Vanessa Walker, Duchess of Valtoria

Her Grace The Duchess of Valtoria Mrs Drake Walker
The Duchess in 2021.
Tenure	3 June 2021 – present
Predecessor	Carmine Koch, Duchess of Valtoria
Full name Vanessa Mae Walker
Born	Vanessa Mae Lopes (1992-11-05) 5 November 1992 The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Noble family	Beaumont · Walker
Spouse(s)	Drake Walker, Duke of Valtoria (m. 2021)
Issue Lady Jacqueline Walker
Father	Immanuel Lopes
Mother	Joan Kennedy
Religion	Judaism
Occupation	Waitress (2010–2021)

Vanessa Mae Walker, Duchess of Valtoria (née Lopes; born 5 November 1992), is an American-born Cordonian peeress and political advisor. She is a member of the King's Royal Council and head of state of the duchy of Valtoria. Before entering Cordonian civil life, she was a former civil servant and waitress. She is the husband of Drake Walker, Duke of Valtoria.

Born in The Bronx, New York City, she attended The Bronx High School of Science and later studied at New York University, graduating with a bachelor in communications in 2016. While attending post-secondary education, Vanessa worked as a waitress at a local Bronx café from 2009–2018. She subsequently accepted a job in 2018 on the congressional campaign of U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, later working in her congressional office in Parkchester, Bronx. She left that job a year later to resume work as a waitress at Windows on the City, a Lower Manhattan restaurant.

While waitressing in February 2021, Vanessa met Lord Maxwell Beaumont, Drake Walker, and then Liam, the Prince of Cordonia, and heir apparent of the Cordonian throne, while they were visiting the city for the prince’s bachelor party. She later became friends with the group. After spending time with the Prince, Lord Beaumont invited Vanessa to live in Cordonia to join the 2021 social season, a series of events held from March–June to honor the royal family and nobility in the Commonwealth. Speculation was raised that she was invited to attend the social events as an opportunity to get to know the Prince and possibly court him.

She became an honorary member of the House of Beaumont and was raised to the peerage as a condition to join the events. She became Lady Lopes in March 2021 and moved to the capital of Cordonia. During the social season, tabloids described Vanessa as "the Bronx princess" and she gained praise for her humility and knowledge in international relations. Vanessa has been compared to American-born British royal Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, though has rejected this label as "pitting black women against each other". Though the press speculated a courtship between King Liam and Vanessa, she later made a statement to the public following the King's coronation that she was not romantically interested in him. She and Drake Walker announced their engagement on 15 June 2021. The engagement came after a frameup against Vanessa. The couple married on 1 July 2021 and Drake became the Duke of Valtoria. The couple have a daughter, Lady Jacqueline Walker.

Early life and education

Vanessa was born Vanessa Mae Lopes on 5 November 1992 in The Bronx, Bronx County, New York, New York, United States, to Joan (née Kennedy), a former member of the the New York City Council from the 18th district; and Immanuel Lopes, a businessman. Vanessa identifies as mixed-race as her mother is white and her father is black. She is the niece of the late American rapper Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes through her father Immanuel. Her father is the paternal half-brother of Lisa and the son of Ronald Lopes Sr. Asked about the connection in a Trend magazine interview, Vanessa mentioned her father was raised by his mother and was not close to the immediate family of the rapper. "I am a fan of TLC and their music, but regrettably never met my aunt Left Eye, T-Boz or Chili," Vanessa said. She is the only child.

Growing up in The Bronx, the Queen attended New York City public schools. She attended Public School 106X Parkchester for elementary school and later attended The Bronx High School of Science to study physics, music theory, and U.S. government and politics. Vanessa was pursing an education for a potential career in politics or law like after her mother. She was raised in her mother's Jewish faith though her father was Protestant. While in high school, Vanessa started her job as a waitress at a local Bronx café. She graduated from high school in 2012 and was accepted at the New York University, majoring in communications and international relations. She interned in the school's law department and frequently visited the United Nations headquarters for her studies. She graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in 2016.

Private career

After graduating from post-secondary education, the Duchess continued to work as a waitress until she accepted a job on a congressional campaign for activist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in April 2018. She worked as a secretary for the campaign and organized events, would frequently be an advisor on local New York policy, and would occasionally run telephone banks to reach potential voters. She never publicly campaigned for Ocasio-Cortez as that was not her specialty. She never personally spoke to the now-Congresswoman but would speak to her when campaign officials needed input on policy. After Ocasio-Cortez became U.S. Representative-elect, Vanessa accepted a job in her congressional office at her Parkchester office. The Duchess managed communications between their office and offices in Washington, D.C.. Vanessa only traveled to D.C. once as part of official business.

After being dissatisfied with political life, Vanessa quit in May 2019 and found a job waitressing at Windows on the City, a five star restaurant located in the One World Trade Center. She worked as a regular waitress and as a bartender. It is there she would met King Liam, then the Prince of Cordonia, Lord Maxwell Beaumont, her future husband Drake Walker and Tariq Al Saadi.

Relationship with Drake Walker

First encounter

During the evening of 21 February 2021, Vanessa was working a late night shift at Windows on the City, a restaurant in the Financial District located at One World Trade Center. Her collogue waiter Daniel reportedly had to leave his work shift early and Vanessa decided to finish his shift. She then preceded to serve King Liam of Cordonia, then Prince of Cordonia, his best friend Drake Walker and noblemen Lord Maxwell Beaumont and Lord Tariq Al Saadi. The pair of three were visiting New York City to celebrate the King's last year as a single man, as he'd have to marry within a year of turning 30 in order to inherit the Cordonian throne in accordance with the country's constitution. According to Lord Beaumont's memoir The Royal Romance, Liam and Vanessa instantly made a connection and the pair made light conversation. Vanessa didn't know that Liam was a royal prince at this time. The group later left the restaurant at around 11 pm and came back at midnight after Vanessa's shift to celebrate with them. She accepted and they preceded to sightsee Manhattan. Liam confided in Vanessa that he always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty and she later set up a private tour of the statue which impressed the prince. In the memoir, Lord Beaumont said that at this point the prince knew he wanted to marry The Bronx woman. The next day, Lord Beaumont invited Vanessa to move to Cordonia and become a member of the House of Beaumont to win favor with Prince Liam and court him. Though she accepted, she originally did not have the intention to go to Cordonia to court the prince. When she arrived in the country and thought about what happened, she decided to give the social season and courtship competition as a try, though she confided in Lady Hana Lee and Lord Beaumont that she knew Drake would be her future husband. However, during the first weeks in the country, Vanessa was unsure about whether she would fit into Cordonian noble life.

Noble life and early relationship

Vanessa first appeared in Cordonia at the Cordonian Masquerade, the first event of the traditional Cordonian social season, on March 6, 2021. She wore a red strapless lace dress, a white gold necklace, a classic black masquerade mask and horns as part of a devil costume. She was introduced as Lady Vanessa Lopes of New York and The Countess Beaumont with Lord Maxwell Beaumont at her side. The press reportedly said that she made the whole room gasp and was received neutrally. She also attended the Cordonian Derby, Queen of Tea Luncheon and the Lythikos Snow Stay, where she first developed romantic feelings towards Drake Walker. She later attended the Royal Regatta where she won the regatta boat race and the Apple Blossom Festival where she won the queen of Apples title. As she is legally a member of the House of Beaumont, Vanessa co-hosted the Beaumont Bash at the Beaumont Estate with Lord Beaumont and Bertrand Beaumont, 10th Duke of Ramsford. At the bash, she wore a blue ball gown adorned with squid-inspired patterns to represent the house colors and image. She shared time with Walker and with Prince Liam. Throughout the first few months of the social season, she was dupped the "Bronx princess" and the "everyday woman" for her down to earth attitude regarding the competition to compete for a courtship with Liam and her enduring popularity among Cordonian residents, though it was reported she had feuds with several nobles in the noble court.

Lopes–Al Saadi scandal

Main article: Lopes–Al Saadi scandal

During her stay at the Applewood Manor during the Applewood Blossom Festival, she stayed at the west end of the manor in Room 2AB. There, noble Tariq Al Saadi went into her room under a false impression Vanessa had feelings for Al Saadi. After she screamed, Drake Walker went into the room to protect Vanessa. Al Saadi apologized and left the room. Later at the Coronation Ball before King Liam announced his fiancée, images were leaked of Vanessa and Al Saadi in a compromising position. She was escorted by the King's Royal Guard to Cordonia Royal International Airport by the order of King Constantine The King Father. She denied the allegation that she was having an affair with Saadi and stated that it was a setup to discredit her image with the noble court and the public. A month later, Al Saadi explained the mishap and admitted that he entered her room unwanted under false pretenses. After the King Father died, King Liam admitted that King Constantine framed Vanessa and Al Saadi in order to prevent Vanessa and Liam from engaging, though Vanessa never had any feelings for the King and was instead seeing Drake Walker.

First assassination attempt

Main article: 2021 Cordonian Royal Palace bombing

Betrothal, second assassination attempt and marriage

Main article: Wedding of Drake Walker and Vanessa Lopes

Duchess of Valtoria

Attempted kidnapping and coup d'état

Main article: 2021 Cordonia coup d'état attempt

See also: § Kidnappings of the Duke and Duchess of Valtoria and the Duchess of Lythikos

Titles, styles, honors, and arms

Titles and styles

• 5 November 1992 – 1 March 2021: Miss Vanessa Mae Lopes
• 1 March 2021 – 3 June 2021: Her Grace The Countess Beaumont
• 3 June 2021 – 1 July 2021: Her Grace The Duchess of Valtoria
• 1 July 2021 – present: Her Grace The Duchess of Valtoria, Mrs Drake Walker
  • The Duchess is styled Mrs Walker within her own household.

Ancestry

The Duchess of Valtoria is the second cousin once removed of Queen Diana of the United Kingdom, the third cousin of William, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and the third cousin once removed of Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales, Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex via her great-great grandparents James Roche, 3rd Baron Fermoy and Frances Ellen Work

Biological

Ancestors of Vanessa Walker, Duchess of Valtoria
16. Charlie Lopes 8. Emanuel Lopes 17. Lenora Lopes 4. Charles Lopes 18. Robert Smith 9. Almira Smith 19. Hattie Taylor 2. Immanuel Lopes 10. Richard Hargrave 5. Kathryn Hargrave 11. Emily Frederickson 1. The Duchess of Valtoria 6. Mike Kennedy 13. Mary Kennedy 3. Joan Kennedy 28. James Roche, 3rd Baron Fermoy 14. Francis Roche 29. Frances Ellen Work 7. Sarah Roche 15. Faith Dunham

Honorary

Ancestors of Vanessa Walker, Duchess of Valtoria
4. Benjamin Beaumont, 8th Duke of Ramsford 2. Barthelemy Beaumont, 9th Duke of Ramsford 5. Anneliese Beaumont, Duchess of Ramsford 1. The Duchess of Valtoria 3. Annabelle Beaumont, Duchess of Ramsford

Notes

Vanessa Walker, Duchess of Valtoria House of Walker Born: 5 November 1992
Titles of nobility
Vacant 2nd creation extinct in 2020 Title last held by Carmine Koch	Duchess of Valtoria 2021–present	Incumbent Heir apparent: Lady Jacqueline Walker
Order of precedence
Preceded by The Queen Mother	Ladies The Duchess of Valtoria	Followed by Lady Penelope Theron