Jemima Goldsmith

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Jemima Marcelle Khan (born 30 January 1974) is a former girlfriend of Hugh Grant and the ex-wife of Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan. Khan, an English socialite, is a daughter of Lady Annabel Goldsmith and one of the eight children who inherited the wealth of her late father, billionaire James Goldsmith.

Family and education

Born in London's Westminster Hospital as Jemima Marcelle Goldsmith, Khan is the eldest child of Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart and Anglo-French financier James Goldsmith. Her parents started a polyamorous relationship in 1964 while they were married to different partners, but in 1978, the two married for the sole purpose of legitimizing their children.[1] Besides her two younger brothers, Zac, husband of Sheherazade Goldsmith, and Ben, Khan has five paternal and three maternal half-siblings, including Robin and India Jane Birley.[2]

Khan grew up at Ormeley Lodge while attending the Old Vicarage preparatory school and Francis Holland School in Chelsea. She enrolled at the University of Bristol in 1993 and dropped out to get married in 1995, but eventually submitted her dissertation through correspondence in March 2002 for a 2:1 bachelor's degree in English.[3] She later completed an MA in Middle Eastern Studies at SOAS, University of London, majoring in Modern Trends in Islam.[4] Khan is almost universally reported to be shy,[5][6] with her ex-husband describing her as "very shy".[7] She is defined as modest, stylish,[8] and levelheaded.[9] She has described herself as a lifelong "coward"[10] who is diffident due to "a chronic inability to make up my mind".[11]

On 29 December 2000, Khan and her family were part of a British Airways jet to Kenya that was temporarily knocked off course and dived 17,000 feet below, after a passenger tried to seize controls in the cockpit.[12] Khan wrote about the experience for the Sunday Telegraph.[13] Her mother later stated, "Jemima was frightened of flying even before the incident; she's petrified [now]".[14] Khan lives in Fulham, London, with her sons Sulaiman Isa (b. 18 November 1996) and Kasim (b. 10 April 1999).[1] Because she wants to have the same last name as her children, she currently goes by Jemima Khan.[15]

Islamic Marriage

At 21, Jemima Goldsmith married the 42-year old Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan on 16 May 1995 in a two-minute Islamic ceremony in Paris.[16] The couple later participated in a civil ceremony on 21 June at the Richmond Register Office,[17] which was followed by a midsummer ball at Ormeley Lodge with guests including Princess Michael of Kent, Elle MacPherson and David Frost.[18] Upon her marriage and subsequent move to Lahore, Khan underwent what she later called a reinvention.[19] Raised a Protestant,[3] she converted to Islam a few months before her wedding,[2] citing the writings of Muhammad Asad, Gai Eaton, and Alija Izetbegović as her influence.[20] She also learned to speak Urdu and wore traditional Pakistani clothes. In 2008, she wrote an article about her German Jewish grandfather and his quest to become British. She admitted regretting the fact that like him she "over conformed in [her] eagerness to be accepted" into "a new and radically different culture" of Pakistan commenting that "acceptance and belonging are as much about what you deny as what you choose.[21][19]

While married, Khan and Imran spent four months each year in UK. She referred to her mother's British residence as home and gave birth to her sons at London's Portland hospital.[5] In 1999, in an accusation believed to be politically motivated, Khan was charged in Pakistan with the non-bailable crime of illegally exporting tiles claimed to be centuries-old antiques of the Islamic era. She stayed with her mother for a year due to fear of incarceration[22] and returned to Pakistan only after the case was dropped following General Pervez Musharraf's military coup.[23] She returned to UK full-time in 2002 and subsequently decided to end her marriage because she couldn't settle in Pakistan. Her divorce from Imran Khan was made public on 22 June 2004.

Relationship with Hugh Grant

Starting in 2004, months after her divorce, Khan was involved in a romantic relationship with movie star Hugh Grant. She initially put her studies at SOAS on hold for the relationship and gained a new level of fame during the three years she and Grant were partners. A 2005 article in the Evening Standard magazine noted that while "Jemima's profile" was high since her first marriage, it was "soaring since she became involved with Hugh Grant".[24] As he is followed relentlessly by the paparazzi and featured in print and television media worldwide, Grant's relationship with Khan was scrutinized extensively by the tabloids.[25] A survey of visitors to London in 2005 showed that Grant and Khan were the couple with whom a majority of visitors wanted to travel the city.[26]

Grant refused to talk about the relationship in interviews and did not respond to tabloid and other media speculation. In 2005, when asked about the couple's plans to marry, Khan said, "I don't think I am any good at interviews and I am particularly hopeless when I am asked personal questions."[27] In 2007, Khan accompanied Grant on the red carpet at the London and New York premieres of his movie Music and Lyrics. During the London world premiere of the film in February, which was also attended by Khan's mother and several family members, Grant stated, "People shouldn't believe what they hear. I am not marrying her. I've read and heard we are going to, but there is no truth to it."[28]

After three years of the high profile romance, in February 2007, Grant announced that the couple had "decided to split amicably".[29] Grant's spokesman added: "Hugh has nothing but positive things to say about Jemima." Since then, there have been many unsubstantiated reports and speculation about the former couple because they have been publicly pictured together on several occasions.[30] A friend of Khan reportedly revealed that "[Grant] and his lifestyle can be a handful" for Khan, who "was quite worn down" after the intense relationship.[31] Neither Grant nor Khan have directly talked about their relationship and its breakdown to the press.

Charity and other works

Khan and her family are regulars at London society events. She is a supporter of Soil Association,[32] the Quilliam Foundation, and children's charities like HOPING foundation[33] and Chain of Hope.[34] In 1998, Khan launched a non-profit fashion label that employed poor Pakistani women to embroider western clothes with delicate eastern handiwork.[35] The clothes were sold in London and New York,[36][37] but after three collections, the company was closed in 2001.[37] In 2008, she modeled the relaunched Azzaro Courture fragrance and was a guest co-designer of a Spring 2009 accessories collection with Azzaro's Vanessa Seward.[38][39] As voted for by the readers of the Daily Telegraph, she won the Rover People's Award for the best dressed female celebrity at the 2001 British Fashion Awards.[36] Khan was featured on Vanity Fair's Annual International Best-Dressed List in 2004, 2005 and 2007.[40]

Khan became a UK Ambassador for UNICEF in September 2001 and subsequently traveled on field trips to Kenya, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. In England, she has helped raise awareness about UNICEF's Breastfeeding Manifesto[41] and End Child Exploitation campaign.[42][43] In 2001, she raised funds and provided tents and clothing to Afghan refugees at Jalozai camp in Peshawar.[44] She, her sons, and her mother participated in three demonstrations outside Downing Street in November 2007 to protest the imposition of a state of emergency in Pakistan.[45] Khan has contributed writings to the British edition of Vogue magazine and to various national newspapers in the UK,[46][47] which include an interview with President Musharraf of Pakistan for The Independent in 2007.[48] She was a bi-monthly columnist for The Sunday Telegraph from 21 October 2007 to 27 January 2008.[49].

References

  1. ^ a b Goldsmith, Annabel (2004). Annabel: An Unconventional Life: The Memoirs of Lady Annabel Goldsmith. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-82966-1.
  2. ^ a b Lundy, Darryl. "Person Page 5917:Sir James Goldsmith". thePeerage.com. Retrieved 2007-09-28. Cite error: The named reference "peerage" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "The real Jemima Khan". Despardes. Retrieved 2006-06-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ "Quilliam Foundation Launch". quilliamfoundation.org. 2002-04-22. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
  5. ^ a b Khan, Sairah Irshad (November 2002). ""I think the world of politics is pretty sleazy."". Newsline. Retrieved 2007-10-08. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ Manley, Debbie (2004-11-14). "VIP: Jemima Khan". The People. p. 12. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ Jones, Liz (2005-10-31). "I do want Jemima to be happy for her sake and for my children's". Evening Standard. p. 18. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ MacSweeney, Eve (2007-02-01). "Reluctant Romeo". Vogue. pp. 232–37. ISSN 00428000 Parameter error in {{issn}}: Invalid ISSN.. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ Bruce, Rory Knight (1995-05-18). "Jemima, Imran and a Londonderry legacy". Evening Standard. pp. 16–17. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ Khan, Jemima (2000-12-31). "Nightmare Aboard Flight BA2069". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-06-18. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ Khan, Jemima (2008-05-01). "Spoilt for Choice". Vogue. ISSN 00428000 Parameter error in {{issn}}: Invalid ISSN.. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ "BA jet plunges in cockpit struggle". BBC. 2000-12-29. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  13. ^ Sunday Telegraph January 20th 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1576046/Three-seconds-longer-and-wed-have-crashed.html
  14. ^ Helliker, Adam (2001-06-03). "Lady Annabel's Gift". The Sunday Telegraph. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  15. ^ Gerard, Jasper (2005-03-15). "Interview: Jasper Gerard meets Jemima Khan". The Times. Retrieved 2007-10-08. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ "Imran and Jemima married in Paris". The Times. 1995-05-17. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ Rosser, Nigel (1995-06-20). "Jemima arrives 12 minutes late for wedding No2". The Evening Standard. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ Bruce, Rory (1995-06-21). "Blinis, Bolly and Brass bands for Jemima". The Evening Standard. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ a b Khan, Jemima (2008-08-10). "My grandfather's secret". The Times. Retrieved 2008-10-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ Khan, Jemima (1995-05-28). "Why I chose Islam". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-10-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ Sunday Times August 10th 2008 http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4472716.ece
  22. ^ Hasnain, Ghulam (1999-10-17). "Coup paves way for Jemima's return". The Sunday Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  23. ^ "Pakistani court exonerates Jemima Khan". BBC. 2000-04-05. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  24. ^ Radcliffe, Rebecca (2005-11-25). "Jemima's Jumble sale". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2007-10-05. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  25. ^ "Life lessons". Times Online. 2005-11-12. p. 24. Retrieved 2007-10-05. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  26. ^ "Celebrities reveal their London". BBC. 2005-04-19. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  27. ^ Ryan, Susan (2005-02-22). "'Wedding bells? The answer's no'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-10-05. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  28. ^ "Grant: 'I Have No Plans to Marry Jemima'". WENN. 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2008-07-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "Hugh Grant splits with girlfriend Jemima Khan". Reuters. 2007-02-16. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
  30. ^ Walden, Celia (2007-06-16). "Jemima to be Hugh's bride and joy". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-10-08. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  31. ^ "Together Again". Hello!. 2008-09-23. p. 16. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  32. ^ "The Feast of Albion - committee". Quintessentially Events. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  33. ^ "Karaoke with the stars in aid of HOPING" (PDF). HOPING Foundation. 2007-06-21. Retrieved 2008-06-20. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  34. ^ "Charity Structure". Chain of Hope. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  35. ^ Menkes, Suzy (1998-09-01). "Jemima Khan: Shining Through". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2007-10-08. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  36. ^ a b Robson, Julia (2001-02-23). "The best dressed". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  37. ^ a b Laville, Sandra (2001-12-06). "Jemima Khan closes fashion label". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-10-08. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  38. ^ Mann, Rebecca (2008-06-13). "Parfums Azzaro creates a new way to wear Couture". Moodie International Ltd. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  39. ^ Mann, Rebecca (2008-06-13). "Fashion scoop: Temporary star". WWD.com. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  40. ^ "The 68th Annual International Best-Dressed List". Vanity Fair. 2007-09-01. p. 290. ISSN 07338899 Parameter error in {{issn}}: Invalid ISSN.. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  41. ^ "Protect breastfeeding in the UK". UNICEF UK. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  42. ^ "The horror of child trafficking". BBC. 2003-07-30. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  43. ^ "Jemima's child labour campaign". BBC. 2005-02-21. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  44. ^ Khan, Jemima (2001-04-08). "The camp is a vast dump". Sunday Telegraph. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  45. ^ Lewis, Jason (2007-11-11). "Jemima Khan joins Pakistan protest - and mum Lady Annabel lends a hand". The Mail on Sunday. Retrieved 2008-06-23. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  46. ^ Khan, Jemima (2003-04-02). "I am angry and ashamed to be British". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  47. ^ Khan, Jemima (2008-02-18). "The Politics of paranoia". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-10-05. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  48. ^ Khan, Jemima (2008-02-17). "An extraordinary encounter with Musharraf". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-10-05. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  49. ^ "Telegraph: Jemima Khan". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-06-18. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

External links

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