This book is a vindication, both of Raine herself and of a type of person - of woman - whom it became uncool to value * TLS *

To her friends, Raine was shrewd, intelligent, witty and loyal; to her enemies, pushy, overly flamboyant and ruthless. From a career spanning local politics to dealing with the fortunes of Althorp; from taking on the Spencer family estate to her final role as a board member at Harrods, Raine’s life was, by any standards, a success . Yet she could not sway the powerful media narrative which pitted her as ‘the evil stepmother’ at every turn. Equity release may involve a lifetime mortgage or a home reversion plan. To understand the features and risks, ask for a personalised illustration. UK: Rishi Sunak hosts talks with Kamala Harris, vice-president of the US, at No 10, followed by a private dinner; Harris also delivers a policy speech on the future of AI at the US embassy in London; Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, speaks at the annual conference of the King’s Fund, a health think tank; start of Movember, the moustache-growing charity event held during November each year to raise funds and awareness for men’s health. From upper-middle-class Berkshire schoolgirl, to Westminster councillor, Countess and perhaps most famously, wife of Earl Spencer, Three Times a Countess recounts Raine's scintillating, sometimes scandalous life, demystifying her scathing tabloid reputation and revealing how, after a tumultuous relationship with the Princess, she became Diana's closest confidante.When Lady Diana Spencer was 15, she and her siblings discovered their father had secretly married the woman they called Acid Raine by reading it in the Daily Express. He hadn’t dared to tell them. A furious Diana was sent in “to sort him out”, a confrontation that ended up, according to the princess, with her slapping him round the face. Boris Johnson said that the pandemic was “nature’s way of dealing with old people”, the Covid inquiry was told yesterday as his former aide laid bare the chaos and toxic in-fighting at the heart of government. Dominic Cummings said that “pretty much everyone” referred to the former prime minister... Boris Johnson said that the pandemic was “nature’s way of dealing with old people”, the Covid inquiry was told yesterday as his former aide laid bare the chaos and toxic in-fighting at the heart of government. Dominic Cummings said that “pretty much everyone” referred to the former prime minister... Boris Johnson said that the pandemic was “nature’s way of dealing with old people”, the Covid inquiry was told yesterday as his... Acid Raine“ was the somewhat unkind name coined by Princess Diana for her stepmother Countess Raine Spencer. Before I read this book – Three Times A Countess – I am ashamed to say I had completely preconceived opinions of Raine Spencer, no doubt fuelled by my guilty secret of sometimes reading the Daily Mail.

Nobody reads anything. What really matters is how I look': Raine Spencer (then Mrs Gerald Legge) in London, 1953 We are experiencing delays with deliveries to many countries, but in most cases local services have now resumed. For more details, please consult the latest information provided by Royal Mail's International Incident Bulletin. Tina Gaudoin sets out to rehabilitate Raine as a far more nuanced woman, an insouciant, sexy survivor uncredited for her many achievements . . . A colourful life. * The Times * And suddenly she was friends with Princess Diana. Diana made the first move, inviting her to lunch, and soon they were phoning each other every day and calling each other “darling”. Raine was one of the first people to learn of Diana’s death. The BBC announced that Dodi Al Fayed had been killed in the Paris car crash, but Diana was in hospital with minor injuries. Michael Cole, who worked for Mohammed Al Fayed, had been frantically phoning the Salpetriere Hospital to ask for news but the hospital refused to tell him anything because he wasn’t family. Then he remembered that his good friend Raine was family, and got her to ring the hospital, who told her Diana was dead. Of course, I love the tasty bits of gossip, I’m sure most people do, but this book shows you so much more. Raine Spencer was not just a very pretty face.

Yet she could not sway the powerful media narrative which pitted her as ‘the evil stepmother’ at every turn. A societal whirl of London Seasons, family feuds, politics, pomp and ‘big hair’, Gaudoin’s vibrant history of the Countess sets the record straight once and for all, drawing insight from those who knew Raine most. The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our Then one day she found herself on a historic buildings committee with Johnnie Spencer, heir to Althorp. Before he met Raine, Johnnie was rumoured to be “the gloomiest man in London”. His wife Frances had bolted and he couldn’t get over it. But Raine made it her business to cheer him up. “Raine loved men and she loved sex,” according to a friend, and they were always stopping the car in lay-bys. On one occasion, they gave a lift to a friend but then popped into a budget hotel by a filling station, and left the friend waiting with the chauffeur in the Rolls. They married in 1976. Raine, then the Comtesse de Chambrun (left), with her stepdaughter, Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997

To her friends, Raine was shrewd, intelligent, witty and loyal; to her enemies, pushy, overly flamboyant and ruthless. From a career spanning local politics to dealing with the fortunes of Althorp; from taking on the Spencer family estate to her final role as a board member at Harrods, Raine's life was, by any standards, a success . Yet she could not sway the powerful media narrative which pitted her as 'the evil stepmother' at every turn. Ongoing Covid restrictions, reduced air and freight capacity, high volumes and winter weather conditions are all impacting transportation and local delivery across the globe. Perceptively examines the life of one of the twentieth century's original tough, ambitious women -- Lindy Woodhead Equity release may impact the size of your estate and it could affect your entitlement to current and future means-tested benefits. Notwithstanding, she was a perfect lady, not revengeful, and always polite, charming and popular. She made a new life for herself, worked as a Director at Harrods, and found a new husband, but no one could replace Johnny, and her last marriage to a French Count did not last very long.

Gaudoin's book is revealing and hugely entertaining. Highly recommended. * Daily Mail, *Royal Books of the Year* * Raine Spencer leaving The Connaught hotel after lunch with Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 Antony Jones/Getty Images Marc writes (main picture): I specifically focused on the South Africa captain Siya Kolisi, far left, as he sung the national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, as he sings with so much passion and emotion.

Meanwhile, Johnnie had inherited Althorp on his father’s death. But it desperately needed repairs and the money was all entailed to the children. So he and Raine set about selling some of Althorp’s treasures to fund the renovation. Johnnie’s children, of course, resented this and there was a terrible scene when Diana pushed Raine downstairs, screaming “I hate you so much”. Then, two years into the marriage, Johnnie suffered a massive stroke which kept him in hospital for eight months. Raine stayed by his side, willing him to live, but she would not allow his children to visit him because she said they upset him. No wonder they called her Acid Raine. From a career spanning local politics to dealing with the fortunes of Althorp; from taking on the Spencer family estate to her final role as a board member at Harrods, Raine’s life was, by any standards, a success .

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