Born Emilie Le Breton in Jersey in 1853, married to Edward Langtry at the age of 20, Lillie Langtry was destined to be universally known as Lillie, or The Jersey Lily. She was introduced to the Prince of Wales, presented to Queen Victoria and met Prince Louis of Battenberg by whom, in 1881, she had a daughter. Her fortunes at a low point and on the advice of her friend Oscar Wilde, Lillie embarked on an acting career and achieved considerable success. First she took London by storm, then the provinces, followed by successful tours of America and South Africa. At the same time she developed an interest in horse racing, owning her own stables.