Jennifer Wilde

Constance Mary Holland, born Constance Lloyd in London in 1858, was an Irish writer and the wife of playwright Oscar Wilde. She married Wilde in 1884, and they had two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan. Constance published a collection of children's stories titled 'There Was Once' in 1888. She was also involved in the dress reform movement.

Her life took a difficult turn as her husband became increasingly distant, and she learned of his homosexual relationships. Following Oscar Wilde's conviction and imprisonment in 1895, Constance changed her surname and her sons' to Holland to distance them from the scandal. She moved with her sons to Switzerland, and they never saw their father again. Constance died in 1898 at the age of 39, following surgery for uterine fibroids, with her death attributed to complications that may have stemmed from a misdiagnosed neurological condition.

Born Constance Lloyd in London in 1858, Constance Mary Holland was the daughter of Horace Lloyd, an Anglo-Irish barrister. She married the renowned Irish playwright Oscar Wilde in 1884, and together they had two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan. In 1888, Constance published her own work, 'There Was Once,' a book drawing from children's stories she heard from her grandmother. She and her husband were also participants in the dress reform movement, advocating for changes in clothing styles.

The marriage faced significant strain as Constance became aware of her husband's homosexual relationships, a fact brought into sharper focus when he introduced his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, to their home. Around this period, Oscar Wilde began spending more time away from their residence. Following Wilde's conviction and imprisonment in 1895, Constance made the decision to change her and her sons' surname to Holland, seeking to separate them from the ensuing scandal. She moved her sons to Switzerland, enrolling them in a boarding school in Germany, and they did not see their father again. Though they never divorced, Constance insisted Wilde relinquish his parental rights.

Constance Wilde's health declined significantly in her later years. She died on April 7, 1898, shortly after undergoing surgery performed by Luigi Maria Bossi. Medical evidence unearthed by her grandson suggests her symptoms were consistent with multiple sclerosis, a condition her doctors apparently misdiagnosed. The surgery she underwent in 1895 may have addressed a structural issue related to urinary difficulties, but the underlying problem was likely neurological. The final surgery in 1898, intended to remove a tumor, led to complications including uncontrollable vomiting and dehydration, ultimately causing her death. She is buried in Genoa, Italy.