The Duchess of Blenheim

In 1704, the Duke of Marlborough was awarded a plot of land in Woodstock. He planned to build a great palace there called Palace of Blenheim. The Duchess could not be pleased with architect Jean Van Bruu's designs. She thought he was wasting money on yet another stands of trees. Her grumbling about Blenheim and other things too, created an irreparable rift between her and Queen Anne. In 1711 she was dismissed from the court, ordering her to vacate her apartments at the royal palace. When the Duchess left, fuming over the loss of her position, she emptied the apartment of every fixture down to the brass doorknobs. For