Belle: the true story behind the movie: The True Story of Dido Belle

Acclaimed Biographer And Bestselling Author Of The Real Jane Austen, Paula Byrne, Tells The Extraordinary True Story Of Dido Belle, Whose Unique Social Standing Became Instrumental In The Campaign To End Slavery In England. Beautiful, Wealthy And Sophisticated, Dido Belle Was A Vision Of 18th Century Aristocratic Virtue - However, She Was No Ordinary 18th Century Lady. Born To A Captured Slave Mother And A Captain In The Royal Navy, Belle Was Adopted And Raised By The Politically Powerful Lord Mansfield - The Lord Chief Justice Of England - And Her Mixed Race And Illegitimacy Became The Controversy Of English High Society. Now A Feature Film Slated For Release In May 2014, Belle's Fascinating Story Highlights How Her Unique Position In Society Challenged The Harsh Attitudes And Complex Social Hierarchies Of The Time. Paula Byrne. The inspiration behind the powerful new film starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson and Emily Watson, this is the story of Dido Belle, whose adoption by an aristocratic family challenged the conventions of 18th century England. In one of the most famous portraits in the world, a pretty girl walks through the grounds of Kenwood House, a vision of aristocratic refinement. But the eye is drawn to the beautiful woman on her right. Pointing at her own cheek, she playfully acknowledges her remarkable position in eighteenth-century society. For Dido Belle was the illegitimate, mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy captain and a slave woman, adopted by the Earl of Mansfield. As Lord Chief Justice of England he would preside over the notorious Zong case – the drowning of 142 slaves by an unscrupulous shipping company. His ruling provided the legal underpinning to the abolition of slavery in Britain. From the privileged yet unequal lives of Dido and her cousin Elizabeth, to the horrific treatment of African slaves, Paula Byrne – the bestselling author of 'The Real Jane Austen' – vividly narrates the story of a family that defied convention, the legal trial that exposed the cruelties of slavery and the woman who challenged notions of race at the highest rank. The Illegitimate Daughter Of A Captain In The Royal Navy And An Enslaved African Woman, Dido Belle Was Sent To Live With Her Great-uncle, The Earl Of Mansfield, One Of The Most Powerful Men Of The Time And A Leading Opponent Of Slavery. Growing Up In His Lavish Estate, Dido Was Raised As A Sister And Companion To Her White Cousin, Elizabeth. When A Joint Portrait Of The Girls, Commissioned By Mansfield, Was Unveiled, Eighteenth-century England Was Shocked To See A Black Woman And White Woman Depicted As Equals. The Girl In The Picture -- The Captain -- The Slave -- The White Stuff -- Silver-tongued Murray -- The Adopted Daughters -- Black London -- Mansfield The Moderniser -- Enter Granville Sharp -- The Somerset Ruling -- The Merchant Of Liverpool -- A Riot In Bloomsbury -- A Visitor From Boston -- The Zong Massacre -- Gregson V. Gilbert -- Changes At Kenwood -- The Anti-saccharites -- Mrs. John Davinier -- Appendix: Jane Austen's Mansfield Connection. Paula Byrne. First Published In The United Kingdom In 2014 By William Collins, An Imprint Of Harpercollins Publishers--title Page Verso. The True Story Behind The Movie -- Cover. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 281-283). From acclaimed biographer Paula Byrne, the sensational true tale that inspired the major motion picture Belle (May 2014) starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Miranda Richardson, Emily Watson, Penelope Wilton, and Matthew Goodea stunning story of the first mixed-race girl introduced to high society England and raised as a lady. The illegitimate daughter of a captain in the Royal Navy and an enslaved African woman, Dido Belle was sentto live with her great-uncle, the Earl of Mansfield, one of the most powerful men of the time and a leading opponent of slavery. Growing up in his lavish estate, Dido was raised as a sister and companion to her white cousin, Elizabeth.When a joint portrait of the girls, commissioned by Mansfield, was unveiled, eighteenth-century England was shocked to see a black woman and white woman depicted as equals. Inspired by the painting, Belle vividly brings to life this extraordinary woman caught between two worlds, and illuminates thegreat civil rights question of her age: the fight to end slavery. The sensational true tale that inspired the major motion picture Belle starring Tom Wilkinson, Miranda Richardson, Emily Watson, Penelope Wilton, and Matthew Goode—a stunning story of the first mixed-race girl introduced to high society England and raised as a lady. The illegitimate daughter of a captain in the Royal Navy and an enslaved African woman, Dido Belle was sent to live with her great-uncle, the Earl of Mansfield, one of the most powerful men of the time and a leading opponent of slavery. Growing up in his lavish estate, Dido was raised as a sister and companion to her white cousin, Elizabeth. When a joint portrait of the girls, commissioned by Mansfield, was unveiled, eighteenth-century England was shocked to see a black woman and white woman depicted as equals. Inspired by the painting, Belle vividly brings to life this extraordinary woman caught between two worlds, and illuminates the great civil rights question of her age: the fight to end slavery. Belle includes 20 pages of black-and-white photos. The sensational tale of the first mixed-race girl introduced to high-society England and raised as a lady... The illegitimate daughter of a captain in the Royal Navy and an enslaved African woman, Dido Belle was raised by her great-uncle, the Earl of Mansfield, one of the most powerful men of the time and a leading opponent of slavery. When the portrait he commissioned of his two wards, Dido and her white cousin, Elizabeth, was unveiled, eighteenth-century England was shocked to see a black woman and white woman depicted as equals. Inspired by the painting, Belle vividly brings to life this extraordinary woman caught between two worlds, and illuminates the great civil rights question of her age: the fight to end slavery. The feature film Belle is produced by Damian Jones ( The Iron Lady , The History Boys , Welcome to Sarajevo ), written by Misan Sagay, and directed by Amma Asante, and stars the extraordinary Gugu Mbatha-Raw.. The sensational tale of the first mixed-race girl introduced to high-society England and raised as a lady. The illegitimate daughter of a captain in the Royal Navy and an enslaved African woman, Dido Belle was raised by her great-uncle, the Earl of Mansfield, one of the most powerful men of the time and a leading opponent of slavery. When the portrait he commissioned of his two wards, Dido and her white cousin, Elizabeth, was unveiled, eighteenth-century England was shocked to see a black woman and white woman depicted as equals. Inspired by the painting, Belle vividly brings to life this extraordinary woman caught between two worlds, and illuminates the great civil rights question of her age: the fight to end slavery. Includes 20 pages of black-and-white photos This title presents the extraordinary true story behind the film 'Belle'. Dido Belle appears, in her famous portrait alongside her 'sister' and companion Lady Elizabeth Murray, a vision of aristocratic virtue. But she was no normal 18th-century lady, and this was no common painting. Adopted and raised by Lord Mansfield - one of the most powerful men of the day - her mixed race and illegitimacy became the controversy of English high society