The family most closely associated with America's Castles are the Vanderbilts. From Newport to Asheville, their legendary mansions fill the landscape. But perhaps the greatest castle a Vanderbilt ever called home was across the Atlantic in England. Alva Vanderbilt was obsessed with the station of her family, and her every move was designed to further the status of the Vanderbilt name. This passion led Alva to force her daughter Consuelo to marry the Ninth Duke of Marlborough, thus joining the fortunes of the Vanderbilts with British Royalty. The young couple endured a tumultuous relationship in the utmost of splendor, the fabulous Blenheim Palace. America's Castles crosses the Atlantic for a revealing look at this magnificent home-one of the finest in all of Europe. And family members, including Consuelo's grandson, relate the tale of the troubled union made for the sake of status.
