Blackmail and scandal at the heart of the Court

Festival regular Mary Lister is back this year with another illustrated talk, this time about blackmail and scandals at the heart of the Court.

Mary was left five volumes of loose letters to her great great-grandmother Theresa Lister/Lewis. Theresa’s father George Villiers was a favourite of George the Third, and her mother, Theresa Villiers, was close friends with the princesses, especially Amelia. Theresa grew up surrounded by suppressed scandal and secrets. There were rumours that she herself was the love child of Princes Amelia and General Fitzroy. Theresa was her favourite ‘adopted’ child or was she?