Harold Nicolson - Personal Life

Personal Life

In 1913, Nicolson married the writer Vita Sackville-West, who encouraged his literary ambitions. He published a biography of French poet Paul Verlaine in 1921, to be followed by studies of other literary figures such as Tennyson, Byron, Swinburne and Sainte-Beuve. In 1933, he wrote an account of the Paris Peace Conference entitled Peacemaking 1919.

Nicolson and his wife practiced what today would be called an open marriage. Once, Harold had to follow Vita to France, where she had "eloped" with Violet Trefusis, to try to win her back. Harold himself was no stranger to homosexual affairs. Among others, he was involved in a long-lasting relationship with Raymond Mortimer, whom both he and Vita affectionately referred to as 'Tray'. They discussed their mutual homosexual tendencies frankly with each other, and remained happy together. They were, in fact, famously devoted to each other, writing almost every day when separated due to Harold's long diplomatic postings abroad, or Vita's insatiable wanderlust. Eventually, he gave up diplomacy, partly so they could live together in England. They had two sons, Nigel, also a politician and writer, and Benedict, an art historian.

In the 1930s, he and his wife acquired and moved to Sissinghurst Castle, near Cranbrook in Kent, the county known as the garden of England. There they created the renowned gardens that are now run by the National Trust.