Sir Charles Mordaunt, 10th Baronet

Sir Charles Mordaunt, 10th Baronet (28 April 1836 – 15 October 1897), was a wealthy English country gentleman, a Conservative Member of Parliament for South Warwickshire (1859–1868) and High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1879. He became notorious for involving Prince Albert Edward, The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), in his divorce case.

Campaign against agricultural unionisation

Sir Charles Mordaunt was an active campaigner against the Warwickshire Agricultural Labourers Union formed by Joseph Arch. He was quick to throw any labourers who joined the union out of their cottages. On 30 March 1872, the Leamington and Warwickshire Chronicle reported that "Sir Charles Mordaunt ....has served notices upon all his union tenants to give up possession of their cottages". Sir Charles was also behind a meeting where 100 farmers agreed to discharge any labourers that so much as joined the union, reported on 13 April 1872 in the Leamington and Warwickshire Chronicle.

Marriage, scandal and divorce

Sir Charles was married on 7 December 1866 to Harriet Sarah Moncreiffe (7 February 1848 – 9 May 1906), daughter of a Scottish baronet. Sir Charles was a stolid country squire with no interests beyond hunting and shooting, and Harriet was a giddy young beauty. She had already caught the eye of the Prince. Harriet had licence, or thought she did, to carry on affairs with other men. While Sir Charles killed foxes, deer, grouse, and salmon, or sat in Parliament, Harriet entertained numerous lovers, including the Prince and several of his aristocratic friends.

In 1869, Harriet gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, and then confessed everything to Sir Charles, who was enraged. His offended servants had compiled diaries of the affairs.

He sued for divorce. The historical record shows that the Prince of Wales was never named as a co-respondent in the divorce case, but Mordaunt threatened to do so. Harriet's father, who had several other daughters to marry off, announced that she was mad. That would prevent a divorce trial and save the family reputation. She was incarcerated in various rented houses, and after some weeks either broke down or agreed to feign madness: smashing plates, eating coal, howling and crawling. The case was brought to court and the Prince of Wales was called as a witness, he admitted visiting Lady Mordaunt but nothing further was proved.

In 1875, Sir Charles sued again. Viscount Cole (father of Harriet's child) pleaded guilty to adultery with her, so Sir Charles got his divorce. Harriet was kept in asylums for the rest of her life. However, her daughter Violet married the future Marquess of Bath.

Second marriage

In his early forties Sir Charles married again, on 24 April 1878, to Mary Louisa Cholmondeley, a 16-year-old parson's daughter.