Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire Quotes in The Duchess (2008)

Duke of Devonshire: This will be the mistake of your life.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: No, I made that many years ago. I trust you can see yourself out.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: [speaking about Charles Grey] We love each other.

Duke of Devonshire: I do not doubt it; he is a dreamer like yourself. You both dream of another world that does not exist, and never will.

Charles Grey: You don't have to please others all the time.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: It's what I've been brought up to do. Difficult lesson to unlearn.

Charles Grey: Please tell me what is wrong.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: I fear I've done some things in life too late and others too early.

Charles Grey: [Takes off his hat] No, you haven't.

[Kisses her]

[from trailer]

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: I fail to comprehend how far we are fully committed to the concept of freedom.

Sir Peter Teazle: Freedom in moderation.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: The concept of freedom is an absolute.

Bess Foster: [watching children] Up and down, up and down. Why can't we recover like that?

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: It's too far to fall now.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: Of all the women in England, you had to throw yourself on her. I have never objected to any of your affairs. I have accepted whatever arrangement you have proposed. But this... I have one single thing of my own. Why couldn't you let me keep Elizabeth for myself? What kind of man are you? She is my sole comfort in our marriage. You have robbed me of my only friend. What is wrong with me?

[from trailer]

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: You can't ask me to battle nature in my own heart.

Lady Spencer: I have heard a rumor.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: Yes?

Lady Spencer: That I will soon be addressing my daughter as her Grace, the Duchess of Devonshire.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: Is it true, Mama?

Lady Spencer: Yes.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: He loves me?

Lady Spencer: Yes, of course.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: I have only met him twice.

Lady Spencer: When one truly loves someone, one doesn't have to know them well to be sure, Georgiana. One feels it right away.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: There are limits to the sacrifices one makes for one's children.

Bess Foster: No, there aren't. No limits whatsoever.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: What's that on your neck? Bess?

Bess Foster: It's not illegal for a man to beat his wife with a stick unless the stick is thicker than his thumb.

Charles Fox: In which particular section of the speech did the message elude your Grace?

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: Well, I have great sympathy with your sentiments in general, but fail fully to comprehend how far we - the Whig party, that is - are fully committed to the concept of freedom.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: I am her mother. After all, she is only a girl.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: [to a crowd of her adoring public at Bath regaled with a large plume on her hat] We come away to Bath to get away from London, and all of London has come away to Bath.

[laughter from the audience]

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: Somebody did indeed ask me what kind of feather it is I'm wearing. Well, there are only two specimins of this rare bird known to man. One of them has clearly ended up on top of my head, and the other - rumor has it he's running for office in the Tory Party.

[More laughter]

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: [to the Duke about his realationship with Bess] Of all the women in England you had to throw yourself on her!

[from trailer]

Lady Spencer: All of London is talking.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: Oh, let them talk!

[from trailer]

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: All my life, I've been fighting my way upstream.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: Do you think of me when we're not together?

Charles Grey: You ought to know I do.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: You hesitated before you replied.

Charles Grey: No, I'm unused to being asked so directly. And by you of all people. I think of you all the time. I always have.

Duke of Devonshire: I asked for two things when we wed, loyalty, and male heir.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: The same as your dogs!

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: How's the campaign going?

Charles Grey: Terribly. Our only hope is to save Westminster for Fox.

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: I have many faults, as you well know. Not least among them is my ability to draw attention. Perhaps we could use that to our advantage.