Mary Anne Disraeli

Who was Mary Anne Disraeli?

Mary Anne Disraeli, 1st Viscountess Beaconsfield was a British peeress and society figure, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.

Born Mary Anne Evans in Tongwynlais, Cardiff, she first married Wyndham Lewis, MP. After Lewis's death she married Benjamin Disraeli. It was in recognition of his services to the nation that Queen Victoria made Mary Anne a peeress in her own right, Viscountess Beaconsfield of Beaconsfield in the County of Buckingham, as Benjamin wished to remain in the House of Commons.

Staid Victorians were often scandalised by Mary Anne's uninhibited remarks but soon learned not to insult her within Disraeli's hearing. Even Queen Victoria herself was said to be amused when Mary Anne commented, in response to a remark about some lady's pale complexion, "I wish you could see my Dizzy in his bath!" Once, at a house party where Lord Hardinge, a great soldier of the day, was in the room next to the Disraelis, Mary Anne announced at breakfast that she had slept the night before between the greatest soldier and the greatest orator of their times: Lady Hardinge was definitely not amused.