Violet Trefusis (1894–1972,) née Keppel, was an English writer, socialite, and radio broadcaster, known for her novels, memoirs, and her famous affair with Vita Sackville-West. Her works explored love, identity, and aristocratic life, blending autobiographical elements with fiction.
Born in London, she was the daughter of Alice Keppel, mistress to King Edward VII. Raised in an aristocratic setting, she developed a passion for literature and European culture. Her relationship with Vita Sackville-West, documented in letters and memoirs, inspired Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando (1928.)
Trefusis wrote several novels, including Broderie Anglaise (1935,) a roman à clef about her relationship with Sackville-West; Hunt the Slipper (1937,) exploring romantic obsession; and Pirates at Play (1954,) a satirical take on European aristocracy. Her memoir Don’t Look Round (1952) reflects on her high-society experiences.
She spent much of her later life in France and Italy, earning the Légion d’honneur for contributions to French culture. Despite mixed literary reception, her works remain significant in 20th-century English and French literature.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Violet Trefusis
You are my lover and I am your mistress and kingdoms and empires and governments have tottered and succumbed before now to that mighty combination.
—Violet Trefusis
Topics: Lovers, Love
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