A Response from Wendy Montagu to Mary Montagu, Alex's mother

Dear Mary, 

 

I leave off the honorific as your behavior makes a mockery of a title which is intended to denote a level of behavior to which you have never been inclined to adhere. 

 

You always knew I had been defrauded by Alex because you were well aware he had never divorced Marion Stoner. Instead of informing me of these facts you entered into a conspiracy with him, by your own admission in the letter below. To quote, “Finally Norman and I decided to keep the matter "secret"  that there was no point in harming you or the children - and at that time Alexander (Sir) worshipped (sic) the ground you walked on and cherished the children.”

This is, itself, a fantasy, which you well know. Worshiped the ground I walked on? Enough was shared with you, along with what you saw, to make me question your sanity at such an assertion. Alex was responsible for our 13 evictions, for continued depletion of my 401K to pay for his bouncing checks, physical abuse, continued, unremitting emotional abuse, and the ugliest divorce anyone could imagine. This seems like worship to you? Is this your way of saying you deify Satan? 

 

No decent person would leave someone they, “viewed as a daughter,” and their grandchildren, if they actually cared about them, in such a legally vulnerable position. And in 2009 you showed not a shred of concern for me or the children. We could have starved, for all you cared. 

 

Your motives were very much otherwise. Self interest was your motivator, which your later actions confirm. You had been embarrassed by Alex's criminal behavior in Australia, horrified when he was convicted and sent to prison. All of these reflected badly on the pretense you have always attempted to maintain as a person of title and good reputation. 

 

Of course, that statement did not then, or now, bear close examination. 

 

Your father was a car salesman. Your mother a homemaker. These are honest occupations and worthy of respect - if carried out honestly, but no different, except for, perhaps accomplished income, than those held by my own parents. My parents, and fore-bearers, were honest, hard working people. No jailbirds in the lot. 

 

No one in my family has ever been arrested for fraud or assault, convicted, and been incarcerated. Yet, you ignore the respectable side of your family and, instead, continue to the pretense you originate from the aristocracy. A sad delusion. 

 

Titles, evidently, must be taken with a grain of salt. Good reputation is more objective, grounded on the evidence of such values as truth-telling, hard work, compassion, and simple decency. 

 

Over the last year I have learned, to my shock, facts about your own behavior which are, to say the least, scandalous. These facts include information about your behavior, while employed, your 'social life,' and other revelations. Alex was not the source. I know better than to believe him.

In the wake of the trial in Queen's Court of July 2011 I was contacted by the media. I told the truth because I believe all of us need to live the truth and not contort and distort the facts to support illusions, our own or others'. My children know this. Being raised by a father who never told the truth impacted them as well. This, you choose to forget. 

 

For two years I had struggled to support my children, your grandchildren, with no help from the Manchester Trusts or you and your family. This was an conscienceless act on your part. Your letter is a morass of lies, self-justifications which do nothing but reveal you to be what you are, a social climber who was hoisted on your own petard when you grabbed the opportunity for a title without considering the man who offered you the title, for former husband Angus, who later became the 12^th Duke of Manchester. 

 

Your grasping for entitlement is clear from the article written about you and Alex when Angus became duke in 1985. Mary and Alexander: It's a title fight. Your former husband, Alex's father, was being tried for fraud while the two of you squabbled over titles. 

 

I am well aware the Manchester Trusts did the right thing as soon as they were apprised of the facts. You had not in 1993, 1996, or later. Those in charge of the Trusts have my absolute gratitude and support for their unfailing rectitude. 

 

Your lies regarding the Marion Stoner marriage, again presented in your asinine letter, are refuted by copious documentation. You stand exposed as a liar, worse so since, as a supposed journalist, you had access to the means for ascertaining all of the facts. 

 

In this letter you have libeled Marion Stoner and myself. Your actions have cost me years of my life. If I had known Alex was married I would never have married him. At the moment he informed you he was marrying you were obligated to tell the truth. You did not. 

 

Every year since then has been stolen from me, as marriage to him denied me the opportunities which my work ethic and inherent abilities would have obtained, to say nothing of the emotional costs exacted. 

 

During this time you and your 'family' have lived lives free of pain and embarrassment. Your freedom was paid by me, unwittingly becoming the caretaker for your psychopathic son, Alex. 

 

I will tell the truth. Justice will be done, this, I promise.

Sincerely,

Wendy Dawn Buford Montagu

See email below from Mary Montagu to Wendy Buford Montagu

From: Mary Montagu [mailto:m.montagu@xxx.com] Sent: Friday, July 22, 2011 2:43 PMTo: Montagu, Wendy (OC)Subject: Disgust and HurtImportance: High

Wendy,  I am at a total loss to understand your diatribe of vicious lies against myself and Emma and Kimble in the British press.    It is ironic as as soon as we heard of the hearing - not until after the judgment - we were all devastated this public outing would have on the innocent parties, Alexander Jnr and Ashley.   We were in the process, on Thursday, Australian time, of seeking to offer them a trip to Australia for summer and possible further schooling in Australia for Alexander.   It is all very well to express our hurt and amazement at your vitriolic actions --- but what about your children --- one can only presume that you care very little for them.

Now to more specific things and a couple of lies.    I had absolutely no knowledge of any alleged marriage ceremony entered into with that Stoner woman until I was approached at my workplace, well after you were "married" and I believe Alexander would have been about 4 at the time.   The woman was then in her late 40s and had teenage children - she had been in a very long term relationship which led me, my attorneys and employer at the time to believe it had been a total set-up and scam.   And although I do not believe anything that Alexander says these days I believe that at barely 20 at a BBQ party he was tricked into "let's all pretend to get married".   If you think for a moment at the press Alexander has always generated how come not a word of this ceremony made it into any of the local Melbourne, Australian press.   It doesn't make sense.     I paid the woman off --- Norman told Alexander what was going on -- and a divorce, annulment was obtained.   I have the legal papers signed by the woman at the time accepting the "blackmail" amount in full and final settlement.   Norman and Parke held the legal papers.

Now, this nonsense about you not knowing I was alive until after Alexander was born.... A lie, Wendy, you forget Wendy, that one of my oldest and best friends from University, Norman Parker was - during the time and up until his death, Alexander's de facto father.   I spoke to you before the baby was born and the day after you and Alexander went through the form of marriage.   I have always regarded you as a daughter and Emma has loved you like a sister.   Norman totally regarded you as his "family" and indeed made provision with certain funds here in Australia, at a discretion of executors, that would go to Alexander at the age of 21.   I am now seeking (as one of the executors)  to have this negated.

I have stood up for you throughout all the drama of the past few years.   I have not spoken to Alexander since, or barely.   I do not enter into any discussion with Laura.

I have consistently said, regardless of who the father is, or under what circumstances, they are my grandchildren and Alexander both morally and financially should accept the responsibility --- and they should be protected above all.

Unfortunately the children are the innocent victims.  

You have turned, in my mind, into a vitriolic trailer park harridan.   I can not believe that my love and respect for you meant so little.   That you would honestly believe that I know or disguised this Stoner business.

And much as I hate to say it, and as a result of investigations by my solicitors here and my own searches  I absolutely believe that Alexander had no idea that the backyard wedding ceremony was anything more than a joke.   He never lived with or slept with this woman.   At the time he was in a committed relationship with Sonia, who was in fact and innocent party at the BBQ.

Finally Norman and I decided to keep the matter "secret"  that there was no point in harming you or the children - and at that time Alexander (Sir) worshipped the ground you walked on and cherished the children.

Wendy, I have since University, kept a detailed diary and these facts are documented.  Including the first time I visited, when you lived next door to you mother, and the grueling and distressing grilling on how much money Alexander had and how to get hold of it shocked me, but over the years I put the conversation to the back of my mind and put it down as my own paranoia.

Wendy I cannot forgive you.   Finally I told you of Emma's very dire health problems and this last couple of days have seen her condition deteriorate significantly -  - not the case which we supported at the time and indeed its judgment - but your trailer park vent to the press and the irreparable damage done to your children with total disregard to their well being and future by your rant.has resulted

Mary Montagu


PS:  There is no way that the Trusts - either in the US or UK knew of either the sham marriage nor the subsequent annulment.