Henrietta Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough

Henrietta Frances Spencer
Henrietta Frances Spencer
	Portrait by George Romney
Born	June 16, 1761; Wimbledon, London
Died	November 11, 1821 (aged 60); Florence
Spouse	Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough
Children	1 John, 4th Earl of Bessborough; 2 Sir Frederick Cavendish; 3 Lady Caroline Lamb; 4 William, 1st Baron de Mauley; 5 George Stewart; 6 Harriet Godolphin Osborne, Duchess of Leeds
Parent(s)	John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer; Margaret Georgiana Poyntz

Henrietta Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough (16 June, 1761 – 11 November, 1821), born the Lady Henrietta Frances Spencer (generally called Harriet), was the wife of Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough and mother of the notorious Lady Caroline Lamb. Her father, John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer, was a great-grandson of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. Her sister was Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire.

Being the youngest child, Harriet was often left in England when her parents and older sister Georgiana would visit the continent for her father's health. As a child, Harriet was frail and sickly which led her mother to send her abroad for schooling, thinking that foreign air would help strengthen her.

On November 27, 1780, Harriet married Fredrick Ponsonby, Viscount Duncannon, later 3rd Earl of Bessborough. Their marriage was a difficult one; since Harriet and her husband were avid gamblers, they often found themselves in debt. Fredrick was also known to be abusive of Harriet, often humiliating her in public gatherings, as well as demanding that she find money to pay for the debts he had incurred. Their marriage produced four children: John William, later 4th Earl of Bessborough; Fredrick Ponsonby; Caroline Ponsonby, more commonly known by her married name as Lady Caroline Lamb; and William Ponsonby who became the 1st Baron de Mauley.

Harriet had numerous lovers during her marriage. Among her more notable lovers were Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the playwright and Whig politician, and Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville, who became her most enduring lover. Her affair with Granville produced two illegitimate children: Harriet Emma Arundel Stewart, wife of George Godolphin Osborne, 8th Duke of Leeds (though she died in 1852 before he succeeded to the title) and George Stewart. Granville would later on marry Harriet's niece, Lady Harriet Cavendish ('Harryo'). ^[1]

Harriet often accompanied her sister to political events as well as soirees. She was also very close to Georgiana's best friend, Lady Elizabeth Foster, with whom she often was seen in public. Harriet died on November 11, 1821 in Florence, Italy following the death of her youngest grandchild, Henry, in Parma.^[2]