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Mary Soames, Daughter of Churchill and Chronicler of History, Dies at 91 Mary Soames, Daughter of Churchill and Chronicler of History, Dies at 91
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Mary Soames, the last surviving child of Winston Churchill, lived a storybook life and chronicled it in her own well-received books. After her family announced her death at 91 on May 31 in London, Prime Minister David Cameron called her “an eyewitness to some of the most important moments in our recent history.”Mary Soames, the last surviving child of Winston Churchill, lived a storybook life and chronicled it in her own well-received books. After her family announced her death at 91 on May 31 in London, Prime Minister David Cameron called her “an eyewitness to some of the most important moments in our recent history.”
There was the idyllic childhood at Chartwell, the family estate, where she tamed fox cubs, raised orphan lambs and played in a brick house built for her by her father, whose hobbies included bricklaying. Guests included Charlie Chaplin, who amused her by impersonating Napoleon, and T. E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, who dressed up in his princely Arab robes. On the eve of World War II, Noël Coward sang “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” to her family and their guests.There was the idyllic childhood at Chartwell, the family estate, where she tamed fox cubs, raised orphan lambs and played in a brick house built for her by her father, whose hobbies included bricklaying. Guests included Charlie Chaplin, who amused her by impersonating Napoleon, and T. E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, who dressed up in his princely Arab robes. On the eve of World War II, Noël Coward sang “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” to her family and their guests.
During the war, after overhearing a general advising her father, the prime minister, that England should seek women for undermanned antiaircraft batteries, she enlisted as a private without his knowledge. On the banks of the English Channel, she shot down flying bombs hurtling toward England.During the war, after overhearing a general advising her father, the prime minister, that England should seek women for undermanned antiaircraft batteries, she enlisted as a private without his knowledge. On the banks of the English Channel, she shot down flying bombs hurtling toward England.
She accompanied Churchill to summit meetings as his personal aide, including the Potsdam conference in 1945, where her father, President Harry S. Truman and the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin planned the postwar world. She found Stalin “small, dapper and rather twinkly.”She accompanied Churchill to summit meetings as his personal aide, including the Potsdam conference in 1945, where her father, President Harry S. Truman and the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin planned the postwar world. She found Stalin “small, dapper and rather twinkly.”
After several ill-fated romances, she married Christopher Soames, a dashing member of the Coldstream Guards, one of the most ancient regiments in the British Army, and nurtured his career as a prominent Tory politician, ambassador to France and the last governor of one of Britain’s last major colonies, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). They had five children — Nicholas, Emma, Jeremy, Charlotte and Rupert — who, with a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, survive her.After several ill-fated romances, she married Christopher Soames, a dashing member of the Coldstream Guards, one of the most ancient regiments in the British Army, and nurtured his career as a prominent Tory politician, ambassador to France and the last governor of one of Britain’s last major colonies, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). They had five children — Nicholas, Emma, Jeremy, Charlotte and Rupert — who, with a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, survive her.
She acquired the title Lady when Mr. Soames was knighted in 1972. Queen Elizabeth II named him a baron in 1978. After Baron Soames died in 1987, she was chairwoman of the Royal National Theater for six years. But her most lauded personal achievement was a series of books she wrote about her family.She acquired the title Lady when Mr. Soames was knighted in 1972. Queen Elizabeth II named him a baron in 1978. After Baron Soames died in 1987, she was chairwoman of the Royal National Theater for six years. But her most lauded personal achievement was a series of books she wrote about her family.
The first, “Clementine Churchill: The Biography of a Marriage” (1979), was a biography of her mother. It won the Wolfson History Prize, given annually to a British subject for excellence in the writing of history.The first, “Clementine Churchill: The Biography of a Marriage” (1979), was a biography of her mother. It won the Wolfson History Prize, given annually to a British subject for excellence in the writing of history.
The book referred to her mother as “an old-fashioned radical” with “latent hostility toward the Tory Party,” which her husband led. It revealed their affectionate nicknames: She was “Kat,” he “Pug” and their children “kittens.” Once, Lady Soames wrote, an argument climaxed in Churchill’s throwing a plate of spinach at his wife, but they always made up quickly after their spats.The book referred to her mother as “an old-fashioned radical” with “latent hostility toward the Tory Party,” which her husband led. It revealed their affectionate nicknames: She was “Kat,” he “Pug” and their children “kittens.” Once, Lady Soames wrote, an argument climaxed in Churchill’s throwing a plate of spinach at his wife, but they always made up quickly after their spats.
Her other books included an annotated family photo album, an examination of Churchill as a painter and a 702-page collection of letters between Churchill and his wife. They wrote each other every day, even when they were in the same house.Her other books included an annotated family photo album, an examination of Churchill as a painter and a 702-page collection of letters between Churchill and his wife. They wrote each other every day, even when they were in the same house.
“The duration of the Churchills’ intimacy, their private day inside so much history, is even now — no, especially now — a source of amazement,” Thomas Mallon, a novelist and critic, said in reviewing the book for The New York Times Book Review.“The duration of the Churchills’ intimacy, their private day inside so much history, is even now — no, especially now — a source of amazement,” Thomas Mallon, a novelist and critic, said in reviewing the book for The New York Times Book Review.
In 2011, Lady Soames wrote of her life up to her engagement at 25 — and of her father’s penchant for funny clothes, including a 10-gallon hat — in “A Daughter’s Tale: The Memoir of Winston Churchill’s Youngest Child.” A review in The New Criterion called the book “clear, sharp, occasionally opinionated and understatedly witty.”In 2011, Lady Soames wrote of her life up to her engagement at 25 — and of her father’s penchant for funny clothes, including a 10-gallon hat — in “A Daughter’s Tale: The Memoir of Winston Churchill’s Youngest Child.” A review in The New Criterion called the book “clear, sharp, occasionally opinionated and understatedly witty.”
Lady Soames came to be regarded as something of a national treasure and was named a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Dame of the British Empire. In 2005, Queen Elizabeth appointed her a Ladies Companion of the Garter, Britain’s highest chivalric order.Lady Soames came to be regarded as something of a national treasure and was named a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Dame of the British Empire. In 2005, Queen Elizabeth appointed her a Ladies Companion of the Garter, Britain’s highest chivalric order.
After the death of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 2013, Lady Soames was one of only two living nonroyal women so honored. The other is Eliza Manningham-Buller, who commanded Britain’s counterterrorism efforts as head of MI5, the internal security agency, from 2002 to 2007.After the death of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 2013, Lady Soames was one of only two living nonroyal women so honored. The other is Eliza Manningham-Buller, who commanded Britain’s counterterrorism efforts as head of MI5, the internal security agency, from 2002 to 2007.
Mary Spencer-Churchill was born at Chartwell, in the county of Kent in southeast England, on Sept. 15, 1922. A year earlier, her sister Marigold died of tonsillitis at 2 ½. Her arrival, she wrote, helped compensate her parents for their bitter loss; she was, she said, “a child of consolation.” Her living siblings were so much older — Diana by 13 years, Randolph by 11 and Sarah by 8 — that she regarded them as “godlike Olympian figures.” Mary Spencer-Churchill was born in London on Sept. 15, 1922. A year earlier, her sister Marigold died of tonsillitis at 2 ½. Her arrival, she wrote, helped compensate her parents for their bitter loss; she was, she said, “a child of consolation.” Her living siblings were so much older — Diana by 13 years, Randolph by 11 and Sarah by 8 — that she regarded them as “godlike Olympian figures.”
As a girl, she lived almost entirely with grown-ups. Her father wrote that at 5, she spoke “in the tone and style of a woman of 30.” He doted on her, but she said she did not become close to her mother until the two went skiing in Switzerland when she was around 13.As a girl, she lived almost entirely with grown-ups. Her father wrote that at 5, she spoke “in the tone and style of a woman of 30.” He doted on her, but she said she did not become close to her mother until the two went skiing in Switzerland when she was around 13.
During her early youth, Mary’s closest companion was her nanny, Maryott Whyte, a first cousin of her mother and a trained nurse. Lady Soames once attributed the divorces, substance abuse and relatively early deaths of her siblings to their lack of a rock of stability like Ms. Whyte.During her early youth, Mary’s closest companion was her nanny, Maryott Whyte, a first cousin of her mother and a trained nurse. Lady Soames once attributed the divorces, substance abuse and relatively early deaths of her siblings to their lack of a rock of stability like Ms. Whyte.
“I don’t know why I turned out like this while the others had such problems,” she said in a 2002 interview, “and comparisons are always odious, aren’t they? But I do think Nana made a great difference.”“I don’t know why I turned out like this while the others had such problems,” she said in a 2002 interview, “and comparisons are always odious, aren’t they? But I do think Nana made a great difference.”
During the war, Lady Soames was briefly engaged to the son of an earl and also had a romance with an American Army officer. In 1946, she and her father made a private trip to Belgium with the apparent goal of her becoming engaged to Prince Charles, who was ruling the country as regent. On Sept. 27, The Associated Press reported that an engagement announcement was likely the next day.During the war, Lady Soames was briefly engaged to the son of an earl and also had a romance with an American Army officer. In 1946, she and her father made a private trip to Belgium with the apparent goal of her becoming engaged to Prince Charles, who was ruling the country as regent. On Sept. 27, The Associated Press reported that an engagement announcement was likely the next day.
That never happened. Churchill decided to go to Paris to meet with the American secretary of state, James F. Byrnes. Lady Soames accompanied him and met Captain Soames, assistant military attaché for the British Embassy. She later said that he fell in love immediately, but that it took her a few weeks. In an interview at the time, she was asked if she intended to be a “career wife” or a “housewife.” “A housewife, of course,” she said.That never happened. Churchill decided to go to Paris to meet with the American secretary of state, James F. Byrnes. Lady Soames accompanied him and met Captain Soames, assistant military attaché for the British Embassy. She later said that he fell in love immediately, but that it took her a few weeks. In an interview at the time, she was asked if she intended to be a “career wife” or a “housewife.” “A housewife, of course,” she said.
Being Baron Soames’s wife involved staging famously entertaining parties in Paris. It also meant speaking off the cuff to 900 guerrillas in Rhodesia. Her husband’s political opponents often complained that they were actually running not against Mr. Soames but against the daughter of a national hero.Being Baron Soames’s wife involved staging famously entertaining parties in Paris. It also meant speaking off the cuff to 900 guerrillas in Rhodesia. Her husband’s political opponents often complained that they were actually running not against Mr. Soames but against the daughter of a national hero.
Lady Soames, who was short and stocky like her father and perhaps as stubborn, savored a fine cigar. After she quit smoking, around 2000, she auctioned off the family stash of Havanas for $221,000.Lady Soames, who was short and stocky like her father and perhaps as stubborn, savored a fine cigar. After she quit smoking, around 2000, she auctioned off the family stash of Havanas for $221,000.