Clarissa Eden

Anne Clarissa Eden, Countess of Avon (née Spencer-Churchill), was born on 28 June 1920 and died on 15 November 2021. She was an English memoirist and the second wife of Sir Anthony Eden, who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 to 1957.

Family Background and Early Life

Spencer-Churchill was the daughter of Major Jack Spencer-Churchill (1880–1947) and Lady Gwendoline Bertie (1885–1941), daughter of the 7th Earl of Abingdon. She was born at her parents' residence in Cromwell Road, Kensington, London. Although her birth was legally registered as the daughter of her parents, it was later revealed that her biological father was Harold Baker, a Liberal politician, following his affair with Lady Gwendoline in 1919. She had two elder brothers: John ("Johnnie") Spencer-Churchill (1909–1992), an artist, and Henry Winston ("Peregrine") Spencer-Churchill (1913–2002).

Education and Youth

She attended Kensington Preparatory School and subsequently Downham School in Hatfield Heath. She left school early, preferring to avoid formal qualifications, and expressed a desire to escape the intense love she received from her family.

Studies in Paris and Italy

In 1937, Spencer-Churchill studied art in Paris and was introduced to café society, befriending writers such as Fitzroy Maclean and Marthe Bibesco. She visited the Folies Bergère, witnessing Josephine Baker. That summer, she traveled across Italy's Tuscany region, visiting sites such as Arezzo, where she admired Piero della Francesca's frescoes, notably "The Queen of Sheba Adoring the Holy Wood." She enrolled at the Slade School of Fine Art upon returning to London and notably adopted a trouser suit similar to those worn by Marlene Dietrich.

Public Debut and Social Circles

In 1938, she made her social debut as a debutante, participating in events praised for their beauty. She mingled with notable figures, including future double agent Donald Maclean, and was acquainted with Guy Burgess, with whom there are unsubstantiated claims of contemplating marriage, which she later denied. In 1939, she spent another four months in Paris, travelling to Bucharest as a guest of author Elizabeth Bibesco, narrowly escaping war as she returned to England on one of the last flights before WWII.

World War II and the Foreign Office

During the Second World War, she studied philosophy at Oxford University, associating with academics such as Isaiah Berlin and Maurice Bowra. She then worked at the Foreign Office decoding ciphers, where her future husband, Anthony Eden, served as Secretary of State. For a period, she resided in a rooftop room at the Dorchester Hotel, which had been designated for its relative safety during air raids.

Post-War Career

After the war, Spencer-Churchill worked at London Films under Sir Alexander Korda and as a reviewer for Vogue magazine. She interacted with notable figures such as Orson Welles and Paulette Goddard and contributed to the magazine Contact, editing recipes and influence in post-war British culinary culture. She cultivated social connections beyond her immediate political and social circles, including friends like Marcus Sieff of Marks and Spencer.

Marriage and Titles

In 1952, she married Anthony Eden, shortly before he became Foreign Secretary, subsequently becoming Lady Eden in 1954 when her husband was appointed a Knight of the Garter. In 1961, after her husband's elevation to Earl of Avon, she became Countess of Avon.

Memoirs and Later Life

In 2007, at age 87, she published her memoir titled "From Churchill to Eden," sharing personal reflections and experiences from her life. With the death of Lady Wilson of Rievaulx in 2018, she became the oldest living spouse of a British prime minister. She celebrated her 100th birthday in 2020, becoming the second spouse of a British prime minister to reach a centenary.