Randolph Churchill (Vive l'Emperor)

Randolph was born in 1849 in Blenheim palace. He was the grandson of the then duke of marlborough and the 3rd son of the future duke. He was brought up in the palace, and in 1862 he went to eton college. Randolph remained there until 1867 when he attended New College, Oxford. He studied law and passed out in 1870.

Randolph was able to get a job as a bank manager at the London and America bank, largely thanks to the intervention of his father. Randolph spent much of his time travelling back and forth from London to New York. He found the job itself very boring, but enjoyed socialising with leading businessmen on both sides of the channel. It was in 1872 he met Leonard Jerome, a wealthy New York financier and father to Jennie Jerome. Randolph and Jennie soon became romantically attached and married in 1873. In 1874 they gave birth to a son, Winston.

In 1874 he was elected conservative mp for Woodstock. He soon became a vocal figure in parliament, even though he was a back bencher and a junior member of parliament.