Royal Family Death Shock: Lady Annabel Goldsmith Dead at 91 — Nearly 30 Years After Close Pal Princess Diana’s Tragic Passing
Lady Annabel Goldsmith has died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 91.
Oct. 18 2025, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Lady Annabel Goldsmith — the socialite whose name became synonymous with London glamour after inspiring the famed Mayfair nightclub Annabel's — has died at the age of 91, RadarOnline.com can report.
Her death was confirmed in a joint statement from her six children, including Conservative politician Zac Goldsmith and filmmaker Jemima Goldsmith. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Lady Annabel Goldsmith, who died peacefully in her sleep this morning at the age of 91," the family said.
Lady Annabel
Lady Annabel Goldsmith was good friends with Princess Diana.
Lady Annabel was the daughter of the eighth Marquess of Londonderry and the younger sister of Lady Margaret. She was first married to hospitality entrepreneur Mark Birley, who founded Annabel's in 1963 — naming the now-iconic private members' club after her. The venue soon became one of London's most exclusive gathering places, frequented by royals, rock stars and politicians alike.
Her youngest son, Ben Goldsmith, paid tribute in a statement to the BBC, describing her as "quite simply irreplaceable." He said, "We are bereft, not for her – because her life has been extraordinary and complete – but for us, because of the immense hole in our lives she leaves behind. I spoke to her every day for 45 years; she truly had my back and we loved each other very much. I will miss her terribly."
Her Family
Goldsmith had six children.
Lady Annabel had three children with Birley — Rupert, Robin, and India Jane — and three more with her second husband, businessman Sir James Goldsmith — Jemima, Zac, and Ben.
In a 2006 interview with The Times, she described herself as "a hands-on mother and a hands-on grandmother," adding, "I'm not judgmental about women who work, but I was so besotted with my children I never wanted them out of my sight."
Her first marriage ended after she discovered Birley's infidelities, later telling Vanity Fair: "Like a butterfly, he had to seduce every woman." Yet she also admitted, "It's quite difficult to live with a perfectionist, but the thing is, life with Mark was fun." The two remained close until his death in 2007.
Lady Annabel's Legacy
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Lady Annabel was a "hands-on mother and grandmother" who adored spending time with her family.
Lady Annabel's long affair and eventual marriage to Sir James Goldsmith made her a fixture in 1960s and 1970s gossip columns.
She faced early tragedy, losing her mother to cancer at 17, and later her firstborn son, Rupert, who disappeared off the coast of West Africa in 1986 — an event she described as "the worst thing that has happened to me."
She later became an author, penning Annabel: An Unconventional Life and a book about her beloved dog, Copper — a fitting reflection of a woman whose life, both glittering and marked by loss, was anything but conventional.
