Mary Soames, Baroness Soames

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Mary Soames, Baroness Soames LG, DBE

Born Mary Churchill
15 September 1922 (1922-09-15) (age 85)
Chartwell, Westerham, Kent, UK
Nationality British
Spouse Christopher Soames (1947–1987)
Children Nicholas,
Emma,
Jeremy,
Charlotte,
Rupert
Parents Winston Churchill (father)
Clementine Churchill (mother)

Mary Soames, Baroness Soames, LG, DBE (born 15 September 1922) is the widow of the Lord Soames.

She was born Mary Churchill, the youngest of Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine's five children. As of 2008, she is their last surviving child. She was raised at Chartwell and educated at the Manor House at Limpsfield.

She worked for the Red Cross and the Women's Voluntary Service between 1939 and 1941 and joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service with whom she served in London, Belgium and Germany in mixed anti-aircraft batteries, rising to the rank of Junior Commander. She also accompanied her father as aide-de-camp on several of his overseas journeys, including his post-VE trip to Potsdam, where he met with Harry S. Truman and Joseph Stalin.

She has served many public organisations, such as the International Churchill Society, as a Patron; Church Army and Churchill Houses; and has chaired the Royal National Theatre.

Lady Soames was honoured with becoming a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her public service, particularly in Rhodesia.

She was appointed a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter on 23 April 2005, and was invested on 13 June that year at Windsor Castle.

She is a successful author and she wrote an acclaimed biography of her mother, Clementine Churchill, in 1979. She has also offered much insight about the Churchill family to various biographers, prominently including Sir Martin Gilbert, who became the authorised biographer of Sir Winston Churchill after the death of Churchill's son, Randolph, in 1968. Additionally, she was responsible for a book of letters between Sir Winston and Lady Churchill, editing the letters as well as providing bridging material that placed the letters in personal family and historical context. Her latest effort is a television series on the many travels of Sir Winston Churchill, which will shortly be shown on American television.

[edit] Family

She married the Conservative politician Christopher Soames (later created Baron Soames) in 1947 and they had five children:

[edit] Titles from birth

A list of the titles Lady Soames held in chronological order from birth:

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