Home from home
WHEN Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel, embarked on his first trip to Padua, Italy, in 1612, he couldn’t have imagined he’d start a trend that would grip British Society. His experiences in Italy sparked a wave of interest in European travel, which, over time, evolved into the Grand Tour. Most British gentlemen (and the odd lady) spent three years abroad to polish their knowledge of art, architecture and the classics, but some made a different choice, settling overseas for longer. Several of these early ‘expats’ had little alternative, perhaps due to scandal or because they were in the service of the kingdom. But a few craved new horizons or, once abroad, discovered a taste for adventure that led them to remain overseas for the rest of their lives. Here are some of their extraordinary tales.
Elizabeth Chudleigh, Duchess of Kingston (1721–88)
The orphaned daughter of a former lieutenant governor of Chelsea’s Royal Hospital, the young Elizabeth lacked neither beauty nor an enterprising spirit. A maid of honour to Augusta, Princess of Wales, she married Augustus Hervey,
