]also the Marquis of Anglesey (previously Earl of Uxbridge), who eloped with, if I recall correctly, Wellington's brother's wife; after her divorce, they were married, and W's brother then married someone else too.

From reading "One-Leg-the life and letters of Henry William Paget", I was fascinated to learn that divorce was not as rare or as hard to get as I thought.

Within Paget's extended family circle their were 4 divorces. His from his first wife Caroline, the divorce of Charlotte(Paget's second wife)from Henry Wellesely(brother of Wellington). Charlotte's parents were divorced. Paget's brother, Arthur also married a divorcee(Augusta Boringdon, nee Fane).

All of these divorced people remarried so I have to assume there wasn't such a prohibition as people have been led to believe.

To focus on Paget's case however, He was accused of criminal conversion as a preliminary to divorce proceedings[around May 1809]. The subsequent divorce proceedings were heard in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of London(took about a month for the final decree to come through)[June-July 1809]. Later, Henry Wellesley had to introduce a private bill through the House of Lords to enable him to marry again[became law-Feb 1810]. In Early 1810, Caroline began to pursue divorce options from Paget. Though she could not get a divorce in England on grounds of adultery, she could in Scotland, with a forty day residence. It was immaterial if the adultery was committed outside Scotland.

Paget and Charlotte took up residence in Scotland and evidence of their adultery was obtained(side note-one problem was that the law did not permit the divorced husband to marry the woman it was proved that he committed adultery with. Therefore, Charlotte had to keep veiled the whole time so that noone could prove she was the woman he was with). The decree was effective in October. Paget and Charlotte married in Scotland then found(with some difficulty) and C of E clergyman to marry them in England. Paget's first wife then married the Duke of Argyll.
Henry Wellesley married 6 years later.

Side note-The first divorce, in damages,cost Paget 20,000 pounds, the second cost 10,000 and he settled 1,000 per annum on his first wife. He said to his brother that he thought it a good and cheap bargain at that.

These women all seemed to be accepted, at least to some degree, back into society.

Sorry to make this so long, Kat