Secrets of the Rothschild Family

Описание: Her life was shrouded in mystery from birth. The illegitimate daughter of one of the world's richest men, she inspired the heroine of the TV serie "Downton Abbey," whose dramatic events unfold at Highclere Castle. In this luxurious estate, whose walls conceal many family secrets, Almina de Rothschild spent her less than happy years. Marie Boyer was born into the wealthy family of a respected banker. Baronet Woomwell courted her handsomely, but their marriage didn’t work out. Frederick turned out to be an inveterate gambler and a heavy drinker. His reputation was forever ruined, and the Woomwells were no longer accepted in society. One day at the opera, her father introduced her to his acquaintance, Sir Alfred de Rothschild, the richest man in Britain. Soon after meeting, they became lovers and Almina was born. Her name is a code, a combination of her parents' names: Alfred and Mina. The young father swore: he would lay the world at her feet! Marie became a widow. The Rothschild family, having learned of the affair, threatened to make him never even think of marrying her. He provided his daughter with such an allowance that moralists were forced to shut their mouths. For the sake of propriety, they began calling him the girl's godfather. His daughter grew into a petite, graceful woman. She was dubbed the Pocket Venus. Someday, those puritanical Brits would consider it an honor to breathe the same air as her! At the first ball of the season at Buckingham Palace, she was presented to the Earl of Carnarvon. Everyone knew them—they were the owners of Highclere, one of the most impressive castles.Before the ball, Rothschild began to carefully spread rumors that he was prepared to offer his goddaughter a fabulous dowry.
Highclere, for several years, had been recklessly squandering his parents' fortune. Soon, the Count found himself on the brink of ruin. He realized he had a commodity—a family title—and Rothschild's goddaughter had a handsome dowry. A decision was made... A scandal erupted: a member of one of Britain's most noble families was marrying the illegitimate daughter of a Jewish banker! Nevertheless, they married. Rothschild, as a gift, paid all his debts. Almina was delighted: she had found her prince and a real castle to boot! Countess Carnarvon enjoyed her new position as mistress of the estate. Even before the wedding, Carnarvon returned from another trip ill with a nasty illness. Doctors warned of possible complications affecting his joints and potency. Both soon manifested themselves, and on their wedding night, he simply didn’t come to his young wife. Victor Singh, a young Indian family friend, revealed the truth to her. She was in despair. After all, her duty was to produce an heir! He only said:"You're smart, you can handle it yourself!" She became pregnant by Victor Singh. Rothschild took matters into his own hands. If the child turned out to be "dark," he would take care of him .The boy was born fair-skinned. They named him Henry, but she felt no maternal feelings for him. He reminded her of the lie. Meanwhile, her husband, famous for discovering Tutankhamun's unplundered tomb in the Valley of the Kings with archaeologist Carter, died in Cairo under mysterious circumstances. Rumors of a "pharaoh's curse" began to circulate. She thought: maybe for someone it was a curse, but for me it was a blessing. She took up charity work. In her castle, Highclere, she opened a hospital for the wounded. She wanted to feel like an all-powerful patroness. Alfred Rothschild died and left his fortune to his daughter. At 47, she married Dennistoun, the ex-husband of a friend. A scandal erupted. Newspapers covered the trial throughout 1925. It featured everything: large sums of money, adultery, and a female friendship that turned to hatred. It all began when, upon hearing of her ex-husband's marriage to an heiress, the ex-wife decided to request alimony. The press dubbed the scandal a "dog's wedding." To everyone's surprise, they stayed together. Ian was often ill, and when he died, she plunged into deep mourning. Henry, having become the owner of Highclere, discovered that he had inherited nothing but the estate, and his mother was in no hurry to share her wealth. He called her "an old swindler." Seeing his mother squander the Rothschild wealth—his future inheritance—he reported her to the Inland Revenue, who accused her of tax evasion. A lawsuit ensued, resulting in the Countess being declared bankrupt. Unlike her father, she knew only how to spend money. In 1969, the 92-year-old Countess of Carnarvon died—choking on a chicken bone. Henry had his mother cremated, but where her ashes were scattered remains a mystery. In 2010, the series "Downton Abbey," which was filmed at Highclere, was released. In the film, the mistress of the estate also converts the family castle into a hospital. But that's where her similarities with Almina end.