Mary Robinson (poet) with her, since they feared to receive a bad reputation sympathizing with Mary Robinson. Mary Robinson (poet) Mary Robinson (née Darby; 27 November 1757? – 26 December 1800) was an English actress, poet, dramatist, novelist, and celebrity figure. During her lifetime she was known as "the English Sappho". She earned her nickname "Perdita" for her role as Perdita (heroine of Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale") in 1779. She was the first public mistress of King George IV while he was still Prince of Wales. Robinson was born in Bristol, England to Nicholas Darby, a naval captain, and his wife Hester (née
Mistresses of Henry VIII Mistresses of Henry VIII The Mistresses of Henry VIII allegedly included many notable women between 1509 and 1536. They have been the subject of biographies, novels and films. The first book published on this topic was Kelly Hart's "The Mistresses of Henry VIII" in 2009. After this and the publicity surrounding "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory and the film based on the novel, there were several books published on the topic. "The Other Boleyn Girl" was a fictionalised account of Henry VIII's relationship with Mary Boleyn. In 2010, "Mary Boleyn: The True Story of Henry VIII's Favourite Mistress"