An American Heiress in the Age of Elegance (Livestream)

Julie Montagu explores the life of her husband’s great-grandmother, Alberta Sturges, an unconventional American heiress who married the 9th Earl of Sandwich. Drawing on an extensive family archive of letters and diaries, Julie traces Alberta’s journey from a privileged childhood in Chicago to the salons of belle époque Paris and glamorous Edwardian house parties. The talk highlights Alberta’s interest in Hinduism, her evolving eye for modern art and her sense of style, including her House of Worth gown. Julie will also describe the Alberta Research Project, a group of international volunteers who help reveal Alberta’s story via a groundbreaking artificial intelligence tool.

Julie Montagu lives at Mapperton House in Dorset, where she oversees the conservation of the Sandwich family collection. She recently completed her Masters in Country House Studies at the University of Buckingham.

This talk will be streamed on Zoom and all ticketholders will receive a link to view the morning of the event. It will also be recorded for ticketholders not able to watch live.