Warning: this article contains spoilers for The Gilded Age season 3, episode 4 - “Marriage Is a Gamble.”
Halfway throughThe Gilded Ageseason 3, the series shows no signs of slowing down on the ever-increasing drama. The show has raised the stakes for its characters this season thanks toThe Gilded Age’s new theme of divorce, and while this has already come true for the Fanes,Gladys Russell’s episode 4 marriagealready has the character doubting everything.
The Gilded Ageseason 3, episode 4 endedwith the big wedding, though neither Gladys nor Hector, Duke of Buckingham, seemed thrilled about it. While this may seem like a dramatic choice for the show, Gladys was actually modeled after a real heiress, who even looked a little like Taissa Farmiga’s sympathetic character.
Real Life Heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt Explained
She Became Duchess of Marlborough
The Gilded Agecontains an interesting mix of real historical figures from New York and fictional characters, but even characters created for the show, such as the Russells, are inspired by real Gilded Age figures. The powerfulRussell family was modeled on the Vanderbilts, specifically, one of the wealthiest families of the era.
While Gladys' season 3 storyline may seem a bit too extreme to be made up, even it was based on the experiences of the real heiress, Consuelo Vanderbilt. Born in 1877 to William Kissam Vanderbilt and Alva Vanderbilt,much of Consuelo’s life paralleled what has happened to Gladys so far inThe Gilded Ageseason 3.
Like Gladys Russell, Consuelo Vanderbilt was reportedly completely controlled by her mother Alva (viaAmanda Mackenzie Stuart/Archive.org). ThoughConsuelo had her own secret love interest, Winthrop Rutherfurd, her mother eventually negotiated her marriage to Charles Spencer-Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, setting her daughter up to move to England.
Much like Gladys and the Duke, Consuelo and her Duke were not in love and eventually divorced in 1921.
Consuelo Vanderbilt and the Duke of Marlborough married in New York in November 1895, allowing him to gain a considerable fortune in the process, much likeThe Gilded Age’s Duke. The two then settled at Blenheim Palace. Just like Gladys and the Duke, Consuelo and her Duke were not in love and eventually divorced in 1921.
How The Gilded Age’s Gladys Russell Compares To The Real-Life Heiress
The Inspiration Is Clear, But The Details Are Different
Consuelo Vanderbilt’s life undoubtedly had some clear similarities toThe Gilded Age’s Gladys Russell, especially with her marriage plot in season 3. From her tense relationship with her mother to her arranged marriage,the series has taken a lot of inspiration from the real heiress, but there are a few differences too.
Because Gladys is a fictionalized version of Consuelo, the show can explore a unique perspective on her emotions and put her into situations that allow modern audiences to better understand her predicament. With that being said, though,most of the big details are very similar, even down to the Duke’s plan to use the money to save his home.
Knowing that Consuelo also had affairs within her marriage,The Gilded Ageseason 3 could even be setting up a more rebellious turn for Farmiga’s character.
The biggest differences are actually much smaller details, like the name changes and the different titles (Duke of Buckingham versus Marlborough). This is also true for the locations. WhileGladys, the new Duchess of Buckingham, will live in the fictional Sidmouth Castle, the Duke of Marlborough’s home was Blenheim Palace.
By episode 4, much of Gladys Russell’s onscreen life does follow that of Consuelo Vanderbilt, and luckily that fits very well with this season’s theme of changing relationships. Knowing that Consuelo also had affairs within her marriage,The Gilded Ageseason 3 could even be setting up a more rebellious turn for Farmiga’s character.
The Gilded Age
Cast
The Gilded Age, set in 1882 during a time of economic prosperity, follows Marian Brook, an orphaned Southern general’s daughter, as she moves to New York City. She navigates society’s complexities with her aunts and Peggy Scott, an African-American masquerading as her maid, amidst the city’s opulent elite.
