The Queen of Romance
Barbara Cartland was one of the most prolific authors of the 20th century. Publishing an astounding number of novels, north of 700 books, her creative output did not stop there. Alongside all this, Cartland was a socialite who dabbled in politics and business, making her a true Renaissance woman.
Appropriately, considering her genre of choice, she also had a wild love life—and her fair share of scandals, including a feud with one of the most beloved figures in history.
1. She Was From The Midlands
Barbara Cartland was born Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland on July 9, 1901, in Birmingham, England. She was the eldest child and only daughter of Mary “Polly” and Major James Bertrand “Bertie” Cartland. Major Cartland was an officer in the British Army, and while this meant that his daughter was born with some privilege, it didn’t last long enough for Barbara to enjoy it.
2. She Fell Down The Ladder
The Cartlands were an upper middle-class family, and Barbara entered the world in a comfortable position as a result. Unfortunately for her, however, the family’s finances deteriorated rapidly shortly after her birth, sentencing the young Cartland daughter to a childhood far less lavish than her parents had enjoyed. This stroke of bad luck had its origins in tragedy.
3. Her Grandfather Messed Up
Barbara Cartland attributed the turn in her family’s fortune to her paternal grandfather, James, who was a financier. After making an ill-advised speculation on the Fishguard railway, James Cartland faced bankruptcy and, unable to live with that, or himself, took his own life, forcing the family to take a financial hit. This was the story according to Barabara, anyway…
4. She May Have Lied
Barbara Cartland perhaps fabricated a few details of her family history to give herself more of a rags-to-riches narrative. An entry in the probate registry contradicts her claims of (relative) childhood poverty: James Cartland apparently left an estate of £92,000, meaning Barbara’s life couldn’t have been too hard. But while money may not have been as big an issue as she claimed, there was no shortage of devastating loss.
5. She Lost Her Dad
With the outbreak of WWI, Cartland’s father heroically answered the call of duty. Bertie Cartland deployed with the British Army to Berry-au-Bac in France to fight the Germans. Though he fought bravely and led competently, tragically, he would never return. And if things were already difficult for Barbara’s family, they were about to get worse now that the chief breadwinner was gone.
6. Her Mother Went To Work
After losing their patriarch, the Cartlands moved to London. There, Barbara’s mother opened a dry goods store in South Kensington to make ends meet and support her daughter and two sons. Life was certainly a little more precarious for the Cartlands now that their income depended on sales. Still, the young Barbara was not completely closed off from the middle-class life her parents’ initial stature had promised her.
7. She Got A Good Education
Despite the family’s struggles, Cartland still attended private school—multiple schools, in fact. She attended three in total: The Alice Otterly School, Malvern Girls’ College, and an institution in Hampshire named Abbey House. Barbara received a high quality of education at these institutions and likely rubbed elbows with some future prominent British figures. Their robust educational backgrounds gave the Cartland children quite a leg-up in life.
8. Her Brother Ran For Office
Barbara’s brothers were Ronald and James Anthony “Tony” Cartland, and the elder of these made a name for himself: Ronald, as a young man, got elected to parliament, serving as an MP for King’s Norton in Birmingham. His work with the Conservative party even attracted the attention of Winston Churchill. Tragedy still loomed for the Cartland family, however, and world events would once again rock their world.
9. She Became An Only Child
Barbara’s brothers were eager to follow in their father's footsteps at the outbreak of WWII, and both enlisted. Tragically, however, neither would live to see the end of the war: both men perished while serving their country in Flanders, leaving Barbara the only surviving Cartland child. Her family’s tragic battlefield history inspired in her a sense of duty.
10. She Served In Her Own Way
The conflicts in Europe, and their cost to her family, inspired in Cartland a lifelong interest in civic welfare and politics. During WWII, she served in the War Office in various charitable roles. She also joined the St John Ambulance Brigade, maintaining that signature British “keep calm and carry on” attitude all the while. And though she worked hard in times of strife, she enjoyed herself plenty too.
11. She Got Her Start
By 1922, Barbara Cartland had finally begun her writing career. She did not dip her toes into fiction yet, however. Instead, the ambitious young upstart became a successful society reporter, affording her the opportunity to rub elbows with some of the biggest names in British high society. Quite a number of these high society folks quickly fell for her.
12. She Had Many Suitors
Cartland’s unassuming beauty and charismatic presence made her an instant hit with the men of the British upper crust, and many of these men quite literally fell to their knees (at least one knee, anyway) before her. By Barbara’s estimate, she declined a stunning 49 marriage proposals over her first five years as a reporter. With so much attention directed her way, she was bound to eventually find a man who caught her eye, and indeed, 50th time’s the charm.
13. She Got Hitched
With a hurricane of marriage proposals coming her way, Barbara Cartland finally said “yes” in 1927. On April 23 of that year, she married Captain Alexander “Sachie” George McCorquodale. Sachie was Scottish and an officer in the British Army. And perhaps most appealing of all, he was also the heir to a massive printing fortune. But if Barbara had dollar signs in her eyes, she didn’t have hearts in them for long.
14. She Called It Quits
Cartland and Sachie’s marriage was not built to last. Though he spoiled her, showering her with gifts, the Scotsman also had a serious drinking problem—and an even worse philandering one. After discovering evidence of her husband’s affair with a major’s wife, Cartland filed for a messy divorce, which was heavily reported on in the press. The insults began flying.
15. She Publicly Sparred
Cartland’s grounds for divorce were her husband’s infidelity, but Sachie was quick to countercharge her with the very same offense. He alleged that Barbara had engaged in an affair with his cousin, Hugh; Hugh reportedly had a key to her house and would often visit her for “cocktails”. Cartland won the suit in the end, and likely a generous settlement along with it.
But she still had another trick up her sleeve.
16. She Remarried
On December 28, 1936, Barbara Cartland got married once again—incredibly, to Hugh McCorquodale, the cousin of her ex-husband, with whom she’d been accused of having an affair. Despite her victory in the suit against Sachie, it all but proved that he had been correct in his accusations…not that he had been innocent of those leveled against him. The newlyweds quickly settled into family life.
17. She Lost Two Husbands
With Hugh McCorquodale, Cartland had two sons: Ian McCorquodale born in 1937, who would later become a publisher; and Glen, born in 1939, a future stockbroker. The boys’ mother would face yet another double tragedy in the 60s, however: Cartland’s second husband, Hugh, passed in 1963, followed by the loss of her first husband the following year in 1964. Luckily, Barbara had some close friends to see her through the tough times.
18. She Had Royal Pals
Throughout her life, Cartland maintained a close friendship with credibly-accused child abuser Lord Mountbatten. Following his assassination at the hands of the IRA in 1979, she lamented that the loss had been the “greatest sadness of my life” (despite having lost two brothers and two husbands), showing the depth of their care for one another. By that point, Cartland had enjoyed a well-established career as a writer of fiction. But how did she get her start?
19. She Started Writing
All the way back in the 1920s, while still working as a society reporter, Barbara Cartland took great inspiration from the novels of Elinor Glyn, a writer of Edwardian fiction. She decided to give it a go herself and began writing romantic tales with the intention of publishing a novel. She would later meet and befriend her idol, Glyn, who inspired her to get her start. And indeed, she started with a bang.
20. She Nailed Her Debut
While still working as a gossip columnist for the Daily Express, Cartland released her first novel in 1923. Based on her experiences reporting on Britain’s upper crust, the novel was a risqué society thriller that became a smash hit, eventually becoming a bestseller, and setting Cartland on the path of her destiny as a novelist. From there, Barbara’s output accelerated and covered multiple time periods.
21. She Picked Her Genre
Barbara Cartland had one clear preference and, indeed, penchant when it came to genre: the romance novel. The books began practically falling out of her, and she wrote stories with both contemporary and historical settings. She seemed to have a few preferred eras.
22. She Focused On Eras
The primary settings for Cartland’s historical romance novels were the Victorian and Edwardian periods, and she became something of an expert on the eras. Her characters brought the historical periods to life, and even if she faltered here and there, there were certainly enough books to make sure she got it right at least a few times.
23. She Was Prolific
Cartland’s output was simply astounding. Over the course of her long, decades-spanning career, she published a jaw-dropping 723 novels. Few authors, of her era or any other, can boast a number even close to that. Indeed, she certainly reached the peaks of creative flow at one specific point in time.
24. She Had A Big Yearad
One year in particular stands out for the sheer number of novels Cartland worked on. In 1976 alone, she published an incredible 23 novels, earning her the Guinness World Record for most novels published in a single year. As if 723 novels weren’t enough, however, Barbara, if you can believe it, went further still.
25. She Branched Out
Though her romance novels were her legacy, Barbara Cartland did not stop at fiction. Over her storied career, she also wrote non-fiction titles, biographies, dramas, music, operettas, plays, poetry, as well as books on cooking and health. And though there’s only so racy one can make a cookbook, her penchant for cheeky writing attracted some controversy in the world of theater.
26. She Got Banned
As early as the 1920s, Cartland had begun producing stage plays, many known for their racy content and adult themes. The Lord Chamberlain’s Office banned one especially controversial production, 1926’s Blood Money, for its content. It was only a mere blip on the radar for Cartland, of course, who, along with riches, also found world fame.
27. She Became A Household Name
Cartland’s success made her one of the most recognizable names in the world. Indeed, she is one of the best-selling authors of the 20th century, not just in Britain, nor even just the Anglosphere, but across the globe. The numbers are unbelievable.
28. She Sold A Lot
Conservative estimates of Cartland’s sales figures put her at about 750 million copies sold worldwide. There is debate about this, however, and other sources believe the number is more accurately in the area of two billion. With such worldwide fame, her name has become synonymous with the literary greats of human history.
29. She Crossed Borders
Though Cartland’s name rarely gets mentioned among the titans of literature, the sheer reach of her work suggests to some that she should be. International publishers have translated her books into countless languages and, excluding biblical works, she is the fifth most translated author on the planet. With such a wide net cast, she was bound to run into some controversy.
30. She Got Accused
Cartland’s success was not without its detractors: in 1950, author Georgette Heyer accused the romance titan of plagiarism, claiming Cartland had stolen many of Heyer’s character names, traits, dialogue, and plot details for multiple novels. One particularly egregious example was Cartland’s 1949 novel A Hazard of Hearts, which lifted many aspects of Heyer’s novels Friday’s Child and The Knave of Hearts.
Heyer began building a case with her solicitors, but unfortunately for her, it never came to court, and Barbara remained professionally unscathed. This case aside, the author had far more collaborators than detractors.
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31. She Inspired Art
Cartland’s novels became known for more than just their (possibly plagiarized) content. Each book featured a cover with portrait-style artwork, and the author’s frequent collaborator, artist Francis Marshall, designed most of these. The shelf life of Barbara’s novels only increased with some adaptations.
32. She Made It To The Screen
Cartland’s stories took on a second life, with many adaptations for the big and small screens. Among the most notable adaptations were film versions of her novels Duel of Hearts, A Ghost in Monte Carlo, A Hazard of Hearts, and The Lady and the Highwayman. With such a huge following in a world before social media, Barbara found interesting ways to stay in conversation with her fanbase.
33. She Was An Agony Aunt
Many of Cartland’s readers turned to their favorite author for advice in their own romantic lives. After receiving hundreds of letters, Barbara began answering these appeals for love life tips through newspaper advice columns and television talk shows. As her career continued to soar, so too did her output and range of talent.
34. She Grabbed A Mic
1978 saw Barbara Cartland turn her talents to yet another medium: music. Alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the prolific author recorded an EP vinyl for Slate Records called An Album of Love Songs, singing a series of popular standards. Among her dozens of ventures, Cartland took on some very personal projects too.
35. She Wrote A Tribute
Cartland’s brother, Ronald, was a Conservative MP before his untimely demise in WWII. Following her initial success in the world of fiction, Barbara touchingly decided to write a biography of her late brother’s life as a tribute. She also managed to attach a huge name: Prime Minister Winston Churchill agreed to write the book’s preface. With such a wide range of output and a contact book full of huge names, there was scarcely anything the author couldn’t do.
36. She Was A Girlboss
Alongside her writing, Barbara Cartland also decided to dip her toe into the world of private enterprise, becoming a successful businesswoman. She founded and headed Cartland Promotions, a publishing and licensing agency. Indeed, Barbara kept herself busy with a lot of work. But that did not mean there was no time for play.
37. She Was A Socialite
As her star rose, Barbara Cartland became a prominent figure in the very London high society nightlife that she began her career reporting on. There was hardly a lavish party in the city that Barbara did not appear at, and all in attendance loved her presence.
38. She Oozed Charisma
Barbara Cartland did not just attend parties; in the 1920s and 30s, most in London high society knew her for hosting them as well. Barbara charmed her guests with her stunning beauty, energetic presence, and daring hosting; her parties were often raucous and raunchy, and the romance author never showed up without donning her signature outfit.
39. She Had Style
Cartland almost never made an appearance without her synonymous look. Her regular fashion choices included blonde wigs, heavy makeup, pink chiffon gowns, and plumed hats, and her natural beauty and zesty charm elevated every element. With such high standards imposed on her own look, Cartland only trusted a select few to dress her.
40. She Got In On The Ground
Barbara Cartland was one of the first clients of designer Norman Hartnell, whose success would eventually skyrocket. The two stayed loyal to one another throughout their lives, and Barbara remained Hartnell’s client right up until his passing in 1979. Cartland’s associations with big names continued as she added yet another job to her resume.
41. She Ran For Office
Following in her late brother’s footsteps, Cartland opted in 1955 to run for a seat on Hertfordshire County Council. Running as a Conservative, her campaign was successful, and she would serve nine years in total. But while she served as a Conservative candidate, her actual work was a lot more progressive.
42. She Effected Change
Despite her status as a Conservative councilor, Barbara Cartland actually did some good things while in office. She successfully campaigned for an improvement in midwife salaries, legislation for the education of Romani children, and broad nursing home reform. Perhaps the progressive influence came from one of Barbara’s most well-known relatives.
43. She Had A Kid
Cartland’s marriage to her first husband brought her one thing at least (before the giant divorce settlement): She gave birth to a daughter, Raine McCorquodale, on September 9, 1929. Barbara could not even let her hated ex-husband have this one, however; she later claimed that Raine was actually the result of an affair with Prince George, Duke of Kent.
Which makes Raine’s own personal life the source of some interesting coincidences.
44. She Had A Royal Connect
Like her mother, Raine McCorquodale had a messy divorce from her first husband after an affair. Raine’s was with John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer—AKA, Lady Diana Spencer’s father. Raine and John went on to marry, making Barbara Cartland Lady Diana’s step-grandmother. Friends knew the two to share a close relationship, and being a hopeless romantic, Diana was, of course, a big fan.
45. She Had A Royal Fan
Princess Diana was a huge fan of her step-grandmother’s novels, but she kept this quiet at first. When Cartland finally discovered the Princess’ enthusiasm for her work, she began sending Diana early copies. The two only grew closer through this act of bonding, which made it all the more surprising when Diana shunned the romance author.
46. She Got Snubbed
Diana Spencer married Prince Charles in 1981, but the elaborate guest list had one notable exception: her step-grandmother, Barbara Cartland. The snub devastated the author, particularly given their previously close relationship and bonding over her novels. The oversight left Barbara bitter and ready to clap back.
47. She Publicly Shaded
Barbara Cartland soured on Diana after the snub, and when the Princess divorced her husband in 1996, the aggrieved author was openly critical of her step-granddaughter’s perceived rejection of the royal family. Reportedly, however, the two women repaired their relationship shortly before Diana’s untimely demise in a fatal car crash in 1997. It was, perhaps, the darkest day in Barbara’s otherwise glowing life.
48. She Got Honored
Throughout her storied career, Cartland received numerous honors for her prolific output, wide-ranging skillset, and contribution to British society and culture. Perhaps the highest honor the author received was her investment as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), given by Queen Elizabeth II herself.
There was another honor, however, that Cartland was more critical of.
49. She Became Displeased
Another honor bestowed on Cartland was the commissioning of a waxwork likeness of the author, to be put on display at Madame Tussauds. Following the revelation of the wax statue, however, Barbara felt scandalized: her son Ian reported that she criticized the statue, saying it was “not pretty enough”. Barbara’s trademark humorous vanity stayed with her right until the end.
50. She Left A Legacy
After suffering for six months with ill health and dementia, Barbara Cartland passed in her sleep on May 21, 2000, at the ripe old age of 98. With a life spanning from 1901 to 2000, Barbara was every bit a woman of the 20th century, and a figure whose success few have matched since.
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