Randolph Churchill

Major Randolph Frederick Edward Spencer Churchill (28 May 1911 – 6 June 1968) was a British journalist, writer, and politician. He was born at his parents' residence in Eccleston Square, London. His father was Winston Churchill, who later became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and his mother was Clementine Churchill. Randolph was the couple's only son and had an older sister named Diana.

Randolph Churchill was christened in the House of Commons crypt on 26 October 1911, with notable figures such as Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey and Conservative politician F. E. Smith serving as his godparents. In his early childhood, he and his sister were at times protected by plainclothes detectives due to threats by suffragettes. He was a page at the wedding of Prime Minister H. H. Asquith's daughter in December 1915.

He attended Sandroyd School in Surrey. During his formative years, he experienced a problematic relationship with authority and discipline, with reports indicating he was combative and often irregular in behavior. His father, Winston Churchill, was notably involved in his upbringing, visiting him at prep school frequently, as Winston was often preoccupied with his political career.

During childhood, Randolph experienced a traumatic incident involving sexual abuse by a junior prep school master, which he later disclosed in his autobiography. He also recalled the dangers faced during Zeppelin raids in 1917 and the Armistice celebrations at Blenheim Palace.

Randolph chose to attend Eton College over Harrow School. His experiences at Eton were marked by difficulties, including poor academic performance and disciplinary issues. He was described as lazy and unpopular, and he was once physically reprimanded by a senior student. Despite these challenges, Randolph developed personal relationships, notably falling in love with Diana Mitford, sister of Tom Mitford.

He was influenced during his youth by his godfather Lord Birkenhead (F. E. Smith), an outspoken and heavy-drinking man. Winston Churchill, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, was largely absent from his son's life during this period due to professional commitments. Winston did, however, visit Randolph during his education, and later commented on his development and potentials for political involvement.

In January 1929, Randolph matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, at the age of sixteen, entering partway through the academic year. His time at Oxford was characterized by a lack of academic focus and frequent socializing. He conducted a lecture tour of the United States in 1929–1930, during which he impressed his father with his public speaking abilities.

Randolph's personal life included a brief and early sexual experience with actress Tilly Losch at San Simeon. He also developed a reputation for heavy drinking and socializing rather than academic achievement. His behavior at Oxford drew stern warnings from his father, who expressed concerns about his lack of discipline and productivity.

In 1930, Randolph dropped out of Oxford to undertake a lecture tour of the United States, accumulating debts in the process. His early political ambitions included multiple unsuccessful attempts to gain a parliamentary seat. He was elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Preston in a 1940 by-election but lost the seat in 1945 and was not re-elected thereafter.

During World War II, Randolph Churchill served with the Special Air Service (SAS) in North Africa and fought with Tito's partisans in Yugoslavia. Despite his military involvement, he did not re-enter Parliament after 1945. Instead, he pursued a career as a writer and journalist, producing the first two volumes of an official biography of his father in the 1960s.

Randolph Churchill was married twice and divorced twice. His first wife was Pamela Digby, later known as Pamela Harriman. They had a son, Winston, who also became a Conservative Member of Parliament. Randolph was known for his contentious personality traits, including reports of rude and drunken behavior. His health declined in later years due to years of heavy alcohol consumption, and he died in 1968, three years after his father.