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Lady Sally Aspinall, aunt of Prince Harry’s ex Cressida Bonas, dies aged 80

BBG News

She personally reared gorillas, slept alongside young lions, nursed cheetahs using bottles, and escorted tigers through the refined avenues of London’s Belgravia – all with the same elegant demeanor and vibrant attitude she exhibited as a model in the 1960s.

This week, at the age of 80, the extraordinary life of Lady Sally Aspinall, a stunning woman who was twice widowed and the great-aunt of one of Prince Harry’s most glamorous past lovers, Cressida Bonas, came to an end. The late Lady Aspinall was also the daughter of the 5th Earl Howe, a winner at Le Mans.

Her youngest son believes she yearned to be reunited with the two men she married.

The first individual was Piers Courage, a Formula 1 driver, who tragically lost his life during the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix competition; the second was John Aspinall, a renowned casino magnate and wildlife park founder, who passed away from cancer in the year 2000.

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1. The first person was Piers Courage, a Formula 1 driver, who met his untimely end at the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix; the second was John Aspinall, a casino tycoon and wildlife park founder, who lost his life to cancer in 2000.

Reflecting on the loss, I can’t help but feel that a piece of my mother, Sally, vanished with Piers. Bassa Aspinall, her only child and affectionately known as ‘Aspers’ by friends, shared this sentiment.

As an utterly smitten admirer, let me tell you, the sorrow I felt was intensified beyond measure when my father took his last breath. ‘It was a love story for the ages, a testament of her unwavering devotion that kept him among us for six to seven years. The cancer had claimed half of his face, yet she tirelessly managed his morphine doses and bandage changes, up to four or five times each day.’

As Sally gradually recovered from the distress of losing Piers, the father of her two sons, Jason and Amos, she admitted that without them, she might not have survived.

To match the exceptional qualities of your father, one would need to possess unique human traits. Your father admired strength in women, as Bassa explains, further highlighting that your mother was endowed with great courage.

He notes that while being kind and compassionate is important, it’s a whole different challenge to adapt to the demanding environment of his father’s wildlife reserves at Howletts and Port Lympne, which offer animals an unprecedented level of liberty.

‘If he assured her that she was secure, she’d put complete faith in him. He managed to reintroduce joy and meaning to her existence.’

Not only did attention shift towards the couple’s London residence, where tigers were occasionally strolled during the night, but also towards Wellesley House, Bassa’s preparatory school. He remembers his mother making an appearance there on sports day, with two Siberian tiger cubs seated in the back of her car.

In 1995, I endured another heart-wrenching ordeal. My eldest son, Jason Courage, by Piers, met with a devastating accident in central London while he was on his motorbike. A car, illegally turning, struck him, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.

By that time, Aspinall had been diagnosed with cancer. However, Sally remained steadfast and resilient throughout the ordeal. As Bassa puts it, “She displayed an incredible amount of strength.

Following Aspinall’s demise, her fortitude was put to another trial as she realized that a significant portion of her life was being managed by individuals whose interests didn’t align with hers. This period marked the onset of her deteriorating health.

In 2019, she relocated to South Africa, joining Bassa who had already settled there with his spouse, Donne. He shared with me that she was like a daughter he never had; they shared an extraordinary connection. It was Donne, Sally’s caretaker during her last years, who noticed the signs of Sally’s deterioration and notified Jason and Amos in England about it.

They both traveled to Cape Town for a farewell visit. According to Bassa, she passed away tranquilly and serenely. She was accompanied at the time of her death by Bassa, Donne, their sons Redwald and Odin, and daughters Takara and Elysia.

 

Imrie ‘glad’ her son isn’t a girl  

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to share a heartfelt sentiment from the radiant Celia Imrie, star of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. She expressed her profound gratitude that her sole offspring turned out to be a son, sparing them both the unnecessary competition for acting roles.

Angus Imrie, aged 30, portrayed ‘Unsettling Jake’ in the popular sitcom Fleabag and Prince Edward in the fourth installment of The Crown.

Imrie, aged 72, stated during the Raindance Film Festival in London where he received the Icon Award, that he’s relieved his counterpart isn’t a woman, mainly because they might compete for similar roles and such competition can lead to tension when there are two actresses within a family.

She’s pleased that Angus is significantly younger than her and carves his own path. She’s incredibly proud of him, she mentions.

 

Presenter: I was meant to be on doomed flight

For seven years, frequent flights were an integral aspect of Scarlette Douglas’s role as host on the TV program “A Place in The Sun.

However, the star confides that her dislike of flying stems from a deeply sad event. At the Taste of London Food Festival opening gathering in Regent’s Park, she shares that she lost a cherished friend in the Air France crash between Brazil and France.

‘The scary thing was I was supposed to be on that flight. She had booked it.’

Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic in 2009, killing 228 people. 

Scarlette, 38, couldn’t take the flight because of a job she had in Hollywood.

 

‘Forever my best boy’: Lara pays tribute to adored pet

Lara Stone is deeply saddened following the passing of her cherished pet dog, Bert, who played a significant role in her family’s daily life alongside comedian David Walliams.

The individual aged 41 from the Netherlands shared an image of their border terrier on the internet, captioning it: ‘I’ll love you endlessly, I’ll miss you constantly, forever and always, my very best friend, you will remain so.’

In the year 2015, following a five-year marriage, Lara parted ways with David. At this point, they shared a £3.25 million residence in north London. Alongside their son, Alfred who is now 12 years old, and Bert, Lara decided to move out from the house they once called home together.

Previously united partners continued to co-parent both entities. Later on, David welcomed a new border terrier named Ernie into his family, frequently referring to the duo as ‘my two lads’.

Since then, Lara got remarried to property developer David Grievson, and they have a one-year-old son named Bob together.

 

Monty is Pamela’s world

Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson has an unlikely hero – Monty Don.

As a passionate devotee, I’d like to share that it was none other than the venerable Gardener’s World host, renowned for his slightly disheveled navy-blue shirts and vibrant neckwear, who ignited my ardor for gardening at age 57.

She expresses her fondness for Monty Don, both his video content and written works, by saying, ‘He has a captivating way with words, especially when discussing gardens, as he writes with elegance and poetic flair.’

Wait until Pammy meets Alan Titchmarsh.

In 2000, the famed garden enthusiast asserted that during his audience with Queen Elizabeth to receive his MBE, she remarked: “You bring great joy to many women.

 

Fire guts home of model’s sister  

This year’s Bath Fashion Festival was canceled by Jade Parfitt with only a few weeks left, following the withdrawal of a significant sponsor.

Now, the top model is coming to terms with a disaster closer to home.

This week, a fire ravaged the home of Amy, her younger sister, situated in Totnes, Devon. The blaze extended to affect two adjacent houses as well.

Jade, aged 47, expressed relief that no one was harmed, but acknowledged they face a challenging journey ahead. She urged her social media followers to contribute to her sister’s family through GoFundMe, and within moments, the appeal gathered close to £20,000.

Jade expressed her gratitude for the generosity of people who are giving their earned money and sending heartwarming messages, she stated.

 

Meghan Markle intended to acquire British citizenship following her marriage to Prince Harry, yet she discontinued the application process well before receiving a British passport.

Another foreigner who married into the Royal Family has more staying power, however.

This week, the Swedish financier, Timothy Vesterberg, who married Flora Ogilvy (granddaughter of Princess Alexandra) in 2020, was granted British citizenship.

‘I’m very proud of my newly British-Swedish husband,’ says art consultant Flora, 30.

She added: ‘I was very moved by how thoughtful the ceremony was.’

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2025-06-20 02:21

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