Gladys, Countess Széchenyi

Gladys Moore Vanderbilt, Countess Széchenyi was an American heiress from the prominent American Vanderbilt family, and the wife of a Hungarian count, László Széchenyi.

Countess Széchenyi was born Gladys Moore Vanderbilt in 1886, the seventh and youngest child of Alice Claypoole Gwynne and Cornelius Vanderbilt II, the president and chairman of the New York Central Railroad.

Gladys grew up in the family home on Fifth Avenue in New York City, and their summer "cottage," The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island. She attended Miss Chapin's School in New York.

Her first cousin was Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough, who married Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough.

She inherited about $25 million from her father's estate and a further $5 million from her mother's estate. She also inherited The Breakers. In 1948, as a widow, she leased The Breakers to the Preservation Society of Newport County for $1 a year. She continued to maintain an apartment in The Breakers by agreement until her death.

In 1913, there were rumors that Vanderbilt was going to leave her husband due to his financial woes, including gambling away all of her dowry.

In 1914, during World War I, she placed her palace in Budapest at the disposal of the army. Shortly thereafter, 600 reservists were quartered there, and the Countess further intended to use the palace as a hospital.

On January 27, 1908, Vanderbilt married Hungarian Count László Széchenyi in New York City. The couple visited Hungary almost every summer with their five daughters:

Countess Cornelia "Gilia" Széchényi (1908–1958), who married Eugene Bowie Roberts (1898–1983), an heir of the Roberts family of Bowie, Maryland, a Colonial family of Maryland Countess Alice "Ai" Széchényi (1911–1974), who married Hungarian Count Béla Hadik (1905–1971) Countess Gladys Széchényi (1913–1978), who married the English Christopher Finch-Hatton, 15th Earl of Winchilsea (1911–1950) Countess Sylvia Anita Gabriel Denise Irene Marie "Sylvie" Széchényi (1918–1998), who married Hungarian Count Antal Szapáry von Muraszombath Széchysziget und Szapar (1905–1972) Countess Ferdinandine "Bubby" Széchényi (b. 1923), who married the Austrian Count Alexander zu Eltz (1911–1977) Countess Széchenyi died in 1965. In 1972, the Preservation Society purchased The Breakers for $365,000 from Gladys' heirs. Her daughter, Countess Sylvia Szapáry maintained a residence at her grandparents' summer "cottage", on the third floor until her death on March 1, 1998.

Through her eldest daughter, Cornelia, she was the grandmother of three, Gladys Roberts (b. 1934), Cornelia Roberts (1936–1982), who married Count Hans-Heinrich von Coudenhove-Kalergi (1926–2004), and Eugene Bowie Roberts, Jr. (b. 1939). Through her daughter Alice, she was grandmother to Count László Hadik (1932–1973) and Count János Hadik (b. 1933). Through her daughter, Gladys, she was the grandmother of Christopher Denys Stormont Finch-Hatton, the 16th Earl of Winchilsea (1936–1999) and the Hon. Robin Finch-Hatton (b. 1939). Through her daughter Sylvia, she was the grandmother of Count Pál László Szapáry (b. 1950) and Countess Gladys Vanderbilt Szapáry (b. 1952). Through her youngest child, Ferdinandine, she was the grandmother of Count Peter zu Eltz (b. 1948) and Count Nicholas zu Eltz (1950-2012).

Gladys Moore (Vanderbilt) Széchenyi was a Hungarian countess and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family.

Countess Széchenyi was born Gladys Moore Vanderbilt, in 1886, the seventh and youngest child of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, the President and Chairman of the New York Central Railroad. Gladys grew up in the family home on Fifth Avenue in New York City, and their summer cottage, The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island.

Gladys Vanderbilt married Hungarian Count László Széchenyi on 27 January 1908 in New York.

From this union came five daughters only the youngest of whom survives today (2008).

1 Cornelia 2 Gladys 3 Alice 4 Sylvia 5 Ferdinandine* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jun 21 2020, 1:25:50 UTC