Georgiana Crane
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| Portrayed by Kiera Knightley | |
| Full Name | Georgiana Caroline Crane |
|---|---|
| Associated Noble House(s) | Marquessate of Raulings |
| Date of Birth | March 14,1793 |
| Father | James Crane |
| Father's Rank | Gentry |
| Mother | Annabella Crane nee Grafton |
| Mother's Rank | Lady |
| Town Residence | 14 Berkeley Square |
| Year of Debut | 1811 |
| Dowry | |
Georgiana Caroline Crane is the oldest child of Lady Annabella Crane and Mr. Crane and a member of the extended Grafton family. She is the first cousin of played characters Lady Julianne Grafton, Katharine, Countess of Carrington, Miss Palmer, the Duke of Welby and Lord Daniel Rossington. She is also more distantly related to played characters Lady Viola Fitzgerald, Lady Olivia Fitzgerald, Colonel Fitzgerald, Mr. Freye, Miss Freye, and Mr. Hissop.
Early Life (1793 to 1810)
Born on March 14, 1793, Georgiana was the much desired first child born to publishing magnate James Crane and his wife, Lady Annabella. Georgiana was the product of a mutually advantageous marriage: Mr. Crane's fortune and Lady Annabella's aristocratic pedigree. Her parents had been married well over a decade without children, and her birth was to be the harbinger of things to come - two more children joined the family over the next four years. Georgiana's parents had lived in London year-round before the births of their children, but after the family expanded, Lady Annabella retired to the country estate Mr. Crane purchased to raise the children well away from the fetid London air. The Crane children wanted for nothing and were educated on par with their titled cousins. While the boys went to Eton (as all Grafton men have done for generations), Georgiana's education was directed largely by her mother, who took an active role in selecting Georgiana's educators. An Italian dancing master visited the house annually, ensuring Georgiana was well prepared to dance the latest steps, and Georgiana's governess came with some of the finest recommendations in the country. Georgiana has always loved to learn and was a fine student, well prepared for her scheduled debut in the spring of 1810.
A few weeks before Lady Annabella and Georgiana were set to join Mr. Crane in London for the Season of 1810, the family learned that Matthew, the Crane's oldest son, had drowned in a boating accident at Eton. The family was devastated, with Lady Annabella naturally taking the news the hardest. Their plans for Georgiana's debut were canceled and the entire family went into mourning. Lady Annabella was particularly affected, and Georgiana spent many an hour comforting her mother.
As a way of coping with the loss, Georgiana dedicated herself to using the additional year to ensure she was perfectly prepared for her delayed debut.
Georgiana was the first to pull herself out of her grief, and while her mother has largely recovered, Georgiana doubts Lady Annabella will ever be quite the same. Georgiana entertained some concerns that her mother would be unable to serve as her chaperone for the Season, but it appears that Lady Annabella has had enough sense of self to realize the importance of the year for Georgiana. Georgiana's surviving brother Julian was sent down from Eton due to misbehavior, and it was requested that he not return for the spring. Georgiana suspects it was his way of expressing his own grief. The Cranes were able to secure Julian a spot at Harrow, Mr. Crane's alma mater.
Debut (1811)
Georgiana is, by nature, an observer. A quiet sort, people will occasionally forget she is present, allowing her to see and hear more than she might do otherwise. She has always gotten along well with her cousin Katharine, who is of a similar nature; her cousin Julianne finds her dull. She tends to sense undercurrents of tension and pick up on things left unsaid with far greater skill than many.
Some have characterized Georgiana as cool, but she is simply reserved and imbued with a strict sense of propriety. If harsh words are to be said or tears to be shed, better to do it in hushed tones in the privacy of one's room, rather than provide fodder for gossips. Georgiana has learned that one of the best ways to learn about someone is to watch their interactions with others, particularly if they are unaware of Georgiana's regard. She knows that she cannot be the only person to have learned this, and she acts accordingly. She has never been given to bouts of irrationality or a hot temper. She is not one to be ruled by her heart over her head, and she will never speak out of turn. When she does voice her opinions, they are thoughtful and well spoken.
Georgiana has given a great deal of thought to the sort of man she hopes to marry, and while she is sensible and less likely to be ruled by her heart than others, she is still enough of a youth to hope to marry someone she at least likes and might eventually come to love. Georgiana is largely looking forward to her marriage, however, as a way to move forward in her life rather than become mired in the tragedies of the past.
