Charlotte, Countess Canning (1817-1861), Wife of Earl Canning

Sitter in 3 portraits
Born in Paris, the daughter of the British ambassador and was Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria for thirteen years. When her husband Lord Canning was appointed Governor-General of India she went with him to Calcutta where she was 'isolated to a degree I could never have imagined'. She kept a journal and wrote frequently to Queen Victoria, at one point describing 'strange and terrible outbreaks' of violence which were the start of the 'Indian Mutiny'. She died of malaria and was buried in Barrackpore, West Bengal. Lady Canning's name lives on in Bengal where a type of sweet called 'ledikeni' is named after her.