Construction of Chatsworth, the ancestral home of the Cavendish Family and the the Dukes of Devonshire, began in 1687… and the historic mansion has endured it's share of intrigue, scandal and tragedy ever since. Produced in 2013 for PBS, Secrets of Chatsworth was made with the cooperation of the home's current owner, the 12th Duke of Devonshire, who holds one of the highest ranks in the British aristocracy. The 300-room mansion is the epitome of art-filled opulent manor houses, with gold plated urns along the roofline and gold-rimmed window frames. The Chatsworth Archives hold some of the most interesting mementos and letters of the home's first famous resident, Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire, who even penned one of the letters in her own blood. (Gainsborough's portrait of Georgiana was famously stolen by the "Napoleon of Crime" Adam Worth a century later). Wed to the Duke of Devonshire in 1774 at the age of 17, Georgiana's time at Chatsworth was desperate and tragic. It took her 15 years to conceive the male heir expected of her, during which time she developed a penchant for wild parties and gambling, and was forced to endure a menage-a-trois relationship… sharing the Duke with Lady Elizabeth Foster. Georgiana's only son, known as the Bachelor Duke, inherited immense wealth and spent millions further developing the Chatsworth estate, including installing the famous water fountains and the now-gone Great Glass Conservatory. The "Double Duchess" arrived in 1892 with her kinky "house parties." American fame came in 1932, when Adele Astaire (Fred Astaire's sister) wed into the Cavendish Family. Further American scandal and tragedy arrived in the form of Kathleen Kennedy's romance with Billy Cavendish. Despite initial protests because she was Irish Catholic, the Duke of Devonshire relented and allowed the wedding to place place in 1944. Billy Cavendish was killed in World War II the same year. Kathleen Kennedy died in a plane crash in 1948, and was buried at Chatsworth. After the war, Britain's harsh inheritance taxes threatened the future of Chatsworth… but by 1980, the debt was paid and the current owner has restored the home to glory. This 55-minute documentary provides an insightful and worthwhile look into one of England's most historical, extravagant and storied homes.
