Olga FitzGeorge

Born in Athens while her father was serving with the Mediterranean Fleet, FitzGeorge was the goddaughter of Queen Olga of Greece and her grandaunt Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck. During her childhood, FitzGeorge's parents allowed her to perform in plays for charitable events despite the misgivings of her great-grandmother Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge, and her grandfather, the Duke of Cambridge.

FitzGeorge was married first to Charles Edward Archibald Watkin Hamilton (later Sir Archibald Hamilton, 5th Baronet) in 1897. FitzGeorge was known for her lavish lifestyle, and she continued her extravagant behaviour throughout the course of this marriage, which increased her husband's debts and caused marital strife when Hamilton attempted to limit her expenditures. In order to achieve financial independence, FitzGeorge established a manicure and beauty salon on New Bond Street in London despite its annoyance to both the Hamilton family and the British royal family. FitzGeorge's first marriage, which ended in a highly publicized divorce in 1902, produced two children: a son, George Edward Archibald Augustus FitzGeorge Hamilton, in 1898 and an unnamed daughter who died shortly after her birth. FitzGeorge's son died in 1918 while serving with the Grenadier Guards in France during World War I.

FitzGeorge married lawyer Robert Charlton Lane in 1905, and the couple had a daughter, Mary Alice Olga Sofia Jane Lane Hohler Scrivener, in 1919. In 1908 FitzGeorge made headlines for her alleged affair with Arthur Clark Kennedy and was named in his divorce proceedings with his second wife. FitzGeorge died of an embolism at age 51 in Rouen, France, in 1928 and was interred at her Glebe Manor estate in Warblington, Hampshire. In her will, she bequeathed £1,000 to Winchester College for the establishment of the George FitzGeorge Hamilton Fund to assist in the education of the children of Wykehamists who died in World WarI. FitzGeorge's daughter Jane, who later married British ambassador Ronald Stratford Scrivener, died in 2014.

Early life and family Olga Mary Adelaide FitzGeorge was born on 11 June 1877 as the daughter and only child of Rear Admiral Sir Adolphus FitzGeorge (1846–1922) and his first wife Sophia Jane Holden FitzGeorge (1857–1920). She was born in Athens, where her father was serving with the Mediterranean Fleet of the Royal Navy. FitzGeorge was named for her two godmothers: the queen consort in her birthplace, Queen Olga of Greece (1851–1926), and her great-aunt Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck (1833–1897).

Through her father, FitzGeorge was a granddaughter of Prince George, Duke of Cambridge (1819–1904), Commander-in-Chief of the Forces from 1856 to 1895, and his wife Sarah Fairbrother (1816–1890). Because her paternal grandparents' marriage was in contravention to the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, FitzGeorge's father and her uncles Colonel George FitzGeorge (1843–1907) and Colonel Sir Augustus FitzGeorge (1847–1933) were ineligible to inherit the Dukedom of Cambridge. Also through her father, FitzGeorge was a male-line descendant of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (1774–1850) and King George III (1738–1820). As a descendant of GeorgeIII, FitzGeorge was also a first cousin twice-removed of Queen Victoria (1819–1901) and a first cousin once-removed of Queen Mary (1867–1953), who was the daughter of her godmother the Duchess of Teck. Through her mother, FitzGeorge was the granddaughter of Thomas Holden of Winestead Hall and his wife Penelope Sofiano Holden. Holden was a wealthy businessman from whom FitzGeorge's parents received much of their fortune.

Childhood and adolescence As a child, FitzGeorge's parents allowed her to perform in plays and musicals for the benefit of charitable causes. In June 1882 she and her father performed in three plays at the Corn Exchange in Newark-on-Trent to raise funds for the construction of a local hospital there.

FitzGeorge's grandfather, the Duke of Cambridge, was urged by his mother Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge, to interfere in FitzGeorge's upbringing by her parents, and discouraged them from allowing her to participate in performances and public events. In 1884 the Duke worried about FitzGeorge's presence at a charity bazaar hosted by her mother at St James's Palace, despite it being patronized by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and his wife Alexandra, Princess of Wales. She also attended a state ball hosted by Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace in May 1895.

First marriage

FitzGeorge was married first to Charles Edward Archibald Watkin Hamilton (10 December 187618 March 1939), later to become Sir Archibald Hamilton, 5th Baronet, on 18 December 1897. Hamilton was the son of Sir Edward Archibald Hamilton, 4th Baronet, and his wife Mary Elizabeth Gill.

FitzGeorge received a gold chain bracelet with sapphires and diamonds from the Prince and Princess of Wales; a diamond and green enamel double horseshoe brooch from her godmother Queen Olga of Greece; a diamond pendant from her grandfather the Duke of Cambridge; a white Brussels lace fan from Prince George, Duke of York and Mary, Duchess of York; a bottle of perfume in a silver case from Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; a white gauze fan inlaid with gold from her great-aunt Augusta, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; two gold bangles with diamond pendants from Prince Victor Duleep Singh; a green enamel and gold muff chain from the Prince and Princess of Löwenstein-Wertheim; and a silver sugar caster from Prince Adolphus of Teck, Princess Adolphus of Teck, and Prince Alexander of Teck.

After their wedding, FitzGeorge and Hamilton resided at Rotherhill in Midhurst, Sussex. The following year, FitzGeorge and her husband held a celebration in honor of her grandfather the Duke of Cambridge at their residence in July 1898, which included Prince and Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar, Maurice Gifford, and Sir Edward Archibald Hamilton, 4th Baronet.

FitzGeorge and Hamilton had two children George Edward Archibald Augustus FitzGeorge Hamilton (30 December 189818 May 1918) (he was later killed in an aerial raid by enemy aircraft in France in 1918, aged 19, during the Great War) and an unnamed daughter who was born and died on 5 May 1902. In 1900 a photographic portrait of FitzGeorge with her grandfather, father, and her son George on her knee, which was entitled "Four Generations" was published in multiple periodicals in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Divorce Prior to their marriage, FitzGeorge was known for her lavish lifestyle. Hamilton occasionally visited his wife and child, but his visits eventually ceased. Several of their wedding guests were present in the courtroom for their divorce ruling.

Second marriage Three years later, FitzGeorge married lawyer Robert Charlton Lane (26 January 187323 May 1943), son of Charles Thomas Lane, on 5 January 1905 in London. Following their marriage, FitzGeorge frequently traveled to New York.

In early 1908 FitzGeorge became involved in a divorce proceeding in Edinburgh between Arthur Clark Kennedy and his second wife, partly due to FitzGeorge's alleged relationship with Kennedy. Kennedy's wife claimed that FitzGeorge and Kennedy had traveled together to cities in Great Britain, Ireland, and France in 1906, and resided together in Bury St Edmunds in March and April of that year. Only a few months later, on 18 May 1918, George was killed by a bomb from an airplane at Warlincourt near Arras, France. FitzGeorge's mother Sophia died on 3 February 1920. She bequeathed certain items of jewellery (a gold bracelet that had belonged to Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge, and other diamond ornaments) in life interest to FitzGeorge with the remainder to Jane. FitzGeorge's father (at the age of 76) married Margaret Beatrice Daisy Watson in October 1920 in Pimlico; he died on 17 December 1922 in London.

Later life, death, and legacy FitzGeorge died on 15 October 1928 at age 51 in Rouen, French Third Republic. After a tour of Bayeux and a two-day stay at the Vieux Logis on Rue Saint Romain in Rouen, FitzGeorge died suddenly of an embolism as she was boarding her car to depart for Le Havre. Her remains were transferred from LeHavre to Southampton on 17 October, and her funeral was held at Warblington Church on 19 October. on 14 November 1939 at St Thomas à Becket Church, Warblington. She and Hohler divorced in July 1961 in London. Scrivener served as the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Panama. Jane died on 20 September 2014 at age 95, and her funeral service was held at St.Etheldreda's in Fulham. She had four children with her first husband, Edward Christopher Hohler: boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc; boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9; boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc; boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc; boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe; 1= 1. Olga FitzGeorge 2= 2. Sir Adolphus FitzGeorge 3= 3. Sophia Jane Holden 4= 4. Prince George, Duke of Cambridge 5= 5. Sarah Fairbrother 6= 6. Thomas Holden 11= 11. Mary Tucker 16= 16. George III of the United Kingdom 17= 17. Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 18= 18. Prince Frederick of Hesse-Kassel 19= 19. Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen