Book description
In the spring of 1895 the life of Constance Wilde changed irrevocably.
Up until the conviction of her husband, Oscar, for homosexual crimes,
she had held a privileged position in society. Part of a gilded couple,
she was a popular children's author, a fashion icon, and a leading
campaigner for women's rights. A founding member of the magical society
the Golden Dawn, her pioneering and questioning spirit encouraged her to
sample some of the more controversial aspects of her time. Mrs Oscar
Wilde was a phenomenon in her own right. But that spring Constance's
entire life was eclipsed by scandal. Forced to flee to the Continent
with her two sons, her glittering literary and political career ended
abruptly. Having changed her name, she lived in exile until her death.
Franny Moyle now tells Constance's story with a fresh eye and remarkable
new material. Drawing on numerous unpublished letters, she brings to
life the story of a woman at the heart of fin-de-siecle London and the
Aesthetic movement. In a compelling and moving tale of an unlikely
couple caught up in a world unsure of its moral footing, she uncovers
key revelations about a woman who was the victim of one of the greatest
betrayals of all time. Franny Moyle has a degree in English and
History of Art from St John's College, Cambridge. She has played a key
role in the BBC's arts programming, most recently as Commissioner of
Arts and Culture across the BBC's four main channels. She has now left
to pursue her own projects and is a freelance executive producer,
handling some of their major cultural series. She is a director of the
Hackney Empire, near her home in East London, and is married with three
children.
