The Belle of Baltimore; The Woman Who Would Be Queen-Part One




Betsy Patterson by Gilbert Stuart ca. 1804 

Elizabeth (Betsy) Patterson
Long before Megan Markel, Princess Grace of Monaco, or even the Duchess of Windsor there was a young American lady that captivated a nation, whose romance with the little brother of the most powerful man in Europe has spawned at least two movies, a number of books, and even a museum exhibit about her extraordinary life.  Her name was Betsy Patterson and in the early 1800’s she scandalized, titillated, and fascinated a young nation.

Betsy Patterson was born February 6, 1785, in Baltimore, MD to William and Dorcas Patterson. Her father, a wealthy merchant, was reputed to be the second wealthiest man in Maryland, second only to Charles Carroll. By time she was 18 she was considered one of the most beautiful and accomplished young ladies in the new Republic. Even at such a young age she had fielded a number of offers for her hand in marriage, but according to most sources, Betsy was holding out for more. Her chance came in the summer of 1803 when a young lieutenant in the French Navy, who just happened to be the younger brother of Napoleon, visited the United States. He had heard reports of a young woman whose beauty, intelligence, and wit were beyond compare, and sought her out.

By all accounts, Jerome Bonaparte was immediately smitten, and Betsy dazzled by the dashing Frenchman in his uniform and his famous connections. Despite her father’s objections, the young couple, Betsy was just 18 and Jerome 19, were married on Christmas Eve 1803. They immediately became celebrated and gossiped about (and you thought celebrities were a 20th century invention).

For the next year Betsy and Jerome were feted at balls and receptions and spent Mr. Patterson’s money with reckless abandon, in fact, in later years Betsy’s relationship with her father was strained because of the couple’s freewheeling ways.

Betsy and Jerome naivety in thinking that Napoleon would accept their marriage led to a series of embarrassing episodes for Betsy when upon their arrival in Europe, French warships made sure that Betsy, now five months pregnant, did not land on French or Dutch soil. While Jerome went off to attempt reconciliation with his furious brother, Betsy was forced to seek refuge in England, France’s swore enemy, to give birth to her child, a son named Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte.  Despite Jerome’s pleads, Napoleon was unmoved, and had the marriage dissolved.  Jerome was married off to Princess Catherine of Wurttemberg, and later made King of Westphalia.

Betsy returned to her father’s house in Baltimore, where she was constantly berated by her father for her failed marriage. Betsy finally received an official American divorce in 1812, never remarried, and styled herself as Madame Bonaparte for the rest of her life.

However, Betsy’s story doesn’t end there, and while she may not have had a Happily Ever After with her Prince, there was a second act.




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