Elizabeth Villiers

Elizabeth Hamilton, Countess of Orkney (1657 – 19 April 1733) (born Elizabeth Villiers) was an English courtier from the Villiers family and the reputed mistress of William III & II, King of England and Scotland, from 1680 until 1695. She was a lady-in-waiting to his wife and co-monarch, Queen Mary II.

She was born to Colonel Sir Edward Villiers of Richmond, Surrey and Frances Howard, herself the youngest daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk and Elizabeth Hume. As governess to the princesses Mary and Anne, Lady Villiers secured for her children both place and influence in the future Queen Mary II's household: Elizabeth's sisters Anne and Katherine were among the maids of honour who accompanied Lady Mary to the Hague, to serve as Princess of Orange; meanwhile, her brother Edward, later created 1st Earl of Jersey, was Master of the Horse. She was also the founder of Midleton College in 1696, a private boarding school in County Cork, Ireland.

Elizabeth is reputed to have become William's mistress some three years after his marriage to Mary. In 1685, Mary's father James II exploited rumors of William's infidelity in an attempt to cause a split between his daughter and the prince. After his ascension to the English throne, William settled a large share of the confiscated Irish estates of the late James II on Elizabeth. Parliament revoked this grant in 1699.

...
Wikipedia