Lynch’s surreal look at the film industry Mulholland Drive. Harring has had numerous other film and television roles. She married Count Carl-Eduard in 1987, just as her acting career was beginning, and the couple divorced only two years later.

Laura Harring in black top Laura Harring, Wikimedia Commons

Luann De Lesseps

A famed reality star, Luann de Lesseps featured in the first 13 seasons of the Bravo television series The Real Housewives of New York City. De Lesseps married French Count Alexandre de Lesseps in 1993, sometime before her reality television stardom. The couple divorced in 2009, and Luann lost her countess title some years later when she remarried.

LuAnn de Lesseps attends Bella New York magazine's beauty cover launch Ron Adar, Shutterstock

Stephanie Powers

The Countess is better known to American audiences as actress Stephanie Powers. Among many other roles, she starred in the mystery show Hart to Hart from 1979 to 1984. Powers married French aristocrat de La Chesnais in 1993, though the couple divorced in 1999. Along with her acting credentials, Powers has long been involved in wildlife conservation.

Stephanie Powers 1998 in blue sweater Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Martha Sharp Von Bülow

Martha Sharp von Bülow, also known as “Sunny”, married Prince Alfred von Auersperg in 1957. The Auerspergs were an Austrian princely family, though an impoverished one with the collapse of the Austrian Empire. After their divorce, Sunny married Claus von Bülow, who was later accused of poisoning her with insulin. The hypoglycemic Sunny spent the last 20 years of her life in a vegetative coma before passing away in 2008.

Countess Sunny Von Bulow at home Fairchild Archive, Getty Images

Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess Of Greece

Despite the Greek monarchy being abolished in 1973, former members of the family still use their royal titles. Crown Prince Pavolos married Marie-Chantal Miller in 1994. A year later, she took the title “Her Royal Highness” though the title has no legal standing in Greece. Marie-Chantal is also a recognized Danish Princess.

Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess Of Greece Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Alexandra Natasha Von Fürstenberg

Alexandra von Fürstenberg began life as Alexandra Miller, daughter of American entrepreneur Robert Warren Miller. She pursued a career in design, starting with the firm run by her mother-in-law, Diane von Fürstenberg, and then branching out to begin her own line of acrylic furniture design. She and Prince Alexander married in 1995 and divorced in 2002.

Alexandra Miller her father Robert Miller at her wedding Ron Galella, Getty Images

The Princess Of Monaco

Grace Kelly was a kind of royalty even before marrying Prince Rainier III in 1956. The actress was renowned for her stunning good looks and had won both an Academy Award and Golden Globes for her film work. She featured prominently in three films by noted suspense director Alfred Hitchcock and won her Oscar for the adventure film Mogambo.

Sadly, however, Kelly's fairy tale romance came at a high cost. Prince Rainier did not want his future wife to be entrenched in Hollywood, so the actress was forced to give up her life in the limelight. Many were disappointed when the Prince announced that 1956's High Society would be the Princess' last moment on screen.