Pending nuptials bring more attention to a royal fiancé and his questionable lineage. May 1933, Franklyn Hutton finally agrees to announce the engagement of Barbara Hutton and Prince Alexis Mdivani. Only now the prince’s true royal ties are again called back into question. Other people and subjects include: Louise Van Alen, Prince Serge Mdivani, Md…

An heiress has her hands full battling the tax man while flirting with a new aristocratic suitor. May 1933, Doris Duke finds herself with another potential aristocratic suitor the impoverished Earl of Warwick, but she has more potential trouble coming from the IRS trying to collect more taxes on her estate. Other people and subjects include: Nanali…

After years of struggle, a hostess gets to throw her most famous and popular annual event once again, so come and see who attends. April 1933, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus arrives in New York, but everyone is more interested in the return of Cobina Wright’s Circus Ball at the Waldorf-Astoria. Other people and subjects include: Jam…

A fortune hunter makes the final play to capture his main prize, but his final move might involve his recently discarded former prey. April 1933, Barbara Hutton continues her South Seas trip shopping for jade and avoiding press questions about her romantic status. Then she gets a big surprise while in Bangkok. Could her luck have finally changed? O…

All they want is love. Everyone else wants their fortune. Fourth Year Anniversary recap and future storylines. Other people and subjects include: Barbara Hutton, Doris Duke, heirs, heiresses, marriages, divorces, weddings, scandals, betrayals, royalty, taxes, sports, life changes, challenges, envy, listener interactions -- Extra Notes / Call to Act…

The heart wants what it wants, so a concerned mother rushes to thwart her heiress daughter’s return to her former love. Late March – early April 1933, concerned mother Daisy Van Alen raises across the Atlantic Ocean to prevent her daughter Louise Van Alen from remarrying her recently divorced husband Prince Alexis Mdivani. He however has other plan…

A newly free prince is on the hunt for his next fortune, but could there be a new heiress in his sight? As Barbara Hutton continues her South Seas travels, another rumor percolates involving a new love interest for Prince Alexis Mdivani. Will the new love triangle cause another rift in friendship? Meanwhile former Russian aristocracy hope that Hitl…

Another set of divorce rumors and scandal abound as another lover has been found. Late February to early March, John Jacob Astor VI, aka “Jakey,” and his mother Madeleine Talmage Force Astor Dick are forever covered in the press due to their surviving the Titanic. Their love lives become a fascination for the public as rumors abound surrounding pen…

Valentine’s celebrations abound, but questions remain as to where single heiresses might be found. End of January – mid-February 1933, newspapers keep track of the romantic entanglements of multiple heirs and heiresses. Foremost, Barbara Hutton’s recent romances and the love triangle with Prince Alexis Mdivani and Louise Van Alen make her the hot t…

A nearly homeless supreme hostess gets back to what she does best at a luxury hotel, and many don’t want to miss out. January 20th – February 1st, 1933, Cobina Wright reorients her new life at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel hostessing several activities like the Beaux Arts & Charity Balls and resuming her Supper Club to great success. One attendee is ma…

When an heiress flees to the Far East, her ardent lover follows in hot pursuit unwilling to let her get away so easily. January – February 1933, Barbara Hutton travels to the Orient to forget her romantic troubles with Prince Alexis Mdivani and other failed suitors. But all the press attention brings her another suitor making a last attempt to woo …

After previously closing their mansion, a struggling couple returns to host a wonderful buffet to start the new year, but have things really changed for the better? December 1932 – January 1933, Christmas and holidays brings plenty of activities. E.T. Stotesbury and Eva Stotesbury are back in Philadelphia but not at their large mansion Whitemarsh H…

An heiress receives accolades for all her efforts to help the less fortunate, but her good deeds aren’t as helpful for her marriage. December 1932, Marjorie Merriweather Post Hutton is hailed for all her work to help the needy during the Great Depression. She works on multiple committees providing food and unemployment relief to the point of gettin…

With a large fortune in sight, a whole family gathers to determine the next set of moves. What is an heiress to do? December 1932, the royal Mdivani siblings gather in Paris to determine how the newly divorced Prince Alexis Mdivani will woo and finally catch Barbara Hutton. Only Barbara’s family will thwart his efforts, but a Mdivani is never one t…

Not all love affairs last forever. When one princess loses her title, will another readily take her place and possibly share the same fate? November 27th, 1932, Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani appears in the Hague divorce court dissolving her 18 month marriage to Prince Alexis Mdivani. On December 7th, 1932, her cousin Princess Ava Alice Astor Obo…

When one door closes, another opens. How might an eviction lead to a brand new life in a luxury hotel? November 5th, 1932, Cobina Wright moves out of her Sutton Place home and now becomes homeless along with her 10 year daughter Lil Cobina Wright, Jr. At the last minute, an opportunity arrives to live at the luxurious Waldorf-Astoria hotel. Other p…

One couple deals with more betrayal when litigation publicly reveals financial secrets. September 23rd – October 27th, 1932, William May Wright, aka “Bill,” returns to New York to deal with litigation involving his former stockbroker firm. Cobina Wright hopes that they will be able to rekindle their relationship, but other troubles arise from the l…

Deceptions run high as another divorce is announced and a grand home re-opens. Can’t these people get their stories straight already? September 27th – October 14th, 1932, a divorce rumor spreads far and wide as involves one of the Mdivani siblings getting a divorce. But is it true, and if is so who? In other news, E.T. Stotesbury heads back to the …

An heiress is trapped and a love triangle exposed when forbidden lovers get caught beneath the sheets. Late summer 1932, Barbara Hutton joins Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani and Prince Alexis Mdivani at the Spanish countryside estate of his sister Princess Roussadana “Roussie” Midvani Sert. Over the course of the visit, the former royals entrap Ba…

Despite small implosions everywhere, some hide their true situations while prancing around like prized ponies at a horse show. Over the summer of 1932, James H.R. Cromwell, aka “Jimmy,” pursues Doris Duke around France. Meanwhile, his mother Eva Stotesbury and stepfather E.T. “Ned” Stotesbury sponsor a horse show back in the Philadelphia area even …

At another sunny beach enclave, a romance blooms into a twisted love triangle between a prince and two heiresses. Summers 1931 & 1932, the interchange of people and events cause a blurring of timelines. At fashion designer Jean Patou’s residence, sparks between Prince Alexis Mdivani and Barbara Hutton reverses a love triangle much to the humiliatio…

Many feeling the economic pinch lower summer participation. But those who remain wealthy gather for another round of seaside fun. August 1932, many millionaires return for another Tennis Week and more yacht races in Newport, Rhode Island. Frank Shields joins other tennis stars on the courts, while Vincent Astor and his yacht Nourmahal focus on seaf…

Hoping that a change in political power will end the ongoing Great Depression, one heir vows his continuing and undying support to a presidential nominee. A lifelong friendship develops between a young heir and his neighbor, a distant relative and a future president. Through personal tragedies and triumphs, Vincent Astor and Franklin Delano Rooseve…

A tennis sensation returns to play both on and off the courts. Wherever he goes hijinks will ensue. June – August 1932, plenty of sports competitions are occurring around the world. Frank Shields returns for Wimbledon and Davis Cup with more antics with his teammates. Other people and subjects include: Huntington Hartford, John Jacob Astor VI aka “…

Annual summer competitions and events are in full swing, and a once unfashionable heiress is now as notably stylish as a queen. June 1932 brings lots of bad news that bleeds into July 1932 with Lindbergh kidnapping and hoax trials and the collapse of the Insull energy empire.Thus distraction and fascination is back on the wealthy as they enjoy thei…

Two heiresses reunite on an ocean liner. Their paths and love lives are crossing over in more ways than one. June 1932, while aboard the White Star Line ship traveling from New York to Europe, Doris Duke and Barbara Hutton have a chance to catch up on their complicated love lives. Other heirs and heiresses are traveling about to destinations for su…

While reporting on the upcoming presidential election, an undercover heir faces an angry mob of those hit hard by the Great Depression. June 1932, Cornelius “Neil” Vanderbilt IV is on 15 city tour in Indiana to cover the upcoming 1932 presidential election when he faces an angry mob pushed hard by the Great Depression. Will incumbent President Herb…

The times are getting tougher, and one of the largest mansions closes to prevent a potential Versailles ending. The ultra wealthy E.T. Stotesbury and his wife Eva Stotesbury close their Philadelphia mansion Whitemarsh Hall for the summer of 1932 fearing potential looting from the disgruntled over the Great Depression. The Stotesburys also loan thei…

When the most famous unsolved crime goes from kidnapping to murder, those previously offering help turn into prime suspects. #Lindberghkidnapping, #EvalynWalshMcLean, #Lindberghmurder, #parasocialrelationships, #Schwarzkopf, #ransom, #AmeliaEarhart, #crimesceneinvestigation, #forensics, #vengeance Linderbergh kidnapping, Evalyn Walsh McLean, Lindbe…

A large public spectacle features an heiress at its center, but all that attention comes with other warnings. April 1932, Barbara Hutton serves the primary role in the Spirit of Adventure charity pageant at Madison Square Garden. The whole event is a family affair, and many others participate over the night’s activities. Other people and subjects i…

The owner of a famous cursed jewel goes on a wild goose chase to save a kidnapped baby, but will she become another victim? For 6 weeks, plenty of speculation and false leads are pursued in the effort to find the Lindbergh baby. Hope Diamond owner Evalyn Walsh McLean travels to multiple locations until realizing she too might be in danger if she go…

All they want is love. Everyone else wants their fortune. Third Year Anniversary recap and future storylines. Other people and subjects include: Barbara Hutton, Doris Duke, heirs, heiresses, Wall Street Crash of 1929, Great Depression, 1932 & 1933 plots, Huntington Hartford, Evalyn Walsh McLean, Lindbergh kidnapping, Al Capone, General John Pershin…

A popular tap dancer and a highly decorated World War I general both appear at a popular dining hotspot, so has the hostess finally solved her money troubles? March & April 1932, Cobina Wright’s Sutton Club is a successful hotspot. She has the famous African American vaudeville comedy duo Buck and Bubbles performing. She also hosts the famous war h…

Secrets are unleashed when two wealthy industrialists find themselves in different dire straits only to make the same permanent fatal decision. In March 1932, both Swedish “Match King” Ivar Kreuger and George Eastman commit suicide but for very different reasons. Kreuger’s empire falls apart after bad dealings, while Eastman suffers ill health. The…

The most famous kidnapping case of all time has a long reaching impact.Will the owner of a cursed jewel become another victim? Obscure former airmail pilot Charles Lindbergh becomes an instant international celebrity with fame and fortune. In March 1932, his son the world's most famous baby Charles Lindbergh, Jr., is missing. The whole world is rea…

An ex-millionaire’s financial crime catches up to him, and many more millionaires will soon be under investigation. February 1932, Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani loses a pair of earrings and offers a substantial reward. Ex-millionaire Joseph Hoadley appears in court for passing a bad check. In March 1932, the U.S. Senate launches an investigation…

Hearts break as a tennis star heads to the altar, but will one disgruntled family member halt the wedding? February 1932 has several weddings. Frank Shields marries Rebecca “Billie” Tenney after a long engagement and learns he will be on this year’s U.S. Davis Cup Team again. Italian Prince Girolamo “Jerome” Rospigliosi marries American heiress Mar…

Some newlyweds are enjoying the winter social season, while one couple faces a less than desirable welcome. Barbara Hutton’s former admirer Italian Prince “Jerome” Girolamo Rospigliosi arrives in America with his new bride Marian Snowden to her family’s disapproval and attempts at annulment. In New York, the Beaux Arts Ball celebrates colonial ance…

During their honeymoon, one couple visits an active volcano, while nearby racial turmoil threatens to erupt in tropical paradise. December 1931 – January 1932, newlyweds William “Sam” Van Alen and Elizabeth “Betty” Kent Van Alen honeymoon in Hawaii. They go to visit an ongoing erupting volcano, while racial tensions between natives and the military…

A lonely heiress finds herself on a cruise around the world. After a year of heartbreaks, will she ever find her happily ever after? December 1931, Barbara Hutton travels on the Empress of Britain on a 4 month world cruise hoping she will find love in the end. She reminisces over the last year and a treasure hunt at Jean Patou’s home with Prince Al…

New ventures bring new opportunities for those with talent. An artist travels to see his work on display, while a singer attempts to transform a different skill into a fortune. December 1931, Spanish painter Josep Maria Sert travels with his wife Princess Roussie Mdivani Sert to see the Waldorf-Astoria in New York to see the Sert Room, named after …

The national holiday arrives when many give thanks, but how grateful should some be when they knowingly face tougher times ahead? Thanksgiving 1931 finds multiple people in flux. As Doris Duke and Barbara Hutton have yet to secure an engagement, Cobina Wright and Evalyn Walsh McLean are struggling in their marriages.Alice Vanderbilt hides her deple…

Their fortune might be gone, but one couple dances the night away while planning to rebuild another. At Club Lido, Cobina Wright and Bill Wright dance the tango with the professional couple Medrano and Donna. The Wrights prepare for a new venture to restore their fortune, but Cobina worries more about the future of their marriage. Other people and …

*Today is the 93rd Anniversary of the 1929 Wall Street Crash. The richest girl travels around the world and gets invited to all the fabulous parties, so with such a glamorous life why does she seem perpetually unhappy? In 1931, newspapers increasingly focus on Doris Duke reporting on her lifestyle and theorizing about how rich she really is and any…

Money can lead to dangerous outcomes. A generous gift one year leads to a triple homicide decades later. In 1978, a triple homicide occurs inside a home in Palm Springs, California. The trail follows multiple trusts, family disputes, and suspicious characters across California to Texas and even Denmark and Zimbabwe. At the center, a trust setup by …

Many marvel at several stunning new murals created by a famous painter for the opening of a grand hotel with an old familiar name. Famous Spanish painter Sert finishes 15 murals for the new Waldorf-Astoria hotel on Park Avenue. Sert’s in-laws Prince Alexis Mdivani and new wife Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani visit in Paris, while Princess Mae Murr…

Royal titles might be grand, but one prince proudly turns in his title to become an American citizen. Barbara Hutton’s cousin Helena McCann finally has her debutante ball while others adjust to their new situations. Elder Princess Obolensky remains in mourning over her daughter. Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich tries to re-establish the Romanov thro…

Wherever money resides, extortion and blackmail forever threaten the secrets and scandals one wishes to hide. Alas a mother’s work is never done. In Boston, Henrietta Hartford is sued by Mildred King, alleging she saved Huntington Hartford from a disreputable lady. Will Huntington’s marriage to Mary Lee Epling finally be exposed? Other people and s…

The games begin for another Tennis Week in Newport, but in society’s game will one socialite be able to outmaneuver the scandal ahead? Newport Casino celebrates its Golden Jubilee with returning Wimbledon stars Sidney Wood and Frank Shields, only they aren’t having the same heyday and lost the US Davis Cup too. Back from Hawaii, Henrietta Hartford …

As another Hollywood royal marriage implodes, back east another heir and heiress actually marry under favorable circumstances. The Marrying Mdivanis are making headlines – Prince Serge Mdivani freshly divorced from Pola Negri quickly married Mary McCormic, Prince David Mdivani is served divorced from his actress wife Mae Murray, and Prince Alexis M…