Dame Barbara Cartland Deathaversary 15th Deathaversary May 21, 2000

Dame Barbara Cartland

July 9, 1901 - May 21, 2000

One of the most wonderful things I learned about while living in Britain, is Princess Diana's step-grandmother, Barbara Cartland.

Diana's father was married to the most amazing looking Raine Spencer.  Diana referred to her as "ghastly" or "Acid Raine".

Apple - Tree - not too far.

Barbara was a romance novelist.  As a child, Lady Diana Spencer considered those books among her favorites.

 Boo.

Barbara's signature was wearing pink.  Oh my God, the pink.  Pink pinkity pink.  

She put Angelyne to shame.

Actually, everything puts Angelyne to shame.  Angelyne defines shame.

Cartland completed a book every two weeks, completing over 720 in her life and selling over 750 million over the period of her 300 years - fact some doubt.

This is Cartland dictating one of her many novels to her secretary Jean Smith.

This is Little Britain's take on it.  I wish I could find a bette quality one, but this is a fair example.

Clive James described Dame Barabara's eyes as, “Twin miracles of mascara, her eyes looked like the corpses of two small crows that had crashed into a chalk cliff.”

Cartland died in her sleep after "a short illness" in her home, Camfield Place in Hertfordshire.   Her sons were at her side.

She was placed in a cardboard coffin and buried on the grounds of her estate under a tree that was planted by Queen Elizabeth I.

Take a very dramatic trip to her grave.