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The Celebrated Misses Gunning

"The Celebrated Misses Gunning", is the story of two sisters, Irish fortune-hunters, who took Georgian society by storm. The first-ever media-created celebrities, Maria and Elizabeth Gunning were the most famous women of their age. They were habitually mobbed by thousands of hysterical fans in the streets of Hogarth's London, and eventually landed matriomonial prizes beyond their wildest hopes. Maria married the Earl of Coventry, Elizabeth no less than two Dukes.

Elizabeth, the "Double Duchess", grew into a formidable grande dame, probably the best example of aristocrat-as-businesswoman since Bess of Hardwick. As the young widow of the Duke of Hamilton, she took on the running of vast estates in Scotland, England and France. The king awarded her a peerage in her own right in recognition of her achievements.

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