The Dowager Duchess of Devonshire:
Her marriage lasted 62 years, surviving Andrewâs long bout with alcoholism, as well as his discreet dalliances. âIt was absolutely fixed that we shouldnât divorce or get rid of each other in any way,â the duchess said. âItâs completely different to Americans, who all divorce each other the whole time. Such a bore for everyone, having to say whoâs going to have the dogs, whoâs going to have the photograph books.â
Here's what Americansâif they want to bring the divorce rate downâneed to reconcile themselves to: If you're with someone for decades and decades, and he or she only cheats on you twice or thrice, and he or she is considerate enough to be discreet about it, then your spouse is pretty good at being monogamous. We've got to stop sacrificing the good (otherwise solid marriages) on the altar of the perfect (complete sexual and emotional exclusivity, flawlessly executed, over the multi-decade course of a marriage).