Prince Lawrence, Duke of Chicago, referred to sometimes as "Lively Larry" by the press, is the brother of the reigning monarch
Augustine II, and the second son born to the previous sovereign
George III. Lawrence has a complicated reputation with the public. Before his ill-fated marriage to the lovely
Jaclyn "Jackie" Thomas, Lawrence had the reputation for being a playboy, contrasting sharply with his austere, duty-bound older brother. Serving in sinecure positions in the army, Lawrence often participated in riding shows and play "jousts" that had made a comeback in some Southern states. Members of the tabloid press also took great delight in profiling the women to whom he would give tokens before the competitions. Jackie, a small-time actress, was one of these women, and was considered to be by many his most beautiful "companion." The two experienced a whirlwind courtship and were married in late 1979.
At first, the marriage proved to be quite popular. The Duke's roguish personality coupled with the Duchess' bubbliness endeared them with the general public. With the birth of their first and only child
Anna in 1981, the name became a favorite name for newborn baby girls. However, the marriage was not to last as the Duke's serial philandering, coupled with the Duchess' desire to return to her acting career resulted in the couple separating and then divorcing in 1985. The event, coupled with accusations of George III's household of financial impropriety, brought the American monarchy to a lowpoint, saved only by the rising popularity of the duller, more stable Prince John, later Augustine II.
Jaclyn made a brief return to acting, and even landed a leading lady role in the romantic comedy
Three's A Crowd, which was roundly panned by critics. While she continued to act in smaller parts in both film and television, she never again caught the big break she wanted. On the morning of May 31, 2000, she was found dead at the famous Hotel Mississippi in St. Louis. Autopsy revealed that she had died from drug overdose, with her death being ruled a suicide by police. Augustine allowed for the Duchess to be buried alongside other members of the royal family at Christ Church in Alexandria, a move that was both criticized and praised by royal watchers. Many blamed the Duke for driving Jaclyn to her death. Though he was seen shedding a tear at her funeral, he remained uncharacteristically stoic throughout the ordeal, only adding to charges of heartlessness. He has not remarried, though rumors of his having a string of girlfriends continue to persist.
Their daughter Anna has made a name for herself in her charitable activity, including poverty relief in Appalachia. In 2005, she married wealthy businessman Edward Vincent, and was given the discretionary title of "Countess of Albany."
