the court found that lavinia was the legitimate daughter of john and olivia serres and was not the granddaughter of the duke of cumberland. the court did not prosecute lavinia for forgery: lavinia maintained she believed in good faith that the documents left her by olivia were genuine. it is thought that the documents were in fact forged at the behest of olivia, rather than lavinia, perhaps by william fitzclarence, olivia's boyfriend, who had calligraphic talents.