Season 3 of “The Gilded Age” delivered one of its most talked-about moments yet: the wedding of Gladys Russell to the Duke of Buckingham. While the event was billed as the society wedding of the century in the HBO drama, history buffs quickly noticed its striking similarities to a very real turn-of-the-century marriage — that of Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough.
Only time will tell whether Gladys’ story will follow the same trajectory, but the parallels so far are hard to ignore.
From Fictional Heiress to Historical Parallel
In “The Gilded Age”, Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga) is the daughter of railroad tycoon George Russell (Morgan Spector) and ambitious socialite Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon). Despite her wishes to marry for love — namely to Billy Carlton (Matt Walker) — she’s pushed into an arranged marriage with the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb) to secure social standing.
The real-life Consuelo Vanderbilt was born in 1877 to railroad magnate William Kissam Vanderbilt and socialite Alva Vanderbilt. According to People, like Gladys, she fell in love with another man — Winthrop Rutherford — only to have her mother insist she wed into aristocracy instead. In her memoir “The Glitter and the Gold,” Consuelo recalled:
“I considered I had a right to choose my own husband. These words, the bravest I have ever uttered, brought down a frightful storm of protest… I suffered every searing reproach, heard every possible invective hurled at the man I love.”
Her mother arranged for her to marry Charles Spencer-Churchill, the 9th Duke of Marlborough, making her the first American woman to hold the title of Duchess.
‘The Gilded Age’ Gladys and Consuelo Vanderbilt’s Marriages Included Dowries, Titles, and Tearful Weddings
Both Gladys’ and Consuelo’s marriages were transactional arrangements designed to merge American wealth with British titles. On “The Gilded Age,” George Russell sweetens the deal with financial incentives for the Duke and an allowance for Gladys. In real life, the Duke of Marlborough received $100,000 a year plus $2.5 million in railroad stock — roughly $81 million today.
On “The Gilded Age,” Gladys hesitates before walking down the aisle, delaying her arrival to St. Thomas Church in 1884. In history, Consuelo famously arrived 20 minutes late to her own 1895 ceremony at the same church, her face swollen from crying. Amanda Mackenzie Stuart’s biography “Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt: The Story of a Daughter and a Mother in the Gilded Age“ notes:
“When she arrived, twenty minutes late, anyone who caught a glimpse beneath Consuelo Vanderbilt’s veil would have seen that her face was swollen from crying.”
In “The Gilded Age,” Gladys is also visibly weeping under her veil — a direct nod to Consuelo’s real-life anguish.
A Marriage Doomed from the Start
Consuelo bore two sons, John Spencer-Churchill and Lord Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill, but she disliked both her husband and her new social environment. In her memoir, she wrote:
“How I learned to dread and hate these dinners, how ominous and wearisome they loomed at the end of a long day.”
The couple separated in 1906, divorced in 1921, and had their marriage annulled by the Vatican in 1926. Consuelo went on to marry Jacques Balsan, while the Duke wed again—ironically to a woman named Gladys Deacon.
In the penultimate episode of season 3, fans got to see Gladys hold her own after a visit from her mother, and The Duke proved his devotion to Gladys by suggesting that Lady Sarah find her own place to live.
Whether Gladys Russell’s storyline will mirror Consuelo Vanderbilt’s to the end remains to be seen. Perhaps in season 4?
“The Gilded Age” season 3 finale airs Sunday, August 10, on HBO and HBO Max.
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‘The Gilded Age’: Gladys Russell’s Love Story Was Based on a Real Heiress’ Heartache