Frances Evelyn “Daisy” Maynard was a renowned beauty when at the age of 18 she married Lord Brooke, heir to the Earl of Warwick. It was the wedding of the year, and what followed was a tempestuous and scandalous lifestyle lived in the uppermost echelons of society. This colorful biography draws on much of Daisy's correspondence and family papers to depict the astounding life and magnetic personality of possibly the greatest beauty of the Victorian era. It reveals how—soon after her marriage—Daisy embarked upon a passionate affair with the notorious Charles Beresford followed by an eight-year stint with his close friend, Edward Prince of Wales. Daisy’s skill as a hostess and lavish parties were surpassed in fame only by her sudden conversion to socialism and political activism in the early 20th century. This is a stylish and fully updated look at a life lived in luxury and decadence, illustrated by new, never-before-seen photographs.

Frances Evelyn “Daisy” Maynard was a renowned beauty when at the age of 18 she married Lord Brooke, heir to the Earl of Warwick. It was the wedding of the year, and what followed was a tempestuous and scandalous lifestyle lived in the uppermost echelons of society. This colorful biography draws on much of Daisy's correspondence and family papers to depict the astounding life and magnetic personality of possibly the greatest beauty of the Victorian era. It reveals how—soon after her marriage—Daisy embarked upon a passionate affair with the notorious Charles Beresford followed by an eight-year stint with his close friend, Edward Prince of Wales. Daisy’s skill as a hostess and lavish parties were surpassed in fame only by her sudden conversion to socialism and political activism in the early 20th century. This is a stylish and fully updated look at a life lived in luxury and decadence, illustrated by new, never-before-seen photographs.