Madonna's former mother-in-law (as step-mother to Guy), former model and Tory politician Shireen Ritchie (Baroness Ritchie of Brompton) has died, aged just 66.
From her obituary in the Telegraph:
Shireen Ritchie, a former model, knew very little about the world’s most famous singer until the day when Guy Ritchie rang her up to ask whether he could come over for a bite to eat with a friend. She and her husband John had just come back from holiday and there was nothing in the fridge, so she nipped out to the supermarket and got a couple of packets of fishcakes and peas. When her stepson turned up with Madonna, she recalled that “I was rather embarrassed and said something like: 'Tell me dear, how did you get into the music business?’”
“I knew that she was supposed to be the Queen of Cool but I’d never heard her music. It’s really grown on me” she told an interviewer diplomatically.
During the media stakeout that preceded Guy Ritchie and Madonna’s wedding at Skibo castle in Sutherland in December 2000, reporters were camped outside the Ritchies’ door in Chelsea, the phone rang non-stop and, at one point, John Ritchie, who made his name in advertising with the Hamlet cigar series, cheerfully admitted that he did not have a suitable kilt for the big event. It turned into a story about him being on his uppers, which was very far from being the case.
None the less, Shireen Ritchie coped valiantly with the press hysteria and had a beady eye for elephant traps. She gave her full backing to the newly-married couple, even to the extent of attending a Madonna concert: “My ears were ringing by the end, but it was fantastic. The best bit was her song 'I Deserve It', which she dedicated to Guy — it brought a lump to my throat.” The two women were said to have found common ground when discussing children, and the Ritchies were said to enjoy babysitting when the celebrity couple were away on business. She was, Shireen Ritchie declared, a “groovy granny”. After the marriage broke down in 2008, she remained determinedly tight-lipped, refusing all requests for interviews.
Shireen Ritchie once observed that Madonna, known for her corsets and conical bras, was the ideal role model for female Conservative MPs, showing that “women have to go out and get what they want and be prepared to reinvent themselves”.
I hadn't heard about this - she did come across as a nice woman in the articles and interviews I read when M was married to Guy. Pretty young age to go too - a shame.
ReplyDeleteI was quite surprised to read about it, too - the tabloids have obviously not picked up on it. This may be the first time Madge and Guy have to cross paths since the divorce... Jx
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