The Ultimate Con
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip enjoyed a marriage that lasted seven decades, ending when Prince Philip passed away recently in April 2021. Some of Queen Elizabeth’s ancestors were not so lucky in their own marriages. One such person is her great-great-great-grandmother Mary Bowes. Bowes was Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and was a prominent heiress of incredible fortune. After her first marriage ended, she decided to get married again. There were disastrous consequences.
Bowes married adventurer Andrew Robinson Stoney, who actually turned out to be an abusive conman. Mary was basically duped into marrying him after he wove an intricate web of lies that included a dangerous duel (more on that later). Their marriage was full of abuse and financial battles, and Stoney even tried to get control of her wealth during their divorce!