'Feud Capote vs The Swans': Inside Babe Paley's lavish funeral that she organized herself
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Babe Paley, portrayed by Naomi Watts in FX's latest series 'Feud: Capote vs the Swans', was America's notable fashion icon and socialite. She started her career in 1938 as a fashion editor at Vogue in New York City and slowly began to make waves in fashion and high society.
Time Magazine in its 1941 edition ranked her the world's second-best dressed woman, following Wallis Simpson. She gained popularity for creating awe-worthy looks by mixing fine jewelry with costume pieces and tying scarves around handbags.
Inside the troubled marriage of Babe Paley
Her marriage with Stanley Grafton Mortimer Jr lasted for four years. A few months after divorcing Mortimer, she tied the knot with William S Paley in 1947. The union gave her abundant wealth but it turned out to be an unhappy marriage for her, as per Factinate.
While William allegedly kept cheating on her, she kept busy being the ideal wife, who had a task to maintain a perfect image in front of media and the world.
Babe Paley was reportedly Truman Capote's favorite swan. The tale of their complicated friendship is extensively narrated in 'Feud: Capote vs the Swans'.
Capote would soothe her and provide her a shoulder to cry on whenever she learned about her husband's new affair.
Babe Paley planned her lavish funeral
The loneliness and frustration of her unhappy marriage took over and she became highly dependent on medications. She allegedly used to two packs of cigarettes a day, as per a report of WWD.
In 1974, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Meanwhile, she had cut her ties with Capote after his excerpt based on their troubled marriage sent shockwaves through the high society set.
Besides taking the regular chemotherapy sessions, she focused on her impending death. She began with wrapping her extension jewelry collection to be gifted to her family and friends. She even planned her entire funeral in advance including the selection of wine and food.
Babe Paley died in 1978 and was laid to rest in the Memorial Cemetery of St John's Church in Cold Spring Harbor, New York.
