Anna Maria Russell and the Social Ritual That Changed British Afternoons
Anna Maria Stanhope was born on the 3rd of September in 1783. She was the daughter of Charles Stanhope, the 3rd Earl of Harrington, and Jane Fleming. Having been born into aristocracy, she would have learned how important behaviour and reputation was in elite circles, this must have shaped her instincts, making her aware that observing and adapting, was what was expected.
In 1808, she married Francis Russell, who later became the 7th Duke of Bedford. The marriage joined her to one of Britain’s most powerful families. When her husband eventually inherited the dukedom in 1839, Anna became Duchess of Bedford, a role that placed her even closer to court life. She was already considered a trusted figure, having already formed a close friendship with Queen Victoria. She had she served as a Lady of the Bedchamber between 1837 and 1841. This position required discretion, emotional intelligence, and a constant attentiveness, it also likely made her more aware of how routine and comfort mattered in the demanding royal schedule.
In 1841, Anna’s closeness to the royal household was made clear when Queen Victoria visited her at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire. The occasion must have felt like both an honour and a test. Entertaining a queen required organisation and a clear understanding of royal expectation. For Anna, the visit was likely a mix of pride and enormous pressure: pride that she was welcoming her queen, and pressure to make sure that it went I want to find out more about Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of Bedford, the woman often credited with the invention of afternoon tea. A custom that has become quintessentially British.
Anna Maria Stanhope was born on the 3rd of September in 1783. She was the daughter of Charles Stanhope, the 3rd Earl of Harrington, and Jane Fleming. Having been born into aristocracy, she would have learned how important behaviour and reputation was in elite circles, this must have shaped her instincts, making her aware that observing and adapting, was what was expected.
In 1808, she married Francis Russell, who later became the 7th Duke of Bedford. The marriage joined her to one of Britain’s most powerful families. When her husband eventually inherited the dukedom in 1839, Anna became Duchess of Bedford, a role that placed her even closer to court life. She was already considered a trusted figure, having already formed a close friendship with Queen Victoria. She had she served as a Lady of the Bedchamber between 1837 and 1841. This position required discretion, emotional intelligence, and a constant attentiveness, it also likely made her more aware of how routine and comfort mattered in the demanding royal schedule.
In 1841, Anna’s closeness to the royal household was made clear when Queen Victoria visited her at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire. The occasion must have felt like both an honour and a test. Entertaining a queen required organisation and a clear understanding of royal expectation. For Anna, the visit was likely a mix of pride and pressure. Pride that she was welcoming her queen, and pressure to make sure that it went perfectly and that the queen was comfortable.
It was during this time that Anna became associated with afternoon tea. She had started to struggle with the time between lunch and an increasingly late evening meal, she is said to have felt a sinking feeling, and became fatigued and hungry. Her solution was a simple one, she requested that tea, bread, butter, and cake be served in the late afternoon. Whether or not she truly “invented” the custom or not altogether clear, but the practice spread through her social circles, eventually becoming popular with Victoria herself. This royal approval made the custom popular throughout Britain.
Anna Russell sadly died on the 3rd of July 1857 and is buried at Chenies in Buckinghamshire.
Do you think everyday habits tell us more about history than any political event ever can?
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