‘Papa told us everything’: Winston Churchill and the remarkable Mary Soames

By any standards Mary Soames was one of the most remarkable women of her era: close confidante (possibly the closest) to Winston Churchill throughout the second world war, dedicated political wife, one of the most outstanding British ambassadresses sent to Paris, successful (against all reckoning) chairman of the National Theatre, and — later in life — a prize-winning author. She was also one of only three non-royal Ladies of the Garter in recent British history, and a Spectator contributor to boot.

All this went hand in hand with a reluctance to talk about herself, and — except on rare occasions — about the war, and the father whom she adored and was especially close to. It was not until late middle age that she was persuaded by friends to write about her parentage. In 1979 she published her first book, Clementine Churchill: the Biography of a Marriage. It was an instant bestseller, winning the Wolfson history award. She followed up with five others; the last, A Daughter’s Tale, published only two years ago.

She also brought back into print her father’s brilliant short book Painting as a Pastime; in which I like to think I may have had some small influence. Mary was a friend of many years’ standing. But that friendship was always modulated with more than just a proper amount of respect, plus a touch of apprehension. She was capable of great affection, indeed emotion. But you did not trifle or take liberties with her; let alone offer any ill-judged criticism of the father, ‘Papa’, whose memory she venerated. As her son, Nicholas Soames, once remarked, ‘Mary could break a swan’s wing with one blow of her nose!’