Kitty Hunter

[1] She was the daughter of Thomas Orby Hunter, who became a member of parliament and a lord of the Admiralty, and Jacomina Carolina Bellenden.

[4] During the Seven Years' War Hunter served as superintendent of supplies to the allied armies in Germany where he possibly had dealings with Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke, a major-general who commanded a cavalry brigade.

[5][4] Pembroke returned from Germany in January 1762 and became acquainted with Kitty Hunter, who was then serving as a maid of honour and was well known in society.

[6][7] Hunter was described by contemporary Horace Walpole as having "the face of a Madonna" and by another writer as "a handsome girl with a fine person, but silly".

[8][9] In February 1762 Hunter and Pembroke danced at a masked ball where the couple are said to have made final arrangements for an elopement the following day.

After Thomas Orby Hunter declined to receive his daughter the couple were released and allowed to board another vessel for mainland Europe.

[7] Elizabeth declined and moved into Blenheim Palace, the estate of her brother, George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough.

[7][5] Emily FitzGerald, Duchess of Leinster wrote that, because of the elopement, Kitty's father was "quite distracted" and the Countess of Pembroke "very unhappy".

[15] Pembroke wanted him to adopt his family name of Herbert but his wife objected; the boy was in the meantime known informally by the surname Reeb.