Queen Marie-Caroline Naples Lady Hamilton, unlikely friends: Relating the romantic fate of Lady Hamilton, Monday's "Secret of History" looks back on her improbable friendship with Queen Marie-Caroline of Naples and Sicily.
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, late 18th century. While all opposed by Queen Marie-Caroline of Naples and Sicily forged a strong friendship with Lady Emma Hamilton. The latter is certainly the wife of the British ambassador, Sir William Hamilton, but when he married her, after having been his mistress for several years, she dragged behind her a past of prostitute, from the London sidewalks to the residences of the two successive English aristocrats who maintained it. As for Marie-Caroline, she is none other than one of the daughters of Empress Marie-Thérèse of Austria and therefore one of the elder sisters of the Queen of France Marie-Antoinette.
Queen Marie-Caroline Naples Lady Hamilton
Emma, Marie-Antoinette's messenger for her sister?
This complicity between the two women will make a lot of talk. Some even go so far as to speak of a Sapphic relationship. Or an initiation of the wife of King Ferdinand I to certain erotic practices by Emma, an expert in the subject. However, there is nothing to prove it. Likewise, it is in fact unknown how their friendship was born. Although an explanation has been advanced, as it is recalled in the episode of the magazine of France 3 "Secrets of History" devoted to the romantic destiny of Lady Hamilton and diffused this Monday January 20, 2020 in the evening *. It is said that, passing through Paris in 1791 with her husband, on the road to Naples after their wedding in England, Emma would have received, from the hands of Marie-Antoinette in person, a secret letter for Marie-Caroline. And that this was, in this revolutionary period which will see its beheading, the last words of the wife of Louis XVI to his sister.
To read again: Marie-Antoinette, heroic facing the guillotine
"She will no doubt boast of having received a letter from Marie-Antoinette for her sister. It is possible but nothing is less certain ", nuance Evelyne Lever in this" Secrets of history ". "In any case, the relations between Marie-Antoinette and Marie-Caroline had been nonexistent since they had been separated. They were not written and we can clearly see in Marie-Caroline's journal that she learned of the birth of her nephews from the French ambassador, "explains the historian, who therefore does not seem convinced by this version.x
Australian Open: Expeditious Nadal, still missed for Sharapova, Tsonga gives up
The Spanish world N.1 Rafael Nadal left only five small games Tuesday for the Bolivian Hugo Dellien (ATP 73), whom he very easily beat 6-2, 6-3, 6-0 in the first round of the Australian Open.
The Bull of Manacor, in search of a 20th coronation in Grand Slam in order to equal Roger Federer, will challenge in the 2nd round the Argentinian Federico Delbonis (ATP 76) or the Portuguese Joao Sousa (ATP 59). Austrian outsider Dominic Thiem (ATP 5) beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino (ATP 44) in three sets: 6-3, 7-5, 6-2. The Italian Fabio Fognini (ATP 12) had to fight 3:46 to overthrow the great American server Reilly Opelka (ATP 38). Fognini, who never passed the knockout stages at Melbourne Park, won 3-6, 6-7 (7/3), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (10/5). In the next round, he will face Australian Jordan Thompson (ATP 66).
Note that the young Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (ATP 22) bowed in the first round, undergoing the law of the Latvian Ernests Gulbis (ATP 256), resulting from the qualifications, in four sets: 7-5, 4-6 , 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Yet winner of the Auckland tournament on Saturday, the French Ugo Humbert (ATP 43) was also dominated from the start, beaten in four sets by the experienced Australian John Millman (ATP 47): 7-6 (3), 6 -3, 1-6, 7-5.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 33rd in the world, was forced to retire against Australian Alexei Popyrin (96th) due to recurrent back pain.
The 34-year-old Frenchman did not resume play at the side change after the loss of the third set. Popyrin led 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-1.
In the women's draw Pliskova, world No.2 and semi-finalist last year, clearly dominated Kristina Mladenovic (WTA 41) 6-1, 7-5. The day was also marked by the new elimination in the 1st round of a Grand Slam of Maria Sharapova, beaten 6-3, 6-4 by the Croatian Donna Vekic (WTA 20).
This defeat seemed to cast a veil of doubt on the future of the Russian, 145th in the world but who will drop beyond 350th place, according to the WTA, at the end of this Australian Open where she had reached the Round of 16 last year.
Since then, she has not won a single Major game. "I don't know, I don't know," she replied to AFP, who asked her if Melbourne would see her again in 2021, remaining just as vague about the rest of the 2020 season.
"Honestly, I would answer you well, but I just don't know. I haven't thought about my program yet from here,"