Scandalous Women in the News

Happy Birthday to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.  Recently a copy of the Gainsborough portrait was found and restored by two Syracuse University alumnae (my alma mater). Joyce Dallaportas and Ronald K. Theel found the painting at a Syracuse estate sale and confirmed that it was the lovely Duchess. You can read the article from Syracuse University magazine here

Speaking of Duchesses, Sarah Ferguson The Duchess of York has been in the news lately since it was revealed that she involved in a cash-for-access scandal uncovered by the tabloid newspaper The NEWS OF THE WORLD.  The whole thing was a set-up on the part of the newspaper. The Duchess got caught on videotape offered to help a gentleman that she thought was a businessman gain access to her ex-husband Prince Andrew for the tidy sum of 500,000 pounds. Last week, she went on Oprah to explain her actions, saying that she has gotten into financial trouble again, and had hit rock bottom. You can read about it here in HELLO Magazine. Poor Fergie! She wouldn't admit to Oprah exactly how much she owed but did admit that she's been living beyond her means trying to keep up appearances. There has been much talk about why the Queen doesn't bail her out, but Ferguson is no longer a member of the Royal Family and her daughters are grown, so the Queen has no obligation to her.

Author Faith L. Justice recently guest blogged about Hypatia, and now a new film about her is in limited release called Agora directed by Alejandro Amendabar. Slate magazine recently reviewed the film.