Albinia Vere Hobart, Countess of Buckinghamshire (née Bertie; 3 November 1738 – 11 March 1816) was an English noblewoman and socialite. She was the co-heiress of her father, Lord Vere Bertie, and became the Countess of Buckinghamshire by marriage in 1793. Her lifestyle and size made her the subject and victim of cartoons by James Gillray and others; she figures in more than 50 satirical prints.
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Early life
Hobart was born Albinia Bertie to Lord Vere Bertie and Anne Casey. Her mother's father was Sir Cecil Wray, 11th Baronet; Anne Casey was illegitimate but her father's heiress, left in his will dated 21 January 1735/6 £14,000 (equivalent to £2,612,000 in 2025) and all his estates.
Reputation
The fashion at the time was for gambling, particularly with the card game faro. She and other celebrities like Charles James Fox and Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire were renowned for their indulgent gambling. The Hobarts were known for this extravagance. Despite not having a licence, she allowed her house to be used for high-stakes gambling. By this device she managed to lose money and to fall foul of the authorities. She was having fun and losing money and so was her husband.
He tried a number of careers with poor results and consoled himself with mistresses. Despite their other interests the couple had four daughters and three sons. Meanwhile the press saw her illegal gambling and indulgent parties as a legitimate target. The commentators at the time could not resist noting the growing size of Albinia and her love of extravagant fashion which was intended more for her daughters.