The Story of Betsy Patterson Bonaparte

[@lucindadavis9507]

Three years ago, I met a French couple on a train platform in Portugal and in the course of chatting with them, told them the story of Betsy Patterson Bonaparte. They were very interested and surprised-- they had never heard of her and wanted to know more-- I pulled up websites and was showing them photos of Patterson Park on my phone. I wish I would have had this vlog-- it would have been perfect!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

That's so cool that you got to tell Betsy's story! I love that. ❤️

[@ms.donaldson2533]

Betsy's father was VERY upset that Jerome came and spent all kinds of money in Baltimore and left without paying his debts. It's a great local story. I was the Director at Loudon Park Cemetery and shared the Bonaparte story many times. Much love Lady Bmore History

[@ronaldcammarata3422]

What should also be noted here is that Betsy had a sister-in-law, Mary Caton Patterson, from Mary's first marriage to Betsy's brother, Robert. After Robert died, Mary married Englishman Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, and brother of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. In other words, two Ametican sisters-in-law from Baltimore,Maryland, Elizabeth Patterson and Mary Caton, were at various times the wives of the brothers of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte, opponents at the battle of Waterloo. So there!

[@therealkenj98]

I am hollering at that side writing “Jerome is also having wig issues” 😂😂💀

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Always happy to make fun of Jerome if it gets a laugh! 😂

[@tapsars7911]

Why blame Napoleon Bonaparte when Jerome was a bloody spineless weakling ?? She was absolutely right in calling him a goose . Such men are not worthy of keeping as a groomsman , let alone be respected as a husband . It is very sad that her father also treated her so miserably but I guess he suffered a lot too because of his daughter's actions .

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

"Bloody spineless weakling" is a great way to describe Jerome. He is *not* my favorite person, in case you can't tell. ;) Her father did feel like he'd suffered a lot because of her impulsive nature and her refusal to remarry. I don't think he understood that she simply wouldn't have been happy with the so-called "normal" life for a woman at the time - husband, kids, being a prim and proper society matron. I'd like to think that if they lived in modern times, they'd have gotten along better.

[@keinedaten1640]

@@TheGirlintheTiara I wrote a comment yesterday, but something went wrong. So again, but unfortunatly not with the HP anymore (it was german anyway). The "bloody spineless weakling" gave more equal rights to the jews in his kingdom than even his brother thought to be okay and they had differences about it. Unfortunatly the rights did not last after he lost his power. Jerome might not have been the ideal husband and probably had his mistakes, but not everything in his life was bad. He was the president of the french Senate later, when his nephew reigned as Napoleon III. and I read that he had a moderating influence on him. He made a mistake when he was very young....okay. But we all make mistakes, we all are weak at times or make the wrong decisions. And let's be honest: Miss Patterson could have had a less bitter life if she would not have chosen to live in the past instead off going on with her life.

[@destinyclark4133]

@@keinedaten1640 He was just a bum who cared more about spending money and and sleeping around than standing by his wife and child. The fact that he gave into Napoleons bribery should speak volumes about who he was as a person, Especially considering they weren’t married in France, they wed in America where people back then could be married as early as 17, which makes the “illegal marriage” argument absolutely ridiculous. And him treating the Jews nicely obviously didn’t stop him from being overthrown because he was a selfish shopaholic who never tried to improve the lives of his people or even interact with them like a good monarch should. There is a huge difference between making mistakes and just being an @$$ of a person, but you seem to be confusing the two.

[@keinedaten1640]

@@destinyclark4133 Wow....you seem to be very angry. I do not confuse anything, but I seem to know the history of my country better than you. People are not just bad or good. You seem to judge him according to the one story in his life, that he did wrong. If he was such a @$$ of a person: why did his second wife the Princess of Württemberg insisted of staying with him after he lost his throne and her family wanted her to divorce him? After all it was not her choice to marry him, but a political move of her father. He behaved bad to his first wife, he was not even faithful to his second one as far as I know, but he must have had good sides, too. Otherwise the princess would not have insisted of staying with him and he did do good things in politics. About "did not stop him from being overthrown"....you are not European, are you? Every substitute king of Napoleon was overthrown, when Napoleon lost his power. That is not the point. The point is that he did good things in his life, too, even against the will of his brother. Judge others as you want to be judged yourself: If you want to be blamed all of your life and even long after your death by one stupid thing you did when you were young: okay. If you believe that you never can change and will always be like you have been when you were a young girl, not gaining any wisdom or insight ....okay. Than be like you are here: call people names and decide that they are only bad. Judge them according to standards that might have been different to their point of time and dont give a sh**** about anything good they might have done in their life. Feel free. I for myself decided that I dont want to be a bitter person like that. I want to see more than just one bad decision in a persons life and respect their good ones, too. Have a nice day. :-)

[@sharonisaac445]

Never knew we had American Bonaparte, very interesting story, great job. Thank you 😊

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you very much! Yes, isn't it fun knowing we have our own piece of Bonaparte history? Someday I really want to go visit Betsy's grave in Baltimore just to say hi. :)

[@patchandsnyderplus561]

@@TheGirlintheTiara this was so great I’ve been Researching about willam Patterson and came across this video and since I live in Maryland I’ve visited there graves

[@judikingsman6132]

I enjoy your light hearted presentation of history. You make it easy to remember stuff 😁.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@pattyj4298]

I just discovered your channel! BRAVO! Love, love, LOVE !!!!!!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you so much - I'm very glad you're here! ❤️

[@lf3541]

I feel like this story would translate well, especially for women. Maybe I am feeling nostalgic, but it really reminded me of my girlfriends when we were younger. As always, I appreciate the detailed content you bring to the story. I felt like I was sitting at a local, trendy café table with a couple of close girlfriends, having lunch. Excitable girls, laughing and all talking at once, exchanging information and getting the dirty details on our satellite friend who seemingly married well....only to find out later that things weren't as they appeared! Doesn't every group of female friends have that one girl who somehow has EVERYTHING come so easy? Don't we always find out long after the fact that there was so much more than meets the eye happening there? See? Now I'm writing MY own story, lol. I really enjoyed this one. Thank you!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you so much! Betsy's story felt so real to me, too. I've definitely had that one friend who seems to have it sooo easy. And I've definitely had that one guy who broke my heart but who I obsessed over for years, even after knowing he was a jerk. This story could be happening right now to anyone you know...just replace the royal part with a successful businessman or politician, and voila. That's why I had to tell you her story. It's proof that history isn't so far away from us. And you *nailed* the entire vibe I'm going for with these videos...I wanted them to be just like a champagne brunch with your girlfriends. I'm so glad that's how they feel. Thank you for making my day. :)

[@jewelsauls3103]

Great video! I've been fascinated with her for years and have always been surprised how little she is remembered. I inherited my grandmother's sterling silver flatware. My grandmother was married in 1920. The name of her pattern? Betsy Patterson (Engraved) by Kirk Steiff. I've always imagined that Betsy Patterson must have been known as a style icon to have silverware named after her!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Oh, wow! I'm going to go look up that flatware pattern right now. That's so cool. I think Betsy would have liked being remembered as a style icon. She sure had no trouble flaunting it, at least when she was young. So glad you enjoyed the video! :)

[@jilledmondson6894]

@@TheGirlintheTiara Just looked up the pattern and it is pretty.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

@@jilledmondson6894 It is! I love the flower at the bottom of each piece - especially the big one on the bottom of the knife. A bit out of my price range, though...

[@dv6800]

It is a beautiful pattern and valuable. An 8 place setting of 77 pieces (c1932) of Betsy Patterson sells for $4650. Make sure whoever you leave it to, knows it’s history and cost as well as it’s sentimental value!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

@@dv6800 That's a great suggestion! There are some trinkets in my family that my mom has already pointed out to my sister and I so that we know their history, why they're important, and whether they're worth anything. I'm grateful her mom did that for her, and now she's done it for us. No Betsy Bonaparte silverware among those trinkets, unfortunately. :)

[@zenosgrasshopper]

Just found your channel. Never expected I would enjoy biographies of royal women. Great narration, interesting and pertinent illustrations, and intriguing stories. New subscriber.

[@TBullCajunbreadmaker]

Since I am an avid history student and have been all of my life I am so glad I happened upon your channel. I find your grace refreshing in the method of transmitting the wonderful information. Most of this stuff I hadn't heard yet, but some I have. Even that being said I like your style. I hope to subscribe and continue your teachings. Thanks!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you very much! I'm so glad you're here. It's fun hearing from other people who love history, too. I eat, sleep, and breathe history...except for the 8 hours that belong to the day job, of course. ;)

[@tarbhnathrac]

There's so much more information revealed in the comments about this intriguing lady ... from a flatware pattern named for her to a book of her letters to a movie to identification of the house she lived in. There must also be mention of her in N. Bonaparte's sister's and mother's diaries or letters after having met them. Maybe do a vlog update about her?

[@annekeyoungs5752]

I would love for you to put a video together about Desiree or Eugénie Clary, the first fiancé of a Napoleon who lived in Marseille. She is kind of like Betsy, in that she was put aside by Napoleon himself. He left her for Josephine de Beauharnais.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

I'll put Desiree on the list! She's interesting because of where she ended up...I've been wanting to cover someone in the Swedish royal family for awhile, since it overlaps with a couple of my later research subjects. :)

[@amethystanne4586]

There is a novel entitled, “Desiree” written by Annamarie Selinko. It is very good. I read it every couple of years, starting when I was in high school in the early 1970’s.

[@annekeyoungs5752]

@@amethystanne4586 i wonder if it is the same one I read when I was in high school? I also read the book several times. I don’t remember the name of the author. Could be the same one...

[@amethystanne4586]

@@annekeyoungs5752 was the story told from the viewpoint of a young girl’s perspective? These was also a movie based on the book. I think Marlon Brando played the part of Napoleon.

[@annekeyoungs5752]

@@amethystanne4586 yes, that is the one. I was intrigued by this story as a teenager. It was indeed made into a movie with Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons

[@loralouise3865]

Just discovered your channel! It’s simply wonderful and I will have to binge watch all of your videos! Thanks!

[@mississippimud7046]

I didn't realise how hungry I was for history ,my complements to the chef 😉

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you very much! Always happy to meet others out there who are hungry for history. Personally, I crave a whole smorgasbord. ;)

[@D-Maulish]

Re: The book you're looking for... According to "Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte: An American Aristocrat in the Early Republic" by Charlene M. Boyer Lewis, "...Letters, her will, and envelope covers all point to the existence of extensive European travel journals, lengthy memoirs that were prepared for possible publication, and a work she entitled 'Dialogues of the Dead' (and described as conversation between Jerome and her father in hell). All of these writings are missing from the manuscript collections that her grandson donated to the Maryland Historical Society after her death." Maybe they would have more information about where the diaries come from? Looks like it'll be hard to track 'Dialogues' down, unfortunately.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you for this! :) My guess is the family kept her diaries, memoirs, and other manuscripts intentionally separate from the material they knew they'd let historians access. The main source I used was a biography published by the Maryland Historical Society (written by Helen Jean Burn), and it didn't offer any more info on this. If their chosen writer didn't learn more about these materials, my guess is no one knows (or is sharing). I'll keep asking around, but I don't hold out much hope for reading 'Dialogues' anytime soon. Boo.

[@pumpupjam9648]

The house she bought still stands up in Baltimore County, MD. It was called the White House, and it looked like the newly built White House, in Washington D.C. Now that place was sold a few years back and I believe it is a temple now for a religious group. You can find it off of Harford Road, near a small town called Kingsville, Maryland. Some of the smaller roads below the property are called Bonaparte.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thanks so much for sharing that with me! Hopefully later this year I'll get a chance to go over there and take some pictures. I'd love to have pictures of any road signs that say "Bonaparte." :)

[@swcomment5542]

I know that house well.

[@peggyryan2851]

This was wonderful. As decades of studying history has just whetted my appetite it was very satisfying. Unique style. Thank you.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you - I'm so glad you liked it! :)

[@jenniferwilson9809]

I absolutely love the way you tell history! You make it fun,intriguing and lively! Thank you! The best subscription I have added in a long time. Way to go lady! Sorry about all the exclamation points!.....I'm excited I found your chanel!

[@thomasodonnell9221]

Grew up in the Baltimore area, where I am now retired. Betsy Bonaparte's story is fascinating. As soon as this virus is over, will search for her book. Thanks so much for this video. Never knew about the art gallery incident.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

You're very welcome! For me, that art gallery incident just cuts to the core of Betsy's story. Once it's safe to travel, I want to head up to Baltimore and visit her grave. Seems only right to tell her I admire her independence and determination. :)

[@MagdaleneDivine]

Oh hey that's my ex boyfriend in a past life. Weak willed and a ghoster. Some things never change.

[@kathigortman4074]

Good one 😁💞

[@MagdaleneDivine]

@@kathigortman4074 its true tho

[@kathigortman4074]

Yep!🌺

[@MagdaleneDivine]

@@kathigortman4074 he's.literally still calling my house and hanging up lol like omg

[@kimmccabe1422]

Lol. She should gave taken the money. I just hope her son didnt look like the father

[@daphnefoster1165]

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Thank you.

[@annakerr7045]

Thank you for your videos and stories. Women I never heard off before. Loved them all. You have a lovely voice. To keep listeners interested in the stories of these brave women. Thank you again. Keep up the good work. 😉

[@Sassafras30]

Love your history lessons!

[@stefaniaponitz5738]

Wow she was 94 years old. Amazing!!

[@mochalattemiss]

This was FABULOUS! You tell a grand story! I bet that the Library of Congress has a copy of this book, and/or perhaps the University of Maryland Library.

[@DeSw23]

I saw the exhibition about her at the Maryland Historical Society a few years ago and she was so tiny. They had the infamous dress on display.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Oh, I wish I'd seen that! I pictured her as tiny, but our "tiny" and early 19th century "tiny" are two different things. I'm 5'4" and I barely fit through some of the the doorways in the California missions (18th and 19th century).

[@laurel1865]

I live in md and would love to see the dress!!!

[@marilynmckenzie2111]

another great story and piece of history!

[@MLPH09]

I find your videos very in lightning and I love history so I really love these videos keep on the good work

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you - I'm so glad you like them! :)

[@kildareire]

Rewatching all your videos as I am missing your content. Please make more soon. 👍🙏

[@annekeyoungs5752]

Wow, I never heard of her and I consider myself a Napoleonic scholar. I have been interested in Napoleon since a teenager and I read Desiree, another forgotten woman, who was engaged to Napoleon, and was stood up by him. She finally became queen of Sweden though and fared better than Betsy. Great video!!!!!!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

For sure, Desiree did fare better than Betsy...which makes me start thinking about why that is. I don't know enough about Desiree yet, but was she maybe she was less ambitious? Or maybe she wasn't as in love with Napoleon as Betsy was with Jerome? Or maybe Betsy was just more stubborn, and Desiree was better at adapting and going with the flow. Now I'm looking forward to researching this! Thanks for the suggestion. :)

[@annekeyoungs5752]

@@TheGirlintheTiara Desiree married one of Napoleons marshals who became king of Sweden later on. So, she got over Napoleon........both of them supposedly met a few times after Napoleon had become emperor and he seemed to always have a soft spot in his heart for her, but she clearly moved on.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

@@annekeyoungs5752 Aww, I like that he had a soft spot for her. I hope that's true! Good for her for moving on. After Elba and Waterloo, I imagine she congratulated herself on making a smart choice. :)

[@keinedaten1640]

@@TheGirlintheTiara I hope anneke is not referring to the novel "Desiree" by Annemarie Selinko. It is written like a diary, but it is not historically correct and Desiree is portrayed nicer than she was, from what I know. That novel was very successful (including a movie with Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons) and a lot of people - including myself - got interested in the life of Desiree because of it. But it is difficult to get incorrect information out of the memory and the book is unfortunatly not a good book for history lessons. I doubt that Napoleon had a soft spot for her. He claimed in his memories that he was the godfather of her son, but he was in Egypt during that time and the swedish king (Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte) denied it. It is much more likely that her brother-in-law Joseph Bonaparte was his godfather, like the family says.

[@thehappyflapper]

There is a book published in German of her letters that I found - - Briefe Der Madame Jerôme Bonaparte (Elisabeth Patterson) can be purchased online if you read German

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Oh, that's fantastic - thank you for this! I'm going to order it. I don't read German yet, but I have a dorky workaround that's worked pretty well so far. I can't wait to read this.

[@gerrymccartney3561]

Betsy was feisty in the best possible way.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Absolutely! I admire her tenacity. She knew what she wanted and she refused to let anyone intimidate her. I mean, Napoleon...the dude rearranging the entire map of Europe. She didn't back down. That just blows me away.

[@deborahchapman222]

Loved the story and its presentation. I am definitely subscribing. 💗

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you so much - I'm so glad you like these videos! ❤️

[@ladyagnes7781]

Her life is portrayed by Dolores Costello in the 1928 film "Glorious Betsy". The film exists....I have seen it.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Oh, thank you so much for that information! Turns out, there's a copy of that film here on KZbin: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppyVqH14gJelidU&ab_channel=robertfells Guess what I'll be doing for the next hour and twenty minutes... 😍

[@ladyagnes7781]

I believe I got a DVD of it through Grapevine Video. The , as I remember, gives Betsy more of a win & makes Bonaparte less of a rat than in the real story.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

@@ladyagnes7781 I love that you described Jerome as a rat. That made me laugh! 😂

[@Odanti]

I too just found you. I loved your video about Betsy Bonaparte. I like your sense of humor. 🤗

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you! I'm so glad you liked the humor. Sometimes that doesn't go over well, but there are already so many serious history videos out there...I wanted to have a little fun. 😊

[@zwijntje3010]

I discovered your channel yesterday, and now I'm looking for more vids !!! They're so beautiful, I thought I knew a lot off monarchs, but you're stunning, Tiara Girl !!! It's really fantastic all the things you know. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, from Holland with love 😘👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you so much! I have a big smile on my face right now because of you. I'm so glad you're enjoying the videos. It's not that I actually know so much about royalty - it's more that I like asking questions and then doing the research to answer them. I'm a nerd who likes doing homework! Greetings to everyone in Holland. ❤️

[@MM-gi3yc]

Your voice is so calming, its ASMR to me!

[@sundotjolangot9937]

Despite every hurt she suffered from the men of the Bonapartes, Betsy seemed never to have felt much resentment towards the family. She met Letizia (Napoleon's mother) and Pauline (Napoleon's sister) in Rome after Napoleon's fall, and found both former imperials to be very fond of her son with Jerome, even offering to provide financial assistance to mother and child, should they need it. They even offered her to have her son marry Joseph's daughter, allowing her son to have a stake in the imperial claim. Sadly, Joseph rejected the notion, and Bo, her son, instead chose to marry a fellow American, which ironically disappointed Betsy. Over the following years, she would often ruminate and hope for a return of the Bonapartes to the French throne, writing to her friend at the ascendance of Napoleon III: "The emperor hurled me back on what I most hated on earth - my Baltimore obscurity; even that shock could not divest me of the admiration I felt for [Napoleon's] genius and glory. I have ever been an imperial Bonaparte quand même, and I do feel enchanted at the homage paid by six millions of voices to his memory, in voting an imperial president." She was a long suffering woman, who proved to be far abler than her former spouse, that even Napoleon regretted the entire affair.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thanks for sharing that quote - it reveals a lot about how Betsy felt about the Bonaparte family (aside from Jerome). I'm not surprised she got along with them. She seemed to have an innate sense for what we now call public relations - she never indulged in the kind of scandalous behavior and schemes that Napoleon's sisters engaged in. Even decades later, she knew her behavior reflected on the Bonaparte family, which she clearly considered herself a part of.

[@annfisher3316]

Lovely story, well told. Thank you! 🕊

[@SupermarketQueen]

Fascinating story! Would make a good film

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

You're right! I could see this as a movie, a limited series (on Netflix maybe), or even a Broadway musical.

[@bethroesch2156]

Second video of yours I've watched and I'm glad I found you. Subbed and I hit the 👍 and the 🔔❤️

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're here. :)

[@marinazagrai1623]

I just looked up her name, and apparently there was a special amendment created due to her special situations - "Titles of Nobility",as she was acquainted with Jefferson (as it appears from what I found). I will try to find that book.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Yes, I read something about that - what a way to go down in history! She also knew Elisa Monroe, daughter of future president James Monroe. While Monroe was the American ambassador to France, Elisa went to school with Hortense Beauharnais, Empress Josephine's daughter from her first marriage. While Betsy was in London after giving birth, she asked Elisa to try to get messages to Jerome through Hortense. Elisa delivered the messages to Hortense, but for whatever reason, it doesn't look like Jerome ever got them (or he just never responded).

[@timothyhopkins6960]

That was absolutely wonderful.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you so much - I'm glad you liked meeting Betsy! ❤️

[@princekrazie]

I would have loved seeing the wedding dress..... Sounds delightful🥰

[@zeldasmith6154]

Fascinating. Life is short.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

It is! I admire Betsy for her tenacity, but I also wish she could have moved on and tried to find some happiness.

[@tamarakindle73]

New to the channel and I really love everything your doing!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you so much - I'm glad I can entertain you! :)

[@jennifermckeithen1498]

There was an episode of BBC's Horatio Hornblower called "Duty," which featured Jerome and Betsy trying to escape to the US. Our hero fishes them out of the sea and soon discovers their identity. Since our boy, Horatio, was disatisfied with his own marriage, he was all too quick to talk Jerome into doing as Napolean wanted. One of Horatio's darker moments, I have to say!

[@loretta5432]

The picture at 6:30..... LMAO!!! Really captured his features

[@keinedaten1640]

About Katharina of Württemberg, his second wife: that was not a love marriage, but he must have done something right, although he was not faithful. After Napoleon went to exile her family wanted her to divorce Jerome. But she denied that and went with him into exile and stayed with him.

[@mollyschaefer3418]

So fun...this was an EXCELLENT Video! Thank You❤🧡💙

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Oh, thank you - I'm so glad I could entertain you! ❤️

[@vilmacarande-kulis7769]

Excellent videos!!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you so much! :)

[@saibliss7976]

Ouch...that beginning was so nicely done by narrator💔.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you! So glad you liked it. ❤️

[@lizdelisle1912]

Great video! Thanks!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

You're very welcome - I'm so glad you liked it! :)

[@ek7796]

Excellent things I never knew thanks

[@imtryingmybesttolivewell4691]

this lady is straight up a sassy, bougie, and ratchet way before these words were even invented! Marvelous!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Yes! I think Betsy would have been a social media superstar if she'd lived in our time because of those exact qualities.

[@heidibee501]

The feminists should watch these bios. They could learn a great deal from their predecessors who straddled the constraints of the past and twisted them to suit their own wishes and needs. It was a lot harder to make headway back then...but this woman and others like her did it.

[@annierose8099]

Even though it was a sad story of how Betsy was treated, I still like how her life turned out. She didn’t let the pain ruled her. It’s one thing to be related to one of the famous Emperor Napoleon I, it’s sad that the legacy of Bonaparte (in America) ended with Besty’s great-grandson Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte III in 1945.

[@ladyaly864]

She got lucky...Imagine in your old age sleeping with a man who looked like Grandpa Addams from the Addams Family movie...😂🤣😂

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Hahahaha...yeah, Betsy sidestepped that landmine. 😂

[@jamellfoster6029]

LMBO.... His 2nd wife looked like a man... They looked like Bert & Ernie...

[@ccbsnyc]

The Spting 1996 edition of The Journal of the War of 1812 has an interesting article on the American Bonaparte family.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you for the tip! I'll have to go look that up. :)

[@winnieg100]

Very interesting!

[@christineamclearly-halton1581]

Sometime when things in life seem unfair , it’s hard to understand how the positive of our own future can balances the good in the next generation.

[@nycdweller]

The first 1:15 is so sad

[@erracht]

Interesting video. Didn't know Jerome Bonaparte's first wife was American. Just to add a little information, not relevant to this particular story but for the sake of completeness / accuracy, you said that in France, no one under 25 could get married without parental consent. Actually, that applied to men. According to the original version of the French Civil Code (the "Napoleonic" code), the age of majority was 21, but in spite of that, according to article 148, "The son who has not attained the full age of 25 years, the daughter who has not attained the full age of 21 years, cannot contract marriage without the consent of their father and mother; in case of disagreement, the consent of the father is sufficient." Furthermore, even older children were required, prior to getting married, to obtain if possible, "by a respectful and formal act", the ADVICE of their parents on the matter of their marriage. Officers of the civil authority who had neglected to ensure that the consent or advice was obtained prior to solemnizing a marriage could be prosecuted and fined and imprisoned.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thanks for sharing this! I like the idea that even older children had to sit down and listen to their parents' advice. I suppose they didn't have to take it, but at least the parents could be heard. I wonder how many civil authorities were fined and/or prosecuted for failing to ensure this had happened.

[@Charles-hr7vp]

I THINK THIS IS GOOD ENOUGH TO TURNED INTO A TV MOVIE JUST AS IT WAS READ. I'VE NEVER HEARD ABOUT THIS STORY. BUT IT'S GOOD ENOUGH TO BE.... MAYBE A TWO PART TV MOVIE. I REALLY ENJOYED LISTENING AND KNOWING ABOUT BETSY BONAPARTE. AND I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW. THEY WOULD SURELY BE AMAZED!!!! I WAS 😲.

[@igor-yp1xv]

That intro was worthy of Netflix (that's a compliment, by the way).

[@whitewitch32]

Can you do vlog about Countess Maria Walewska

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thanks for the suggestion! I do have a book about her I've been meaning to read. I'll add her to the list. :)

[@whitewitch32]

@@TheGirlintheTiara Isabela Czartoryska is interesting chracter, Jadwiga aka Hedwig Of Poland.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

@@whitewitch32 I've come across the Czartoryski name more than a few times now - I'll look into her!

[@MiniM69]

I visited her gravesite and heard this story. How horrible!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

It is a very sad story - I wish she could have found more happiness. Hopefully I'll be able to visit her gravesite someday, too.

[@zzulm]

Thank you

[@marinazagrai1623]

I'm in awe that this person actually existed! CS Forester, an author who is not very well known wrote a series "Horatio Hornblower" and it is definitely not referring to Horatio Nelson (he explained that in some documents). Anyway, in one of the stories, Horatio (now a commander) finds this boat during a raging storm and who does he find, Betsy and Jerome under an alias because they don't know the British and the French are looking for him. I thought the new bride, Betsy, was a fictional character.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

I remember those books! I saw them at the library when I was a kid. Never read one, but it's cool that Betsy got to make a guest appearance. I think she would have liked knowing she was famous enough to be fictionalized...as long as the depiction was flattering. :)

[@lindahedman3115]

Great!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Thank you very much! :)

[@SassyMa_]

Omg my husband left me bc his brother told him too. 😢

[@meeeka]

Did you try looking for the r book in the Library of Congress?

[@evelyndial2421]

me too would like to have a copy 😄

[@Mrs.TJTaylor]

She wasn’t “in love” with him. She didn’t know him well enough to love him. She was in “lust” with him and had a young girl’s romantic notions. In fact, she’s very lucky that she wasn’t saddled with him for life. Guys like that begin to get on your nerves very quickly and who knows what kind of horrible influence he would have been on their son. This is an object lesson ladies; don’t be in such a hurry, and listen to what your parents have to tell you.

[@Phlowermom]

Abso-f**king-lutely!!! I most heartily concur!!

[@patricialong5767]

Sad story. :( Love may not conquer all, after all.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

That is so true. I wish she could have found a way to get over that painful first love and find another. She deserved better. 💔

[@AEKAskenburne]

What an extraordinary woman!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

She absolutely was...and I wish she had a happier ending for her story.

[@nafiahassan2004]

yeah... she was extraordinarily racist

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

@@nafiahassan2004 I'd like to hear more about this. Can you point me toward some sources? The main source I used, a book published by the Maryland Historical Society, didn't mention anything about race (other than noting that Bo supported the Union during the Civil War).

[@williamegler8771]

@@nafiahassan2004 Can't judge her morals by modern standards.

[@marciomendez4590]

The data of the third marriage of Jerome Bonaparte with Giustina Pecori-Suárez was missing.

[@54leonilda]

Enlightenment

[@MagdaleneDivine]

Oh that's right. The change is he was not the love of my life. He was just a nobody at the end of it all.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Yep, that's absolutely how it happened in my life, too.

[@MagdaleneDivine]

@@TheGirlintheTiara and what happened to them is what happened to him. She's dumpy and he's frumpy and they're both bored shitless of each other. I wouldn't take him back no matter what tho.

[@sarahalbers5555]

@@MagdaleneDivine my ex is 78 on his 4th wife. I am way younger than his current wife and a hella lot skinnier. So there's that.

[@annalisette5897]

A number of decades later, Bessie Wallis Warfield was a Baltimore belle......

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

She was indeed! I had some ancestors in Baltimore, but I think they'd already moved west by the time Betsy was born. I'd have loved to think of them hearing the latest news about Betsy.

[@cynthiarowley719]

Ah, the search for celebrity brought only fleeting happiness.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Not surprising, is it? I think Betsy was searching for a lot of things: love, validation...celebrity probably seemed like a way to get those things.

[@TheCelticSelkie.]

Supposedly the weak-willwd prince in Frozen is based on him.

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Oh, that's interesting! Thanks for adding that little tidbit. I'll have to rewatch Frozen now and look for more evidence of Jerome. :)

[@annaohare8263]

I clicked on this because my daughter name is Betsy and im not disappointed

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

I always liked the name Betsy. You can't judge someone by a name, but for some reason, "Betsy" makes me picture someone fiery and independent (and that's before I knew who Betsy Patterson was). :)

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

She lived long enough to see the SECOND Bonaparte emperor fall from power! "The beak of a goose" ZING!

[@sharonrussell7995]

Interesting

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

I'm glad you enjoyed the story! :)

[@randyhiles3939]

The book you are Iookingfor may be in the taronto archives at the library

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Oh, that would be interesting - thanks for the tip! I'll ask them about it. :)

[@catherinedobbins3630]

I love the story

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

Me too! Except I wish it had a happier ending for Betsy.

[@keinedaten1640]

I think Jerome is portrayed a bit unfair as king. He did not have much to say, because Napoleon wanted the Kingdom of Westphalia to be a model kingdom and Jerome had to do what his brother wanted. On the one hand that meant progress, as the Code Napoleon was installed which brought about the creation of a progressive judicial system, the abolition of the patrimonial courts and the abolition of serfdom and freedom of trade. On the other hand Napoleons constant need of money for wars was an economical disaster for the country. And yes, "König Lustik" (King funny) how he was called (he did not speak german, but would go around and say "lustik, lustik" (funny, funny)spent too much money for his royal houshold, too.

[@neripazreyes2606]

The most romantic beginning...I thought you read my life, before I became dumpy.

[@rosamoreno1147]

I had just seen a message to you here that someone else wrong,commenting on napoleon’s marriage, got curious looked it up, oh boy was he one to talk, but the main one who should had made right was his brother, but now it makes sense because well first her dad commenting if she was sure about him, he obviously see very off to him, and to all fairness she didn’t know him long enough, special when he said one thing and did another, he never made an actual attempt to see her, like that famous movie HE IS NOT THAT INTO YOU, he would have cross oceans, climb mountains etc, he was contempt with the life his bother provided for him, he was never going to accomplish himself

[@ellaeadig263]

I wish this guy lived in our time so we could drag him on social media. We would use hashtags like #TeamBetsy and #JeromeCancelled. We might even go easy on Catherine. This garbage man could not escape all of us. Through our support, Betsy would start a new career hosting a daytime talk show and later a reality TV show. We've got you, Queen Betsy.

[@russiauncensored7788]

Jerome was the soft sweet pretty boy of the Bonaparte family. A spoiled brat with everything given to him because of his older brother's success. He was always told what to do by his parents and older siblings and its reflects in his life. In Napoleon's Russia campaign he constant failed to trap Bagration in concert with Marshal Davout because he would fall behind dozens of miles with his army because he would march so much slower and leisurely than everybody else. A king and general who cant keep pace with privates. (Napoleon went into Russia with 3 or 4 army groups). Napoleon had to place him under Davout's command. Napoleon was so disgusted and embarassed by this behavior by his brother he didnt even want to tell him about being deranked. Davout himself (not a royal) had to tell Jerome himself "your brother put you under me". Soldiers say he literally started crying like a child and went AWOL. Just resigned his post, abandoned the army and Russia campaign, ran back to his kingdom so he could be a spoiled brat king who earned nothing in life. Anything he owned or had was because his brother gave it to him. He was fucking bum. But as women have stated....he was so goddamn handsome and fit. He could easily be the one domineering little Napoleon but had no confidence being the younger brother. Women constantly approached this gorgeous sexy royal man to "get to know him" but disspointingly found a pathetically weak, spoiled little girl behind that alpha male facade displayed on the outside. People have the most indignation towards Jerome because he was the tallest, most handsome, and most spoiled. He had the most opportunity and chances to "win" in life but constantly failed because of his weakness of character. No loyalty and was a passionate LIAR! Just has he abandoned the army and cried in Russia when he was stung by Napoleon's justified criticism of him, he lied to and abandoned Betsy. He lied to the people of New Jersey too. He heard a story of the "Jersey Devil" (google it) and when on a hinting trip. Everybody wanted to know if it was real. Hr comes back from hunting and tells everybody he saw it. Basically its a fucking flying horse with dragon wings and a wolf like head but screeches like a boar. Poor Betsy

[@jamellfoster6029]

Plon Plon looked like name should have been Plump Plump...

[@kimmccabe1422]

It's like yo girl get over it for your sake. Ghost guy like that.

[@sheylastokes9060]

Just found you this fucking awsome!!!!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

So glad you liked it! Thanks for putting a big smile on my face. 😀

[@sheylastokes9060]

@@TheGirlintheTiara your repatore about how hard you are trying to find yourself was amazing I try to explain myself like you did but words fail me. I Wright in my head all the time. Your my inspiration would love to be not you but have your talents. I never went to school but I study everything I can get my hands on to compisate for my lack of education. I am 53 and still dream of shutting myself away on an old typ rider and putting it all down!! Hope this doesn't sound wierd!!!

[@sheylastokes9060]

Oh and I am a French aristocracy from Chamblee France lol

[@kittymervine6115]

where is she buried? I have a friend in Baltimore! Yes we visit graves!

[@TheGirlintheTiara]

She's buried in Green Mount Cemetery - you can see it on Find a Grave: www.findagrave.com/memorial/6248442/elizabeth-bonaparte Find a Grave is an awesome website - I use it all the time! :)

[@Wenchework]

Napoleon must have been fumeing when he found out about marrige oh boy

[@Kazza_8240]

At least I'm pretty sure this will never happen to me, seeing as I'm in Scotland and the cheating ex is in australia, living with someone he was cheating on me with - online, wasted 8 years, I wish I'd found out what he was like sooner. I mean, who quits an 8 year relationship for someone they've never met? Creeps, that's who 🤣

[@sarahalbers5555]

I think you dodged a bullet. My ex husband was a cheater of epic proportions. Nobody needs to live with that.

[@Kazza_8240]

@@sarahalbers5555 You're right, I was devastated at the time, I had to move out of our shared house and sofa surf for a while, the house was tied to his job, then I lost my own job because I phoned in sick for 2 days to deal with it all, so I lost my fiance, home and job within 2 or 3 days, hindsight is a wonderful thing lol, plus, I learned that once you hit rock bottom, the only way is up 😁