The 'Dirty Duchess' Who Rocked High Society

When it comes to British scandals, there’s no better place to start than the “Dirty Duchess,” Margaret Campbell. She was infamous among the high-society set before she even married the Duke of Argyll—but after their incredibly messy divorce, she became one of the most notorious women in England. After all, the Duchess had one enormous skeleton in her closet.

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[sarrhodes]

I feel really sad for her. Maligned and hurt she was actually a nice lady who always made an effort to look glamorous and stand on her dignity, despite the scandal and all the mud-slinging. I met her back in the 1970s and she was kind to me, helping me out when I was stuck a long way from where I was staying. She made the offer to get me back safely. I intensely dislike reading the insults about her. She doesn't deserve it. She was indeed beautiful and dazzled in her era - but suffered great misfortune in her life of a kind that today's society would barely even notice.

[marynoonan]

People were (are) such hypocrites. Men like Errol Flynn were applauded for having 100 lovers but not a woman. The British upper class has always had lovers. Always.

[CloudhoundCoUk]

I knew the Duchess towards the end of her life. I found her to be a nice, pleasant person.
Falling down a lift shaft. You have to wonder how.

[danljksn]

It isn't hugely uncommon for a change in personality after a head injury. It happened to a little girl I used to babysit for - she fell down and knocked herself out (I think she got a concussion) and, according to her twin sister, wasn't the same after that. I think this woman's change was a combination of injury, some sort of personality disorder, and the stress of her early life experiences.

[moirahill]

I think she looked so beautiful, stylish and she had kind eyes. My heart goes out to her with all that she went through. She must have felt so isolated at times and was looking for love. Rest in peace dear lady 🎉

[Echiya]

TBI's with frontal lobe damage can reduce a person's impulse control to a very serious level.

[miapdx]

Those dark circles under her say a lot about her unhappiness. Back then, to label a woman as a nymphomaniac was the kiss of death. A woman's reputation was a fragile thing. It could be destroyed in a heartbeat. And if a woman did anything to contribute to her bad reputation, the public could be merciless. Btw, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. really got around back then. But no one called him a nympho...on the contrary, he was a playboy, a lovable rogue..it seems only a woman could earn a bad reputation. I wish her memoirs could be published.

[harrietlyall]

In the costume section of the National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street, Edinburgh, there are two beautiful dresses bequeathed by Margaret: one is a duck-egg blue number with feathers, by Halston of New York, the other is black and red, by Yves Saint Laurent. She absolutely was, and is, a fashion icon, but what a train-wreck of a life, poor old thing 🫦 It’s nice that Lady C is speaking up for her to today’s generation.

[dominaevillae]

Margaret’s step daughter-in- law, Lady Colin Campbell, said that “A Very British scandal wasn’t an accurate portrayal of her and was quite angry on her behalf.

[foreverlovesophie]

I worked with a woman who said her personality completely changed after her car accident . A refrigerator that was being transport on truck came undone and flew straight on her car. It was a miracle she survived, but became very promiscuous after it

[Lana.S.Boyd]

Why is this lady being billed as " Dirty" ? Her husband was a money grabbing brute who abused her terribly! Why the hell was he breaking into her private things anyway? She was vilified by this scandal, and he got away scot free, his reputation intact.
If she had a bit of fun and love....good on her!

[samanthabuttheadd]

I LOVE how she kept wearing her pearls. Iconic

[kirankaur]

I had to look up how old she was when she got pregnant and had this forced abortion. 16. She was just 16 when she had her encounter with Neven. In many countries today this would be considered statutory rape.

I'm putting this in context as the comments here seem wildly prejudiced and ignoring the fact that she must have experienced severe trauma and ptsd. The forced abortion at this time would not have been what we would today see as a safe medical procedure. I doubt it would have been entirely pain-free, and it undoubtedly led to the miscarriages. I also wouldn't surprised if there was child sexual abuse earlier given her actions.

So here is a woman with severe trauma and painful experience before she is even an adult. We know through research today that such traumas change brain chemistry permanently. She is repeatedly told there is no value in her except her body i.e. how she looks and if she can produce children. She trauma is compounded by societal sexualisation/objectification and later her controlling partners and miscarriages. THEN she has a brain injury which clearly causes permanent brain damage. Her ability to have sex was probably the only way she felt valued. I'm unsurprised by this. I'm also unsurprised by the hypocritical way her society spoke about her. Aristocrats are notorious for sleeping around. Heck, there is a fair amount of evidence that Prince Philip did.

Just be a little kinder people. It'll do you good.

[The.Pickle]

Sounds like a terribly sad life and I have a lot of compassion for her.

[stevieburges]

Thanks for this. I felt so sorry for her - that 40' fall - ooh shudder. Her nursing home was on the same square as my London flat. I had only ever heard of her scandals but your video gave a much deeper picture.

[FinlayMacintyre-tili]

A few years ago a pub opened on Argyle Street in the Finnieston area of Glasgow called The Duchess of Argyll. Before too long the name was dropped, I suspected because of pressure from Inveraray. The pub took the new name, The Dirty Duchess which l don't imagined pleased the Campbells any better!

[Curlyblonde]

May I suggest that you do a video on Edwina Mountbatten? She could rival Margaret Campbell's wild life.

[roseoreillysievers]

What about the dirty men who were involved with this lady. To call her the Dirty Duchess, is shameful

[willmoore]

I truly pity the 'upper classes' with their loveless marriages, class obsession and out of touch with reality attitudes.

[imlistening]

Abortions done in the 1920s caused a lot of damage to a woman, and probably led to all those miscarriages and bad behavior.