English royals in the past also enjoyed dating actors

Prince Harry’s engagement to Meghan Markle is not the first romance between an English royal and an actor.

A 1791 engraving of Irish actor Mrs Jordan, also known as Dorothea Bland, who bore her lover, Prince William, Duke of Clarence (later King William IV), 10 children between 1794 and 1807.

NOW that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are officially engaged it seems that the British monarchy has entered a new era. A century ago such a union between the fifth in line to the throne and a commoner, an actor and divorcee with African-American heritage would have been unthinkable.

However, the last few decades immigration has softened racist attitudes about the unsuitability of people from the fringes of the empire for marrying blue bloods. And in 2002, the Anglican Church ended restrictions on divorcees remarrying in the church.

There has also been the occasional marriage between commoners and royalty. Four of King Henry VIII’s six wives were non-royal, including Jane Seymour (mother of Edward VI), and Anne Boleyn (mother of Elizabeth I). And Charles, Prince of Wales, is married to a commoner (Camilla Parker-Bowles), so that is not as much of a barrier as some people imagine.

A 17th century engraving of actor Nell Gwynn, mistress of King Charles II.

An undated engraving of King Charles II of England.

But decades ago acting was considered something of a vulgar profession, also beneath the dignity of royalty. Yet that didn’t stop some English princes and even kings being attracted to them.

King Charles II was a great fan of the theatre and of the women who, at that time, had only recently been allowed to appear on stage. Under Charles there had been a relaxation of the rules against women acting. (The first woman to legally act in England was Margaret Hughes, who played Desdemona in a 1660 production of Othello.)

In 1667 Charles fell for 21-year-old actor Moll Davis, with whom he later had a daughter Lady Mary Tudor. But his most famous acting mistress was Nell Gwynn. Born Eleanor Gwynn in 1650, Nell got her start in theatre when she was a young girl selling oranges at Drury Lane Theatre. There she was noticed by actor Charles Hart and became his lover. Hart got her stage roles and by 1669 she was the leading comic actor in London. That year she was introduced to King Charles by the Duke of Buckingham.

A 1791 engraving of Dorothea Bland, aka the Irish actor also known as Mrs Jordan, the long-time lover of Prince William, Duke of Clarence (later King William IV).

She soon became the favourite of Charles’ mistresses and in 1670 gave birth to his son who she named Charles, later persuading the king to grant him the title Baron Heddington and Earl of Burford. She made her last stage appearance in 1670 after giving birth then retired to live in luxury entertaining Charles and other courtiers. Another son, James, was born in 1671 (but he died before reaching 10).

When Charles died in 1685 he left instructions to his brother and heir King James II not to let “poor Nelly starve”. Gwynn was hopelessly in debt, but true to his word James paid off her debts and allowed her to live in comfort before she died of apoplexy (a stroke) in 1687.

Gwynn’s son Charles, who had been made the 1st Duke of St Albans, became a colonel and was made a Knight of the Garter by King George I in 1718. He died in 1726.

Prince William, Duke of Clarence (later King William IV).

King William IV of England, circa 1830.

Another royal who couldn’t resist the lure of the footlights was King George III’s son Prince William, the Duke of Clarence, who met and fell in love with Irish actor Dorothea Bland, known by the stage name of Mrs Jordan. In 1791 William set up home with her. The Royal Marriages Act of 1772 meant that he would need the King’s permission to marry and, since she was an actor and a commoner, he chose not to bother with the formality of a wedding.

After having 10 children William and Dorothea’s cosy domestic arrangement came to an end in 1811, as William ran short of money and needed to attend to royal duties, particularly finding a more suitable wife as his older brothers failed to produce heirs.

Bland was given a stipend, on condition she never return to the stage. She also had custody of the daughters, while William had custody of their sons. But in 1814 when Bland took up acting again to pay a son-in-law’s debts her stipend was taken away. She fled to Paris and died there in 1815.

Prince Andrew with girlfriend and actor Koo Stark in the early 1980s.

After William’s older brother Frederick died heirless in 1827 and his oldest brother George IV died heirless in 1830, William ascended the throne. But his marriage to German princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen produced two daughters who both died before he became king. When William died in 1837 his children by his commoner actor wife were not eligible to inherit and so the throne went to Victoria, daughter of his late younger brother Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.

In 1981, Prince Andrew, son of Elizabeth II, met and fell for actor and model Koo Stark. Born Kathleen Stark in New York in 1956, she appeared in several plays and movies before meeting Andrew. But their relationship didn’t survive. Because of a naked shower scene in a 1976 art house film, Emily, some papers called Stark a former porn star.

Their romance ended in 1983. Stark went on to marry Tim Jeffries in 1984, and Andrew married Sarah Ferguson in 1986. Neither marriage lasted.

Originally published as English royals in the past also enjoyed dating actors