Winnaretta Singer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Winnaretta Singer Polignac was one of the strangest lovers Romaine Brooks ever encountered. Their affair began in 1905 when Romaine first moved to Paris. The laison effectively ended Winnaretta's affair with Olga de Meyer, who was married at the time and whose godfather (and purported biological father) was Edward VII. Princess Winnie then bedded composer and conductor Ethel Smyth. In the early 1920s Polignac became involved with pianist Renata Borgatti who Romaine also had an affair with. The princesses most famous affair was with the British socialite and novelist Violet Trefusis, with whom she had a loving but often turbulent and sadistic relationship.That lasted for over a decade. Her last lover was Alvilde Chaplin, future wife of the author James Lees-Milne, was involved with Singer from 1938 to 1943; the two women were living together in London at the time of Winnaretta's death.