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Eleanor Gwyn, Gwynn, Gwynne, whatever. Born Hereford. Rumoured to have lived at Lauderdale House as the mistress of Charles II, where she dangled her first-born from a window to scare the King into giving the baby a title, which he duly did - the Earl of Burford. The affair with the king started in about 1668 and they must have remained on good terms since on his death in 1685 Charles apparently said "Let not poor Nelly starve".  Nell died in her Pall Mall house.

At the height of the anti-Catholic sentiment, with a king known to be friendly towards Catholics, Gwynn is said to have won popularity by contrasting herself with the king's other mistress, Louise De Keroualle, declaring "I am the Protestant whore".

Londonist have Nell's amazing story.