An Open Scandal

Wikipedia 

 Artist George Romney’s favorite model was Emma Hart (née Amy Lyon). She started posing as a teen and was a sensation. Emma was a known mistress and consort for the rich and famous of British society until at aged 26 when she married Sir William Hamilton, British envoy to the Kingdom of Naples. 

In Naples Emma became a friend and confidant of the Queen, the sister of Marie Antoinette. She also met there the love of her life, Lord Horatio Nelson, who would become Britain’s greatest naval hero. 

Nelson and Lady Hamilton carried on an open affair, eventually moving into a London house together and having a child out of wedlock. 

After Nelson’s death at Trafalgar in 1805 Lady Hamilton was left poor and destitute. Without the status of her husband (he died in 1804 and left her very little in his will) and Nelson’s heirs ignored her. Lady Hamilton fell to heavy drinking and died penniless in Calais, France in 1815.

There is no doubt she was a ravishing beauty in her prime.  Lady Hamilton was portrayed by Vivian Leigh in the 1941 film That Hamilton Woman.