Nan Britton

Nan P. "Nanny" Britton (November 9, 1896 – March 21, 1991) was Warren G. Harding's mistress who publicly revealed in 1928 that he had fathered her illegitimate daughter (Elizabeth Ann Britton Harding Blaesing) shortly before his election as President in 1920. Her revelation was controversial during her lifetime but was confirmed by DNA testing in 2015.

Early life

Born in 1896 in Marion, Ohio, Britton developed an obsession with Harding, a friend of her father. As a young girl, her bedroom walls were covered with Harding's pictures from local papers and magazines. While not even 16 years old, she would loiter near his Marion Daily Star building in Marion, Ohio, hoping to see him on his walk home from work.

Relationship with Harding

Nan's father, Dr. Britton, spoke to Harding about his daughter's infatuation, and Harding met with her, claiming he told her that some day she would find the man of her dreams. At the time, Harding was already involved in a passionate affair with Carrie Fulton Phillips, wife of James Phillips, co-owner of a local department store. After she graduated from high school in 1914, Britton moved to New York City, to begin a career as a secretary. However, she claimed she also began an intimate relationship with Harding.