Adeline, Countess of Cardigan and Lancastre - Later Life

Later Life

She became more eccentric in old age. As a widow, she scandalised society by wearing thick make-up and organizing steeplechases through the local graveyard "and became everyone's idea of a merry widow." She kept her coffin in the house, she would often lie in it, asking for opinions on her appearance. Eventually her profligate spending led to bankruptcy which forced the sale of many of her clothes, carriages and horses. She was often seen, locally, cycling clad in her first husband's regimental trousers. She smoked cigarettes in public at a time when it was considered improper for a lady to smoke in private. She died at Deene Park and was buried near her first husband in the Deene parish church.

A character who may have been very loosely based on her was portrayed in the 1968 film, The Charge of the Light Brigade.