Author: Kristine Hughes

THE WELLINGTON CONNECTION: THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN PARIS

L’hôtel de Charost, the British Embassy in Paris, 
39  rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
In August, 1814, after the first defeat of Napoleon and his exile to Elba, the Duke of Wellington purchased l’hôtel de Charost to be the British Embassy in Paris. Before that, representatives of the British crown had used various rented facilities.  This year, the Embassy celebrates 200 years at the site, scene of numerous receptions, dinners, and other official events through the years of peace and friendship between France and Great Britain.
Canova: Pauline Borghese, the Borghese Palace, Rome
The building was purchased from Napoleon’s sister, Pauline Buonaparte Borghese, wife of Camillo Borghese, 6th Prince of Sulmona. A replica of the renowned sculpture stands in the British Embassy.  Pauline (1780-1825) was beautiful, charming, and unscrupulous.  She was first married to one of Napoleon’s generals, and after his death, to Prince Borghese.  For more about Pauline, go to Elizabeth Kerri Mahon’s blog here.
The Replica
Mr. Quintin Crawford, a British resident in Paris, assisted in the purchase, according to the 1983 book by Raymond A. Jones, The British Diplomatic Service 1815-1914. Crawford (1748-1814) was born in Scotland; he was a businessman, collector, author and translator.

This year the British Embassy in Paris is celebrating its purchase by the newly appointed Ambassador in 1814, the 1st Duke of Wellington.

Like so many Paris buildings, inside the rather forbidding street entrance (top picture) there is a lovely courtyard and the handsome formal entrance.
The Queen arrives on her recent State Visit to France
Interior Façade

The building was erected in 1722-25, designed by architect Antoine Mazin, (c1679-1725). The first owner was the duc de Charost.  In 1803, Pauline, the sister of Napoleon and later Princess Borghese, purchased the house.  She was known to hold popular salons, almost subsidiary courts, there.

Entrance Hall

The Queen signs in, 2014!

She is well guarded
The Bleu Salon
The Red Room
Note the portrait of the aged Duke of Wellington on the wall
Salon Pauline
A 2012 Reception at the Embassy
The Garden reaches almost to the Champs Élysées;
it is often the scene of receptions
The Queen among the roses
Two views of the Dining Salon, above and below.

Impressive chandeliers, above and below.
Happy 200th Birthday, British Embassy in Paris!
Well done, Ambassador Wellington.

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON TOUR: LONDON FOOD

I am gasping for a cuppa. A cuppa coffee at Caffe Nero, that is. I can’t get enough of it and now that London is once again in my sights, I’m lusting for one. Turns out that Denise Costello, who is coming along on The Duke of Wellington Tour with us in September, is also a devotee. We’ve struck a bargain to see who will be the first to reach the eleventh free coffee Caffe Nero awards on their loyalty card.

I have a sneaking idea we’ll be reaching the target together.

Dreaming of my next cup of coffee in London got me thinking about the other London foods I usually indulge in – old favourites that never disappoint. Like bangers and mash.

As Victoria well knows, bangers and mash are my “go to” food, my comfort food and what I can be counted upon to order, at least once a day. Add grilled onions and a side of green peas and it’s heaven. Of course, one can’t eat bangers and mash without washing it down with a pint and, oddly enough, my brew of choice in England is Kronenbourg 1664, which sounds German, but is brewed in France. And since I drink it in England, that’s most of the Waterloo nations covered.

I always try to visit London’s Chinatown when I’m in London, specifically for the roasted Peking duck that hangs tantalizingly in most windows there.

I was introduced to Chinatown many years ago by Dr. David Parker, who was then the curator of the Dickens House Museum. I’ve been returning ever since and will no doubt be popping in again in September. You can read about the history of the area here.

No trip to London would be complete without indulging in afternoon tea and my place of choice are the Richoux Tea Rooms on Piccadilly. There are fancier places, and trendier places, for tea, but Richoux is the grand old lady of tea shop chains, dependably good, always cozy. Rather like a visit to granny’s.

Regency author Diane Gaston, who also blogs at Risky Regencies, has signed up for the Tour and, along with Victoria, we’re looking forward to returning to Richoux during our Sunday walking tour of the St. James’s area of London.

Finally, because I’m such a cheese lover, I’m going to make a point of stopping in to Paxton and Whitfield in Jermyn Street.

It’s one of those places I’ve always meant to spend time in and that I never seem to get around to visiting. You can read about the history of the shop – since 1797 – here.

Honourable mention goes out to the American Steak House, the Angus Steak House and the Aberdeen Steak House, three chains with outlets throughout London. They’re literally everywhere.

Priced right, these places are nothing fancy, but the steaks can be depended upon and they’re convenient.

Honourable mention also to Burger and Lobster, which I discovered on my last trip to London – you can read about it here. 

Burger and Lobster has a rather limited menu – lobster, burger or lobster roll. Twenty pounds each. The lobsters are cooked perfectly, the drinks ditto, so be prepared to wait for a table. They don’t take reservations, but definitely worth the visit.

Do you have a favourite “foodie” destination in London? If so, please leave a comment and let us know about it!

VICTORIA AND KRISTINE GO TO WATERLOO REDUX

Victoria here, writing about the presentation I am making on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, to the Beau Monde conference in San Antonio: The Battle of Waterloo and A Visit to the Battleground, June, 2010.

Hero of the day, the 1st Duke of Wellington
We have written many times on this blog about Waterloo, the battle, and our visit.  The most complete account is here.  I’ll be using many of the same pictures in my talk in San Antonio.
Wellington, portrayed at the decisive moment of Coalition victory
Robert A. Hillingford Artist
However my emphasis for the writers of Regency-set Historical Novels is a bit broader.  What led up to Waterloo and what did it mean in the grand sweep of history? A bit of analysis and a lot of significance.
Napoleon in Exile
After almost a century of war among the European powers, particularly between Britain and France, Napoleon abdicated in June 1814 and was sent to Elba where he was to rule just one relatively small island.
Meanwhile, the European Powers convened the Congress of Vienna to decide what to do with the  lands Napoleon had attempted to annex to his empire.  In the midst of the Vienna consultations, in February 1815, Napoleon escaped from Elba and returned to France.  Within a short period he had reestablished his reign, returned to Paris, and assembled an army. The Congress declared him an outlaw, set up a new Army of the 7th Coalition, and continued its deliberations.
In June, 1815, Napoleon and his army marched north into Belgium (then the Kingdom of the Netherlands) where he hoped to take Brussels as the first step in reasserting his imperial powers.  Two of the 7th Coalition armies were nearby; Napoleon hoped to prevent them from joining together.
In the two days of battle and maneuvers that preceded Sunday June 18, Napoleon was almost successful.
But on the fateful day, Wellington’s forces were able to hold off and ultimately defeat the French; the Prussians under General Blucher arrived in the nick of time. For all practical purposes, Napoleon was forever finished.
Waterloo after the battle by Joseph Mallord William Turner RA (1775–1851), Tate Britain
Turner’s painting portrays the horrors of the aftermath, the wounded and dying men and horses, the mud, the searching and grieving friends and relatives, the scavengers, the essential darkness. To stand before it is to feel in your bones the horror of war.
The re-enactors of 2010
In June of 2010, Kristine and I toured the battlefields of the three-day campaign, visited the encampments of the re-enactors from all over Europe, and watched the actual staging of part of the battle itself.

June 18, 2010
Cavalry charges
After Napoleon surrendered once again, he was sent to the remote south Atlantic island of St. Helena where he died in 1821. The settlements signed at the Congress of Vienna were put into effect and there was a general peace, with short intervals of smaller wars, until the outbreak of World War I, almost a hundred years later. In fact WWI prevented any important commemorations of Waterloo, so next year will be a particularly important tribute and memorial.

For more information on Waterloo200, click here.          

A modern take of what enabled the Coalition victory under Wellington over Napoleon is here (50 mins, from Youtube).  It gives a modern take on why the French were defeated.

ACROSS THE CHANNEL

Victoria here, doing a few web searches on what I want to see on my upcoming trip to Paris and cruise on the Seine.

Arc de Triomphe
Hubby and I have been to Paris several times, so we really don’t need to re-visit The  Louvre, the Musée Carnavalet, Place des Vosges, Montmartre, or the Eiffel Tower.  We’ve seen Napoleon’s tomb in Les Invalides, the Pompidou Center, Musée’Orsay, and the spectacular Notre Dame Cathedral and the nearby Sainte-Chapelle.  Not that we would be disappointed in seeing any of those wonderful places again, but with so much more available, we need to wander a bit farther afield, find things out of the ordinary.  Anybody have any suggestions??

le Tour Eiffel
I’m thinking about some of the small museums such as the Musée Cluny with its Medieval treasures.

15th C. tapestry, Lady and the Unicorn
Eugene Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People
 The Musée Delacroix is housed in the building in which he lived and died in 1863. 
 Musée Rodin.
The Rodin Museum looks like fun, if just for the building alone, much less the opportunity to get up close and personal with The Thinker! 
Musée Gustave Moreau 

I saw an article in the NY Times a while ago about a fascinating small museum called Musée Gustave Moreau  (to read it click here).  We will try to find that one too.

I am hoping to take a day to go to Josephine’s Malmaison, just on the edge of the city.  She is such an interesting character, and I am fascinated by her life.  I have read — and believe — she was able, in the midst of all the French-British wars, to receive her beautiful English roses for her garden.  Both sides of the Channel apparently would do anything for her!

Chateau de Malmaison
Josephine’s bedroom at Malmaison

There is a very amusing irony in the love of the British for all things French.  And in the fascination of the French with all things British.  Even after decades of war and managing to defeat Napoleon, the Prince Regent (later George IV) accumulated all sorts of furniture, decorative arts, paintings and sculpture from France.  Tours of Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace clearly indicate the royal preferences for the styles of Louis XIV, XV, and even XVI.

Buckingham Palace White Drawing Room

Which makes me think of Versailles. It’s on our schedule — I was there once, but spent almost all my time inside.  This visit I intend to emphasize the gardens. 

Versailles

Attendez!  Wait! We’ll be in Paris.  Why go anyplace other than a café?  A bit of people watching and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc?  Parfait!!  Merci beaucoup. Plenty of cafes for a different one every day. 

THE WELLINGTON CONNECTION – POCKETBOOKS


From A Sketch of the Life of Georgiana, Lady de Ros (1893)

1836.—George IV had, from the time he was quite a young man, been in the habit of carrying about him a douillette pocketbook, into which he used to put money, letters, trinkets, miniatures, and any of the numerous fans, odd gloves, locks of hair, and similar keepsakes which he was always adding to his stock from all quarters. As soon as his pocket-book became full, he used to put it away in a drawer without ever troubling himself to examine its present contents or take out whatever money it might contain, mixed with the miscellaneous articles. Whenever he thus put away a full pocket-book, he took another to replace it from a great stock of new ones he kept by him, and this, as soon as filled, was laid by and replaced in like manner. At the time of his death it devolved upon the Duke and another to examine the personal effects of the King, and accordingly they had to look over the contents of a whole chest of drawers entirely filled with these pocket-books, filled and stowed away by the King from the time he was a young man. When the Duke first looked at one of them, and found the toys it contained, he was about to have the whole stock burnt, but some money accidentally fell out, which led to a careful scrutiny of others, and they actually collected in various sums no less than ,£10,000 from these pocket-books, after which they caused them to be destroyed with their less important contents.

Note: Between them, Wellington and Mrs. Fitzherbert consigned most of Prinny’s private items and papers to the fire.