Vera Bate Lombardi
Encyclopedia
Vera Bate Lombardi, born Sarah Gertrude Arkwright,(1885-1948) was a British socialite and close associate of Coco Chanel
. The mother of Bridget Bate Tichenor
, she may have been the illegitimate daughter of Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge
. A British citizen at birth, she became a citizen of Italy after marriage to her second husband and was arrested there in 1943 under suspicions of spying for the British during World War II
. After her release, she made her way to Madrid
, where she denounced Chanel for collaborating with the Nazis.
which cemented her connections to the British royal family.
Lombardi married her first husband, an American officer named Fred Bate
, in 1916. She had met him while volunteering as a nurse in an American hospital in Paris. In 1917, their daughter Bridget was born.
representative of the House of Chanel in London and Paris. Lombardi introduced Chanel to British society and customs, including arranging meetings with her own close associates and family members: Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster
and her cousin Edward, Prince of Wales.
. She became an Italian citizen and, according to her husband, joined the National Fascist Party
. She and her husband fell under the suspicion of La Sûreté Nationale; after she relocated abruptly to his home in the Parioli Quarter of Rome, the Servizio Informazioni Militari
began to watch her as well, thinking she might be a British spy because of her connections with British royalty. While she did remain in close contact with her family and friends in England, one letter she wrote to Winston Churchill
in 1935 noted how popular Mussolini was in Italy and urged Churchill to encourage Great Britain
to develop close relations with Italy. In 1943, she was arrested and held for a week in a women's prison in Rome under suspicion of having been spying for the British for a decade. She was released on orders of the German police in Rome. According to 1991's Hitler's Intelligence Chief: Walter Schellenberg, the Germans expected her to work as an agent for them, bringing her to Paris to rendezvous with Chanel. British Secret Service agency MI6 reports that she flew to Madrid
a week later; there, she denounced Chanel and others as German agents to British authorities.
Lombardi remained separated from her husband, who was still in Italy. Both Chanel and Lombardi wrote to Churchill to appeal to his help in getting back with her husband. Although Churchill initially rebuffed Lombardi's request, he did eventually intercede on her behalf, reaching out to Rome in 1944. In April or May of 1945, she was reunited with her husband in Italy. She died there, in Rome, in 1948.
Coco Chanel
Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel was a pioneering French fashion designer whose modernist thought, menswear-inspired fashions, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important figure in 20th-century fashion. She was the founder of one of the most famous fashion brands, Chanel...
. The mother of Bridget Bate Tichenor
Bridget Bate Tichenor
Bridget Bate Tichenor , also known as Bridget Tichenor or B.B.T., was a Mexican surrealist painter of fantastic art in the school of magic realism and a fashion editor...
, she may have been the illegitimate daughter of Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge
Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge
Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, GCB, GCVO, CMG , born Prince Adolphus of Teck and later The Duke of Teck , was a member of the British Royal Family and a younger brother of Queen Mary, the consort of King George V...
. A British citizen at birth, she became a citizen of Italy after marriage to her second husband and was arrested there in 1943 under suspicions of spying for the British during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After her release, she made her way to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, where she denounced Chanel for collaborating with the Nazis.
Early life
Lombardi's parentage is uncertain; it is rumored that she may have been the illegitimate daughter of Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge. She was born in 1885 in London to Rosa Baring. After her mother abandoned her, Lombardi was reared by Margaret Cambridge, Marchioness of CambridgeMargaret Cambridge, Marchioness of Cambridge
Margaret Evelyn Cambridge, Marchioness of Cambridge was the sixth child and third daughter of the 1st Duke of Westminster and the wife of the 1st Marquess of Cambridge...
which cemented her connections to the British royal family.
Lombardi married her first husband, an American officer named Fred Bate
Frederick Blantford Bate
Frederick Blantford Bate was an American broadcaster of the early 20th century, and was a representative for NBC in Britain during World War I.. He was the husband of Vera Bate Lombardi, the British socialite, and the father of Bridget Bate Tichenor, the surrealist artist.-Career:Frederick...
, in 1916. She had met him while volunteering as a nurse in an American hospital in Paris. In 1917, their daughter Bridget was born.
First association with Coco Chanel
Lombardi was a beautiful and popular woman. Lombardi was hired to act as a trendsetter by Chanel, wearing Chanel's clothing lines. At the age of 35, Lombardi became the public relationsPublic relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
representative of the House of Chanel in London and Paris. Lombardi introduced Chanel to British society and customs, including arranging meetings with her own close associates and family members: Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster
Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster
Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster GCVO DSO was the son of Victor Alexander Grosvenor, Earl Grosvenor and Lady Sibell Mary Lumley, the daughter of the 9th Earl of Scarborough...
and her cousin Edward, Prince of Wales.
Second marriage and suspicions of spying
Lombardi divorced Bate in 1929 and married senior Italian cavalry officer, Colonel Alberto Lombardi, who was held in high favor by Benito MussoliniBenito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
. She became an Italian citizen and, according to her husband, joined the National Fascist Party
National Fascist Party
The National Fascist Party was an Italian political party, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of fascism...
. She and her husband fell under the suspicion of La Sûreté Nationale; after she relocated abruptly to his home in the Parioli Quarter of Rome, the Servizio Informazioni Militari
Servizio Informazioni Militari
The Italian Military Intelligence Service was the military intelligence organization for the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Italy from 1900 until 1946, and of the Republic of Italy until 1949...
began to watch her as well, thinking she might be a British spy because of her connections with British royalty. While she did remain in close contact with her family and friends in England, one letter she wrote to Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
in 1935 noted how popular Mussolini was in Italy and urged Churchill to encourage Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
to develop close relations with Italy. In 1943, she was arrested and held for a week in a women's prison in Rome under suspicion of having been spying for the British for a decade. She was released on orders of the German police in Rome. According to 1991's Hitler's Intelligence Chief: Walter Schellenberg, the Germans expected her to work as an agent for them, bringing her to Paris to rendezvous with Chanel. British Secret Service agency MI6 reports that she flew to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
a week later; there, she denounced Chanel and others as German agents to British authorities.
Lombardi remained separated from her husband, who was still in Italy. Both Chanel and Lombardi wrote to Churchill to appeal to his help in getting back with her husband. Although Churchill initially rebuffed Lombardi's request, he did eventually intercede on her behalf, reaching out to Rome in 1944. In April or May of 1945, she was reunited with her husband in Italy. She died there, in Rome, in 1948.