Famous 1900s Socialite Had A Much Different Life Than She Ever Let On In Public

"Poor little rich girl" may have sounded like a spiteful nickname to anyone who didn't know its owner, early-1900s socialite Barbara Hutton. Behind the glitz and glamour was a deeply damaged soul, one that rarely had a reprieve from death, tragedy, and heartbreak. Most people read all about Barbara's storied romantic life in the newspaper, but very few actually knew the reality: "poor little rich girl" wasn't only a fitting nickname for Barbara, but the only one that actually told the truth...

Born with a Silver Spoon

Like most socialites, Barbara was born into privilege. She grew up surrounded by the hustle and bustle of her grandfather's successful retail chain, Woolworth's, though she never really developed any business skills of her own. It didn't matter anyway; her grandparents' deaths meant she'd never have to work a day in her life.

Personal Hurt

Upon their passing, young Barbara inherited $26 million. You wouldn't be crazy for thinking this lavish inheritance meant Barbara could live a worry-free life, but all the money in the world couldn't stop tragedy from knocking on Barbara's door. Barbara's childhood was nothing short of traumatic.

Childhood Tragedy

At only four years old, Barbara made an emotionally-scarring discovery: her mother's lifeless body, draped across her bed at the Plaza Hotel. Although newspapers stated her mother's death was due to an illness, rumors spread that it had been caused by something much worse.

Young Grief

Allegedly, Barbara's mother had learned about her husband's affair with another woman. Inconsolable, she poisoned herself, leaving her only daughter to find her body. To make matters worse, Barbara couldn't exactly run to her philandering father for comfort. On the contrary...