Emilie Charlotte Le Breton was born on 13 October 1853, in Jersey, Channel Islands. She was the daughter of Emilie and William Corbet Le Breton. She had six brothers. Called Lillie, she grew up as quite a tom-boy. According to her memoirs, The Days I Knew by Lillie Langtry, "Living the life of my brothers transformed me into an incorrigible tomboy. I could climb trees and vault fences with the best of them, and I entered with infinite relish into their practical jokes. I have a lively recollection of my youngest brother and myself patrolling the old tree-shaded churchyard at midnight (when we were supposed to be in bed) mounted on stilts and draped insheets, disquieting late passers-by very effectually. This prank continued until someone wrote to the Jersey papers, promising the ghosts at St. Saviour's graveyard a dose of cold lead if they appeared again." Lillie was educated at home by a French governess and her brothers' tutor. She wrote, "While the tomboy element was conspicuous in me, I had my serious side as well, and would read for hours; longer sometimes than my parents thought good for me. I never went to school, and for that reason had few girl friends. A French governess laboured faithfully to impart knowledge to me, but I am afraid I was rather a handful. My brothers were all educated at Victoria College (the Jersey public school), and the only real work I did was with their tutor when he came each evening to overlook the preparation of their work for following day. He gave me a fairly good education in the classics and mathematics, which was supplemented by lessons from German, French, music and drawing masters. My father, being a remarkably clever and progressive man, believed firmly in the higher education of women." In 1867, Lillie received her first marriage proposal. Lillie Le Breton married Edward Langtry in 1874, at St Saviour's Church. The newlyweds lived in Southampton, until Lillie contracted typhoid fever and was convalesced to London. When the couple was invited to a party at the 7th Viscount Ranalegh's home, Lillie was in mourning for her brother and arrived in a plain, black dress. Enchanted by her, the artists Frank Miles and John Everett Milliais who were also guests, both asked if they could paint her portrait. She later recalled, "They saw me, those reckless seekers of beauty, and in a night I was famous." Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (9 November 1841 - 6 May 1910) arranged to sit next to Lillie at a dinner party on 24 May 1877, given by Sir Allen Young. The Prince of Wales was married to Princess Alexandra of Denmark (1 December 1844 - 20 November 1925), but Lillie soon became Albert Edward's mistress and he bought her a home in Bournemouth. In 1878, she was painted by John Everett Milliais. The artist insisted that she wore the black dress from their first meeting. He also had her hold a lily native to Jersey. Called "Jersey Lilly", the name became synonymous with Lillie Langtry.
"The most lasting and pure gladness comes to me from my gardens."
In 1878, Lillie Langtry was presented at Court to Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India (1819-1901). In April 1879, Lillie Langtry started an affair with Prince Louis of Battenberg. In June 1880, she became pregnant and retired to Paris. Lillie Langtry gave birth to a daughter, Jeanne Marie on 8 March 1881. At the suggestion of Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), she embarked upon a stage career. In December 1881, she made her debut in She Stoops to Conquer, at the Haymarket Theatre, in London. According to Lillie Langtry; "On one night of my debut the Prince of Wales, the Princess, and the duchess of London came to see me. They loved me for what I was and what I gave them." And; "My agent tells me I am drawing the largest salary ever paid in the halls of England. Wonderful, isn't it? for a quiet, rural gardener like myself."
"Sympathy is charming, but it does not make up for pain."
In the autumn of 1882, she made her first tour of America. In 1888, she purchased a winery in Lake County, California.
"No person in the world ever lost anything by being nice to me."
In 1890, Langtry appeared as Cleopatra in Anthony and Cleopatra, at the Princes Theatre. In 1897, Lillie Langtry became an American citizen.
"It was so kind of you to mention that I don't wear stays. What's the point? If you squeeze it in at one point, it only comes out at the other."
Lillie Langtry married Hugo Gerald de Bathe in 1899. Her daughter, Jeanne Marie married Sir Ian Malcolm in 1902. They had four children. Lillie Langtry said; "I am a grandmother now, and that means age is creeping on, creeping on." In 1903, she starred in The Crossways, in America. In 1906, she sold the winery in California. In 1925, she published her memoirs, The Days I Knew. According to Lillie Langtry; "Anyone's life truly lived consists of work, sunshine, exercise, soap, plenty of fresh air, and a happy contented spirit." She continued; "I am happy as happiness goes, for a woman who has so many memories and who lives the lonely life of an actress." And; "Anyone who limits her vision to memories of yesterday is already dead." Lillie Langtry died aged 75, on 12 February 1929, in Monaco. She was buried in the graveyard of St. Saviour's Church, in Jersey.
"I do not regret one moment of my life." Lillie Langtry
Source: The Days I Knew by Lillie Langtry.
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