Barbara cartland daughter

Barbara Cartland: The Queen of Romance

Barbara Cartland, also known as the "Queen of Romance," was an English writer who gained fame for her numerous romantic novels. She was born Mary Barbara Hamilton on July 9, 1901, in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Her father, Major James Bertram Falkner Cartland, was an officer in the British Army, and her mother was Mary Polly Hamilton Scobell.

Despite being born into a comfortable middle-class family, Barbara's family faced financial difficulties when her bankrupt grandfather, James Cartland, took his own life. Shortly after, her father tragically died on the battlefield in Flanders during World War I. However, Barbara's resourceful mother opened a dress shop in London and single-handedly raised Barbara and her two brothers, Anthony and Ronald, who unfortunately were killed in battle in 1940.

After receiving her education at prestigious schools such as The Alice Ottley School and Malvern St James, Barbara became a successful reporter and writer of romantic fiction. As a columnist for the Daily Express newspaper, she published her first novel, "Jigsaw," in 1923, which became a bestseller. She also wrote scripts for several risqué plays, one of which, "Blood Money," was banned in 1926.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Cartland was one of the leading young ladies of London society, renowned for her beauty, charm, and audacity at social events. She became one of the first clients of designer Norman Hartnell and wore his wedding dresses. However, against Hartnell's wishes, she later created her own fashion collection, which turned out to be a failure.

Over the years, Barbara's views became more conservative. While her early novels were considered scandalous, her later works featured virtuous heroines who rarely found themselves in compromising situations. Almost all of Cartland's novels were intertwined with real historical events, giving a sense of realism to her stories.

By 1983, Cartland was named the "world's most prolific author" and entered the Guinness Book of World Records. In the mid-1990s, her books had sold over a billion copies, and Vogue magazine referred to her as the "true Queen of Romance."

In the 1990s, Cartland's physical and mental health declined, but her spirit and courage remained unwavering. She continued to be a favorite of the press, granting interviews and even participating in the filming of a documentary about her life titled "Virgins and Heroes" directed by Steven Glen.

On May 21, 2000, at the age of 98, Barbara Cartland passed away. She left behind a collection of manuscripts, which her son Ian McCorquodale, now known as the "Barbara Cartland Pink Collection," published. In a final eccentric request, she wanted to be buried in a cardboard coffin. Her wish was granted, and she was laid to rest in her estate in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, under a tree planted by Queen Elizabeth.