#ls.intro

Full Name: William John Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Bath (3rd Creation)  Birth Date: 17th February  1756 (36 years old)  Birth Place: Stanhope Hall, Bath, Somerset  Current Location: 10 Downing Street, London

Religion: Church of England, Protestant (Loosely) Politics: Whig (Strongly; Leftist, authoritarian, democratic socialist) Languages: English, French, Greek, Latin Occupation: Politician; Prime Minister of Great Britain

Personality: Ambitious, generous, confident, secretive, loyal, intelligent, independent, brash, violent, diplomatic, bitter, serious, intemperate, unlucky.

How is your character viewed by the ton?

A somewhat controversial figure, Bath is known for two things; confrontation and rumour. Both make him unpopular with companions, yet a treat to have around, if only so one might stir gossip. As a politician, he is known to excel in debate. A staunch anti-traditionalist, he takes an aggressive approach to all matters of Parliament and seeks to run a government that serves its people — much to the chagrin of the aristocracy it has served for many hundreds of years. Therefore, the ton does not regard him favourably as he does not balk at making enemies in high places. Indeed, even on a personal level, he is contrary and loud spoken, never submitting to polite company or appropriate conversation, making it difficult to catch a break among those out for the season.

what are two potential plotlines you would be interested in exploring with your character?

Political intrigue sounds like it could be an extremely fun time in this rp, especially given the range of thought the characters show. A lot of Stanhope’s opinions directly intrude on the way other characters lead their lives, and he has the political platform to exercise against them, the greater aristocracy, and especially the tories and Royalists among them. I look forward to exploring this and playing out some controversy with the other characters. 

Personally, he has plenty of issues to contend with as well. While he begins the rp as the recently elected prime minister of britain, he has a lot to contend with and I foresee things deteriorating fast for him. His combative personality and myriad of dangerous and scandalous secrets from his past will gradually make him vulnerable. Perhaps to the delight of his many critics, especially given the merciless regard he has for them. It’s hard to predict where this will take him, but I look forward to him growing a bit more dangerous because of it. 

how does your character’s early life differ from their current life?

One could never call William Stanhope poor, but comparatively, he was once a nobody. There has seldom been a time he wasn’t in another’s shadow, that of parents, siblings and partners. He prides himself on learning much from this time and today uses it to his advantage. 

These days, he has power, but he’ll never grow complacent of it. At times, he finds himself floundering, as he was never brought up with any expectation of achievement and has, for the most part, taught himself everything he knows. Yet he doesn’t stand by and let things happen to him as he did in his youth. Today, his actions are swift and derisive. Meekness is still melting from him, burned away by a steadily growing radical fire that has made him such a compelling political candidate. Those that knew him as a boy would recognise little of the grown man. 

how does this character’s reputation differ from who they actually are?

Reputation trickles down. It is decided by those in power and dispensed to those without it, who, possessing their keen appetite to resemble the rich, eat what they are fed and regurgitate in kind. 

And so, it is his opposition that dictates him as a crass and cold hearted socialist, skimming money with one hand to pay mollys with the other, using any spare farthings on drink and smoke. 

In reality, he has never spent a penny he hasn’t earned and prides himself on hopefully being rather more discreet about his personal purchases than the lascivious rumours would suggest. 

As for his countenance, it is no small wonder that the pigs across the benches label him a cruel tyrant when it is their self-serving decadence and traditionalism that he sets out to dismantle. Those loyal to him receive a far different, smiling face. In truth, he might call none of them friends, yet he has many allies. 

how does your character view themselves? 

At once an egoist and a pariah, he has a poetic and self-critical view of himself. Over exaggerating his own importance, yet never falling back into the crutches of propriety as he keeps close countenance with the unwashed masses he strives to support. He struggles to call himself a saviour of the people, yet that is all he wishes to be. A struggler is, altogether, perhaps the best word he could find for himself. Every good action counters another he regrets, yet the regrets pile up as he struggles against addiction and faltering willpower in the face of his vices. This part of himself does not please him. Yet it is the fuel of his flame, compelling him forward to do better in return. He’d call himself a messianic leftist, but identifies more with the iron fist of a dictator than the welcoming smile of the prophet. And, lastly, he’d call himself an isolationist. People bother him. As concepts, they are magnificent, and without hesitation he will commend a man’s rights until the last line of the law. Yet he’d sooner rather his supper alone. Perhaps read a book. At every opportunity, his seat is left empty at soirees and celebrations. The intimate company of a handsome gentleman, a trusted advisor, his wife or, before his death, his beau would always be a thousand times more preferable than the stink of a crowd of clammering politicians. 

is this character a leader or follower? 

In general, a leader. One must be to rise to his heights and overcome his supposedly humble beginnings. He takes no issue in commanding, dividing, conquering. Believing, for the most part, in his own intelligence, he takes confidence in enacting laws, advising budgets, hiring, firing, fighting. 

At times, he follows. He holds the opinion of few in value; his wife, his closest allies. Beyond that, the will of the people is his own. That is, after all, the entire concept of his campaign and candidacy. True democracy, as much as such is impossible in a proto-industrialist age, keeps him somewhat subservient to the will of the people and he will always act in their favour. 

At times, he may be taken advantage of, swept up in good feeling and the easy charm of another. There is talk that his wife takes too much control of him, speaks too frequently in his ear, but he will scoff at such claims despite their truth. In another world, she would be a better politician than he. As it stand, they are a double act; she the only recipient of his utter trust, and he her loyal adept. 

what are two headcannons you have for this character?

A man of many secrets, he covers a violent past with thin gossamer. Once a rioter and public campaigner, he’s given speeches to rabble in Trafalgar Square for many years and thrown punches in strikes and food riots for the sheer thrill of it. Now, society requires him to tighten his cravat and smile. It is a struggle to keep his buttons fastened to tight. 

Political pugilism not withstanding, chief among his secrets are as follows; a drinking habit, through which his penchant for violence thrives, along with other behaviours unbecoming of his status; a fondness for opiates, of which he now takes delivered home, where once he might have lounged in dens and at least had some damn fun with it. 

Lastly, there is the matter of his homosexuality. It is something he had always been aware of within himself, first culminating in the frightfully storybook fumblings with a stablehand. Less fable, perhaps, is that the older boy threatened to tell. In terror, William claimed assault to his own father and had the boy dismissed without reference. 

Biography:

Charlotte is one of three recognised illegitimate children of Viscount Melbourne and as such, had a better upbringing than most illegitimate children. Her mother, the famed Italian opera singer, Elena di Castrucci, died when Charlotte was young so most of her parental knowledge comes from being raised by her father and his wife. Being acknowledged by her father as his child by his mistress meant that Charlotte grew up in the lap of luxury as would be expected for any legitimate child. Her father’s peers treated her well, she was schooled properly and a tutor was even arranged for her when it was realised that she had the same talent for singing as her late mother. Overall, it was a pleasant childhood, but it did not prepare Charlotte for the truth of what was waiting in the outside world.

When she began to accompany her family on outings into polite society, Charlotte was surprised at the looks passers by would give her; the sneering faces and the whispered comments. This was done subtly enough for her father not to notice, but Charlotte soon became aware that the ton had a problem with her, and only those who had no fear of insulting her father would say it directly. She soon learned the reason when one particularly fiery member of the ton jeered that a bastard daughter had no right to put on airs and graces. Charlotte had always known that her mother had been the Viscount’s mistress and thus she was not his legitimate daughter, but she had never thought it mattered. The more she was exposed to society, the more it became apparent that the majority of the ton did not want her around and Charlotte had to develop a thick skin to avoid the comments hurting her.

Years of this treatment still had an effect on her whether she liked it or not, and the only place she truly felt safe was behind the high walls of her family’s estate. Charlotte became withdrawn, but one night she was dragged out to attend a high society ball and a few drinks and lots of coercion led to her giving an impromptu singing performance, which caught the eye of the Duke of Wellington. Enchanted by her voice and beauty, he turned his charms on her, leaving Charlotte surprised and flattered. At these sorts of events, the best she could hope for was to be ignored and yet here this man was actively engaging with her in a kind and courteous way that she was not used to. Whenever she ran into the Duke, he was always charming and flirtatious with her and for the first time Charlotte didn’t feel like an outsider. His kind words drew her in and before long she was effectively being introduced as the Duke’s mistress.

Although their time together was just a few short years, her relationship with the Duke had a profound effect on Charlotte where she actually began to like herself again. She could hardly keep withdrawing from society when the Duke was so keen to have her by his side at all social functions and was quick to defend her from any disparaging remarks. He became her protector, but his unfortunate death shook her to the core. She had clung to him like a solid rock in a stormy sea, and now she was adrift once more and fighting for her own life - or so she thought. He had showered her with gifts during his life, but it seemed that the late Duke had one more for her even in death - his entire fortune.

She had no idea that he wanted to leave his wealth to her so it came as a shock. Charlotte knew it had been his last caring gesture for her, but the late Duke had just painted an even bigger target on her back. The money that should have gone to his brother who succeeded the title was now hers, and the late Duke wasn’t even cold in his grave before the vile rumours began. She was called a cold hearted and money-grabbing temptress who had seduced the late Duke into signing his fortune over to her, and there were even suggestions that she’d had a hand in his death to get access to the money faster. To be accused of such terrible things when her grief was still so fresh was heartbreaking for Charlotte and she withdrew from society once more to escape it all.

But she could not hide forever, and Charlotte returned a different person. She maintained the kind and gentle nature she had always had, but now she held her head high instead of shrinking back. Sometimes she would not even dignify the accusations with a response, but if she was in the mood then she could lash back at her accusers with a forked tongue. Something had changed in Charlotte in her time away from the ton, and now she was no longer willing to let herself be walked all over.

TLDR; She’s the illegitimate daughter of Viscount Melbourne and became the mistress of the late Duke of Wellington who left his fortune to her instead of his brother. She is a precious cinnamon roll but she can still cut a bitch if necessary, and she’s tred of all the smack talk about her.

Relationships:

BASICS.

skeleton title : lady poyntz. 

character name : phoebe theodosia poyntz, née hatton.

age & d.o.b. : 35, born on the 11th of july 1755.

sexuality : heterosexual, heteroromantic.

faceclaim : natalie dormer.

how is your character viewed by the ton? : phoebe's reputation isn't the best, as she's widely considered shallow and vapid, with no real substance to her, considering her somewhat airheaded public persona and love for all sorts of entertainment. many think her to be naive and not worthy of their attention at best, and simply irritating at worst. while these descriptions of her actual personality are not accurate, combined with her very public affair with duke cavendish, it oftentimes makes her disliked or dismissed among the ton.

QUESTIONNAIRE.

how does your character’s early life differ from their current life? on the surface, some of phoebe’s life has been a constant through all thirty-five of her years. she lived in london as a child, and she does so now, albeit not officially, and she’s been just as actively invested in the lives of the ton when she was younger as she is now. she’s, at least in some, smaller or greater, capacity, still a similar person to who she was as a young girl at the time of her debut. cheerful, fun-loving, always there to have a great time. but over the years, what was once her authentic personality became a superficial facade. her marriage to edward poyntz, who, to put it mildly, wasn’t the best of partners, and the frequent mistreatment she suffered from him, ultimately leading to her not wanting to even see him as he was dying from influenza, has turned her bitter and jaded. however, a few years after she returned to london, her life took another turn for the better as, while working for his wife as a lady-in-waiting, she met and fell for amon cavendish, the duke of devonshire. this was the love she never had with her husband; eventually, as their affair became public, she had to face the fact that they could never be together in a way that society would find acceptable. and that is where she stands now, sometimes regretting that she let her private matters be known to most of the ton - but never regretting the affair happening in the first place. now, she’s living the life her late husband would never let her have, and that’s as good a reason to wake up in the morning as any.

James was raised by his family to always be obedient, expected to play the dutiful son and grow to be the respectable man who would one day inherit the Earldom of Jersey from his father. When his parents told him that he was to be wed, it was not something he questioned since he had been raised from birth to know that his duty was to marry and continue the success of the Villiers family. He was married to Rebecca Wells when he was eighteen, and it was expected that the two would soon begin their own family. He met her on the day of their wedding, and she seemed the typical blushing bride he had always imagined for himself. But once the wedding was over and they were alone for the first time, her smile was immediately replaced with an ice cold stare, her lip curled in resentment against her new husband. Whereas James had always accepted that he would be married off to someone of his family’s choosing, Rebecca had relished the freedom she had as an unmarried woman and resented him for taking it away from her. He tried to be the husband he thought she wanted - attentive, caring, even romantic - but it was all for nothing. It didn’t matter what kind of person he was, she would always see him as the reason for her lack of freedom. James was not her husband, but her jailer.

James didn’t want to spend the rest of his life trapped in a resentful marriage, so he offered his wife an agreement: he would allow her whatever freedoms she desired, any indulgence she had once enjoyed before the traditional expectations of a wife were thrust upon her, on the condition that she remain discreet and they play the respectable married couple in public for the sake of reputation. Rebecca was sceptical of this arrangement at first, but agreed and slowly began testing the waters. Realising early on that James had meant it when he said he would give her no shame or judgement for her indulgences, she began to partake in more of them. True to her word, she played her part as the obedient wife in public as well as she had on their wedding day and eventually she began to warm to her husband. Whereas before they had lived almost completely separate lives, now she would come home and talk to James about her day. As they spent more time together, the pair developed a bond and Rebecca encouraged James to indulge in his own freedoms as well. She pointed out that he was still playing the part of a respectful and dutiful husband to a wife who was not there and she had no issue with him doing as he pleased.

Slowly, James allowed Rebecca to introduce him to the fun she had been out having. He had been raised a perfect gentleman and now he was out drinking, gambling and engaging in multiple affairs while his own wife cheered him on. Time passed, and James and Rebecca’s bond only deepened. They loved each other, but only in the way that best friends do - neither saw the other one in a romantic light, but as someone who had brought the other out of the darkness and allowed them to be their true selves. Unfortunately, as time went on, the two of them became so caught up in their hedonistic lifestyle that they forgot their one rule: discretion. Their lack of care meant that their various exploits were being whispered all over town - The Countess of Jersey spotted gambling away her husband’s fortune in a den of ill repute, the Earl seen with a woman perched on his lap who was not his wife, pouring him cup after cup of ale. It wasn’t long before word of these indiscretions got back to their families. They ordered a stop to their debauchery and demanded that the two of them do what was expected of them in their marriage and produce heirs. Although it was their families who had once again brought up the subject of children, the idea did not seem entirely preposterous to the pair. Rebecca had always wanted to be a mother, but she had put that dream aside. She hadn’t expected her husband to become her best friend, and who better to raise a child with? Their love might not have been romantic, but the platonic love between them was stronger than most married couples. Sadly, it was not meant to be.

They spent years trying, but after three miscarriages, they just weren’t able to cope with the heartbreak anymore. They decided to stand up to their families and told them that they were not willing to continue this suffering. They would remain married and do their best to be upstanding and respectable, but no heirs would come of their union. The news was taken surprisingly well, and the two of them were ready to go back to how their lives had been before the subject of children had ever been reintroduced to them. Their renewed happiness barely lasted a month before fate struck the next cruel blow and Rebecca’s life was snatched away. She had not been feeling well in the week before her death, but they had both considered it to be a short and temporary illness. James had not expected to see his wife deteriorate so quickly and to be at her deathbed only a short time later. He was told that these things happen, that even the strongest can be felled by illness but still he could not make sense of it. She had been so full of life, how could it have been ripped away so quickly? As he made the preparations for his wife’s funeral, James began to notice a few unusual occurrences.. Their new kitchen maid, who had only been in her position a few months abruptly handed in her notice, giving up what was surely a most prosperous position for any girl of her station; whispered conversations that stopped suddenly when he entered the room; what seemed to be a small and specific part of their gardens destroyed. When the time came for Rebecca’s funeral, the final straw was as he stood by his late wife’s grave as her coffin was lowered into the ground, and he overheard his mother discussing options for his second marriage.

James refused to see his mother after that. She tried to visit, tried to reason with him, but James was falling down a dark hole where no one could not catch or follow him. His late wife had introduced him to the wonderful distraction that gambling was, and he used it well. It was an easy way to help him forget, to give him that rush of adrenaline and joy that he craved in these dark times. But even a talented gambler cannot win forever, and James realised that his funds were dwindling fast. If he did not take care, then he could lose his entire fortune. The money did not mean as much to him as it once had, but there were still people who depended on him for their livelihood and he knew it would be wrong to punish them for his vices. He resolved to settle his debts and focus on building the fortune back up. An industrious man, James did have some success in recouping some of his losses, but such things take time and he knew that if he was to recover before anyone noticed, he would need the assistance of another person’s wealth. Although it disgusted him to do it, James allowed his mother back into his life and she agreed to find him a wealthy new wife while subtly going behind his back to spread the rumours that any losses in the Villiers coffers had been caused solely by Rebecca and not her son. 

Different families and their eligible daughters were discussed often, until one night James attended the theatre to briefly escape his mother’s meddling. She never had enjoyed the theatre as she thought actors were painted puppets, but plays and the opera had often been an escape for him. It was that night where James watched Henrietta Fane cross the stage and she immediately caught his attention. He had briefly recognised her name in the program as the daughter of one wealthy family that his mother had discarded due to their lack of title, but James saw a spark in her that he hadn’t considered when he had been bombarded with so many names and suggestions from his mother. He found himself seeking out the shows that she was in and started to visit backstage after each performance. The two of them got along well, and he finally decided that this would be the right choice. He needed money and someone he could get along with, and Henrietta had both qualities. Bringing up the Fane family again earned him a snort of derision from his mother, but he was quick to point out that although Henrietta lacked a title, her dowry more than made up for it. Although still not entirely sold on the idea, his mother knew that they were running out of time and agreed to assist in presenting the idea to the Fanes. A wedding day was set, and although James felt nothing but resentment at himself at marrying again for money, he found himself making his marriage vows once more.

The years since then have been kind to James. With the assistance of his second wife’s money, he has been able to build up the Villiers coffers to the point where he is able to use the money to invest wisely and now their riches are double what they previously were. With the extra wealth and input of Henrietta, James has established himself as a patron of the arts, and there is not a theatre opening or art gallery that he can’t be found at. The man he is now that he has matured is a curious mix of old and new - his drinking and flirting link to the hedonistic period he indulged in with his late wife, but his patronage of the arts and wise investments hark back to the young man who was trained from birth in how to be a perfect gentleman. And yet there is even another side to him, moulded from his present circumstances - a man with a strong mind and sharp intelligence deemed fit to mentor the Prince of Wales. Stare into the Earl’s eyes for long enough and you will see every aspect of his life flash through them: from innocent boy to unleashed youth, a tragic figure struck by loss, the wit and charm of a man who knows how to get what he wants and finally the cold, hard stare of the master manipulator. He is comedy and tragedy, intelligence and idiocy, a figure of opposites scrambled together to make him who he is: James Villiers.

Relationships:

Henrietta Villiers - Wife. The two have been husband and wife for four years now and have settled into their marriage. Their relationship is friendly and supportive, and there is an attraction between them as they are known to fall into bed together when the mood is right, but James extends the same courtesy to Henrietta that he did with his first wife. He is aware of her dalliances outside of their marriage, just as she is with his, but there is no jealousy or judgement of either party. James makes a point to not discuss his late wife at all. He still holds so much grief and guilt over her death, but prefers to keep up his jovial facade which is difficult to hold in place when he talks about her.

Rebecca Villiers - First Wife; deceased. Although they were unsuited to be wed, James and Rebecca managed to make their marriage work for them over time. Allowing each other the freedom they wanted for themselves let them lead the exciting lives that they wanted. They were husband and wife in name only, as their relationship developed more into two friends who also happened to live together. She was his best friend, and as the one to bring him out of his shell, James feels as though only Rebecca has ever completely understood who he is. James still has suspicions over her untimely death and is convinced that there is more to it than just a sudden and tragic illness.

Lydia Cavendish - Current Flame. Relationship TBA

Frederick William Augustus - Mentee. Relationship TBA

Edgar Percival Spencer - Companion. Relationship TBA

what are two potential plotlines you would be interested in exploring with your character? 

I want to explore her relationship with her with her brother. I imagine them being very close when they were younger and having a very happy family life but growing apart as they got older, especially when their father died and he became the new Duke of Devonshire and her legal guardian. Now they often bump heads, especially when it comes to the topic of Lydia finding a husband.

Of course the one man she would ever consider marrying she can’t have. She had an instant attraction to the Earl of Jersey and what started out as a friendly flirtation has now developed into something more, but not too much more that she would risk her virtue and ruination. She’s too high class to be his mistress but she can’t be his wife but they can’t keep their hands off each other.

I would love to see her knocked down a peg or two. Lydia holds quiet a lot of status, which she values greatly and I would like to see something jeopardize that.

how does your character’s early life differ from their current life? 

It hasn’t changed very much. The biggest difference is that she has more pressure on her to find a husband before she’s past the ideal marrying age but she is terrified of commitment and losing her independence. She has dismissed match that has been offered to her and she is running out of time.

She also misses her parents very much, growing up she was very close to them, especially her father and she was been very forlorn since they passed away. She had never had to deal with any real hardship until her father passed away, shortly followed by her mother and she still hasn’t come to terms with it. She constantly misses the happiness of her youth when her and her brother were children and her parents doted on them.

how does this character’s reputation differ from who they actually are?

I wouldn’t say it differs too much, she’s very true to herself, and never pretends to be anything that she is not. She is very confident and speaks her mind (to the extent that is appropriate for a young lady of course). Her reputation is one of a charming, confident, young woman who holds the ton in the palm of her hand and that is exactly what she is.

how does your character view themselves?

Lydia has a rather high opinion of herself. She was always fawned over as a child, and as she aged and gained beauty and popularity in the ton it didn’t help her ego. Her self confidence rarely falters and when it does she doesn’t let anyone see it. She holds herself to a high standard and believes that she meets it.

is this character a leader or follower? 

She is 100% a leader. Lydia has always enjoyed taking charge, ever since she was a little girl so when she arrived in the ton she soon became a pillar among her peers. What she says goes, and it would be unwise to second guess her. 

what are two three headcannons you have for this character? 

She loves nature and animals, especially horses. She has always been a skilled rider and you can often find her riding her horse through town or in her famed rose garden at Devonshire House. Never one to back down from a challenge she often enjoys out riding any of the gentleman in the ton. She even has a small scar above her right eyebrow that she got when she fell from her horse as a child. 

She has a fondness for paying cards and is very good as well. It is well known among her peers that if you sit down to the table with Lydia that you will leave with lighter pockets.

how is your character viewed by the ton? : frederick has transformed from a darling boy into a ruthless profligate whose unpredictability and taste for extravagance is no longer tolerated since his appointment to the role of prince regent. nevertheless, freddie is widely regarded as being fine company–– he is a patron of virtually every form of leisure, style and taste, and his charm and cultivation of culture has endeared him to the elite, hedonistic members of the ton. to others, the prince’s dissolute way of life and shoddy relationship with his father has earned him the contempt of the people, the dissatisfaction of the whig party and is threatening to dim the prestige of the monarchy. his ministers find him selfish, unreliable and irresponsible, but his head for strategy and ability to captivate and beguile a crowd cannot be denied.

frederick is the eldest son of the current sovereign, george iii, and was born in 1763 at st james’s palace in london. although far from disciplined, freddie was an adept student and a quick study. at an early age, he began to use his unique position as prince of wales, heir to the united kingdom, to his advantage; often manipulating his tutors into bending to his will, and barreling past any sort of perimeters or guidelines set out for him. although the relationship had yet to sour, it was clear that his father, the king, grew disapproving of his eldest son–– and attempting to curtail his wildly unpredictable behaviours only widened the gap between them.

at eighteen, he was granted a separate establishment and moved his court to charlton house. charlton house is regarded as a hotbed if licentiousness, the source of freddie’s prolific spending and a snakes’ pit of harlots, gamblers, fools and brown-nosers, seeking to capture the princes’ volatile affections.

freddie is a people person–– whatever misgivings you have with him, it is often difficult to reproach the prince when his demeanour is so effortlessly charming, and his well rehearsed excuses pile high. freddie is very much a person who seeks a good time, and those who dampen his plans will be swiftly plucked from his inner-circle of influence. while not inherently cruel or machiavellian, it is best not to cross him. 

NICKNAMES : “Spencer”. Oh, the power the mere surname held. A title, a duty, an expectation. But George adored it. It gave him power in the room, it notified any ignorant of his social strata that he was the figure of prestige in the room. Of course, he was no Villers or Mlabourough but Spencer also tied his demeanour to all HIS accomplishments. His name on the plaque of “distinguished alumni” at Harrow as well as his bust at The Queen's Lane Coffee House in Oxford (created as a joke by a nobody but it was a symbol of his dominance as a charmer of The Ton and took the name with pride). Yet, his Sister Lia, or the new Duchess, would call upon her older sibling as “Alfie”-- his love for the ol’ Alfred the Great who’s story of saving England from the Dane’s was one he plaid out numerously in their youth. However, his closest sociables have the privilege of calling him John. 

OCCUPATION : Earl of Spencer

BIRTHPLACE : Wimbledon Manor House, London. A Spencer residence landscaped by Capability Brown specifically in honour of George’s birth. It serves as a pleasure garden during the day where the public can promenade and marvel at one of the Spencers’ menial investments. 

CURRENT RESIDENCE : George inherited Anthrop House upon his father’s death and has maintained the grounds with ostentatious upkeep. He hired architect Henry Holland to make extensive changes including an extension to the parlour which serves as a social and cultural club for his fellow parliamentarians. Anthrop holds dinners and picnics in the gardens where John hires musicians to play French horns and organises unusual spectacles to entertain guests, such as a "Hooray Henry Olympics", as Charles Spencer calls it, with a donkey race for Lord Fordwick, dance competitions offering a guinea as the first prize, and sack races with the first prize of 30 shillings. However, his prized space is his personal library which he has filled with his personal treasures and retires to daily. 

AGE :  32

LANGUAGES :  English, French, Italian, and Latin. 

FAMILY

MOTHER & FATHER : The late Earl Spencer and Countess Spencer

SPOUSE : n/a

ISSUE : n/a

SIBLINGS :  Duchess of Devonshire and Viscount Althorp

ZODIAC : Libra

RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION :  Anglican

POLITICAL AFFILIATION  : Whig

FINANCIAL STATUS  : Owns entirety of Anthrope estate, multiple successful investments and capital tenure through his role as the First Lord of Admiralty. 

ORIENTATION : Heterosexual

PERSONALITY TYPE OUTWARD:

VICES : impressionable, idealistic, pretentious, emotionally reserved

VIRTUES : leisurely, methodical, loyal, observant

PERSONALITY TYPE INWARD: 

VICES : melancholic, awaiting, over-imaginative, wandering

VIRTUES : familial, pre-copied by on thoughts, artful, lyrical

FEARS : Truly enjoying the masked life he has created. Not being able to distinguish between his own desires and what is expected on him. Never understanding his emotion. Fulfilling expectation at the cost of his own self-fulfillment. The unhappiness of his family. 

LIKES: Manuscripts and old books; especially those written about Old English Kings. Collecting texts and locating lost editions. Country-waks, topographical drawings of his estate and writing pocket-companions to beautiful natural landscapes around England. 

In society: Visiting Coffee-Houses and private gallerias. Hosting Gambling nights in his London Apartments and entertaining his ton friends at the “Social and Cultural Club” at Anthop. Riding parties and bets on sport.

AESTHETICS : Day Muddled mornings and twilight dew. Disheveled hair and rolled up linen sleeves. His wild steed resting in an open field. Sitting quietly before a country creek tracing the shadows of the nearby oak. Night fireworks and Strawberries balanced on her tongue. Lounging Earl on a velvet divan and with an Ace of Hearts behind his sleeve. The party sprinting with song across the polished marbles of his home. 

FACECLAIM :  J. J Feild

HEIGHT : 6’0

RECOGNIZABLE FEATURES : Neat Bronze locks, emerald sparkling eyes that give you the world- reveal every secret, but somehow you feel even more confused. A constant smile with a common scoff of disbelief. High-cheekbones and the chin never lower. 

How is your character viewed by the ton? : 

Having been doted upon endlessly by his parents George grew upon with an engraved knowledge that he was not to take social responsibility lightly. As he would succeed his father in the lower house, it was inevitable that his future wife was as politically savvy as him and came with a fortune to match her extensive wit. This lady was not to be chosen by his own admiration, hence, whilst considering himself still young he took leisure as his youthful rite not to be taken for granted. A frequenter in all the gambling clubs, and a common face at Don Slaters Coffee House, George is known as a King of fanciful indulgences and not to be crossed at the cards table unless looking for a lesson in failure. However, these indulgences were always kept in merit as he was one of the chosen few gentlemen who've learned their social and amorous skills at the feet of the masters. Handsome and wealthy, protégé to the most affluent products of Harrow college, George never stepped out of line (or so his family thought) and is viewed as an impressive addition to the ton’s elite circle. However, as of late George has found rarer and rarer at the common clubs. It’s been noticed that he has been resorting to discussions of the country, of travel, and of solitary leisure activities that seem quite unlike his usual self. 

Headcanons:

George has in some way been disenfranchised from his social environment. His affiliations are more and more turning to Whig ideologies and he has felt passionate about exploring his personal liberty and especially his artistic liberties. He has been entranced with the notion that he can retire to his grand-fathers cottage one day and continue collecting art and building a library full of continental texts and especially, books of poetry which illustrate a world outside the polite circle and within a romantic realm of nature and the picturesque. 

George really did admire the Countess of Bessborough and did for a time even think of love as a possibility. However, he understood that marriage to her would mean the end of his personal liberties and the start of his well-laid out political career and in a fit of confusion he betrayed her trust resulting in the breaking of the engagement. It was a quiet matter, but since he has been wondering if he really regrets the action and should have valued the match more. He has found himself often jealous and even more flirtatious in her presence knowing very well how it may be hurting her and discrediting all that they had once envisioned for their future.