Marie-Anne Walewska, Duchess Colonna-Walewski, née di Ricci,, was a French courtier and royal mistress. She served as Première dame d'honneur to Empress Eugénie de Montijo in 1868-1870, and was the last to perform this function in France. She is also known for her relationship to Emperor Napoleon III of France in 1857-1861.
Life
She was born to the Papal Count Zanobi di Ricci and Princess Isabelle Poniatowski-Luci. On 4 June 1846, she became the second wife of the Polish Count Alexandre Colonna-Walewski, the illegitimate son of Napoleon I and his mistress, Countess Marie Walewska, and a Minister of the French Cabinet during the Second Empire. She was described as an elegant and intelligent blonde beauty and was a leading member of the high society of Second Empire Paris. While her spouse was described as well respected, but to reserved to be popular in society, she "greatly assisted him in retaining some popularity", and it was said that Lord Malmesbury considered her to be the only woman in the company of the Empress who was not vulgar, and Bismarck described her as the most entertaing woman in France after the empress. Her two daughters - along with the nieces of the empress and the son of doctor Conneau - was the main playmates of the Imperial Prince.
Royal mistress
In July 1857, Walewska was reported to have replaced Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione as the main lover of the Emperor. In parallel, she was a member of the private circle of the Empress, who reportedly refused to letthe affair affect their relationship. When she begun the affair with the Emperor, Marie-Anne Walewska openly stated to the Empress that it would no langer seen proper for her to be invited to the private functions of the Empress because rumours had put it about that she was the mistress of the Emperor, and that she refused to allow it to affect their friendship. In reply, Eugenie embraced her, kissed her and made clear that the "rumour" would affect nothing. Her husband was granted a property in Landes by the Emperor in return for pretending not to notice the affair. The relationship between the Emperor and Walewska was well known and attracted attention in diplomatic reports, and she herself alluded to it, possibly to give the impression that she had influence upon affairs of state. The relationship with the Emperor was not exclusive. In January 1858, it was reported that the Emperor had sexual intercourse with every woman at court who initiated it, and during 1859, he had a somewhat more serious affair with the Clothilde de La Bédoyère. However, none of the rivals of Marie-Anne Walewska managed to become more than temporary affairs, and she remained the main lover of the Emperor for four years. During the Emperor's infidelity toward her, Walewska caused some scenes which attracted attention. In November 1861, the relationship was noted to be discontinued. Her husband was reportedly displeased about it, because he had come to rely upon it as a valuable channel of influence to the Emperor which could be of use to him.
Later life
In 1868, Walewska was appointed to the office of Première dame d'honneur to the Empress after the death of her predecessor Pauline de Bassano. She was the last person to hold the office, as it was abolished in 1870 with the end of the Empire. In 1879, attended the burial of the son of Eugenie in Great Britain.
