Gloria vanderbilt photos biography of william hudson

Gloria Laura Vanderbilt February 20, — June 17, was an American artist, author, actress, fashion designer, heiress, and socialite. During the s, she was the subject of a high-profile child custody trial in which her mother, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt , and her paternal aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney , each sought custody of her and control over her trust fund.

Called the " trial of the century " by the press, the court proceedings were the subject of wide and sensational press coverage, due to the wealth and prominence of the involved parties and the scandalous evidence presented to support Whitney's claim that Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt was an unfit parent. In the s, Vanderbilt launched a line of fashions, perfumes, and household goods bearing her name.

She was particularly noted as an early developer of designer blue jeans. See the corners of her eyes, how they turn up? After her father's death, she was confirmed and raised in the Catholic Church , to which her mother belonged.

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They were accompanied by a beloved nanny—Emma Sullivan Kieslich, [ 11 ] whom young Gloria had named "Dodo"—who would play a tumultuous part in the child's life, [ 12 ] and her mother's identical twin sister, Thelma , who was the lover of the Prince of Wales later Edward VIII , during this time. A sculptor and philanthropist, Whitney wanted custody of her niece, which resulted in a custody trial.

Some people heard weeping and wailing from inside the courtroom. Testimony was heard depicting Vanderbilt's mother as an unfit parent, including an allegation from Marie Caillot, her discharged French maid, of a lesbian affair with the Marchioness of Milford Haven , a relative of the British royal family , which Lady Milford Haven would subsequently deny in her own testimony.

Litigation continued, however. Visitation was also closely watched, to ensure that Vanderbilt's mother did not exert any undue influence upon her daughter with her supposedly "raucous" lifestyle. Vanderbilt was raised amidst luxury at her aunt Gertrude's mansion in Old Westbury , Long Island, surrounded by cousins her age who lived in houses circling the vast estate and in New York City.

The story of the trial was told in the Barbara Goldsmith book, Little Gloria