A photograph of London celebrity Doris when she was young
In 1985, archivist administrators at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom had a conversation with Kewell, Churchill's former private secretary. During the conversation, Kvell admitted for the first time that between 1933 and 1937, Churchill had an affair with Doris, a famous London woman. At that time, due to the restriction of confidentiality, the recording of the conversation was not made public. It wasn't until 2015 that the American historian Warren discovered the recording and made it public.
Doris, a London celebrity
In 1933, Churchill, who was at the lowest point of his career, was considered a fanatical warist who was detrimental to the peace in Britain. Frustrated Churchill was depressed and grumpy all day, and could only pass the time by drawing and writing, while his wife Clementine also had a strong personality, and the two often had fierce quarrels, at this time Churchill's marriage had a serious crisis. At this point in time, The London lady Doris entered Churchill's life.
Doris had a brief relationship with Churchill's only son, Randolph
Churchill's only son, Randolph, was a completely clumsy boy who drank and entertained himself all day. In 1932, Doris met Randolph at a ball, and the two subsequently had a brief romance. After breaking up with Randolph, 32-year-old Doris began a four-year secret relationship with Churchill, 59.
Group photo of Doris and Churchill on vacation in the south of France
Between 1933 and 1936, Churchill made four trips to the seaside villas of the Riviera in southern France. This photo confirms that Doris was at Churchill's side at the time. At this time, Churchill's wife, Clementine, was traveling thousands of miles away in South Africa.
In 1934, the British "Daily Express" published a picture article by Churchill and Doris
In 1934, the British "Daily Express" published an article entitled "Mr. Churchill is angry", the author wrote in the article, after finding himself secretly photographed, Churchill was extremely angry and got up to chase after the reporter who was secretly filmed. The accompanying picture of The article is a picture of Doris sitting on the wall behind Churchill watching him draw. However, at the time, after the article was published, the matter did not cause an uproar due to the lack of other evidence.
Doris modeled Churchill as a painting model
Churchill, who loved painting, produced a large number of oil paintings throughout his life, and a photograph of Churchill instructing a model confirmed that the character in three of the paintings was Doris herself, and that in Churchill's life he painted only one portrait of his wife Clementine.
In 1937, the situation in Europe deteriorated further, and Churchill, who decided to return to the political arena, ended his relationship with Doris, who said in a reply letter to Churchill that she was no longer in danger. The relationship between the two people begins to become friendly and polite.
In 1940, Doris went to live in the United States to escape the war. At the same time that Doris arrived in New York, Churchill was elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Since then, Doris's life in the United States has not been smooth, emotionally deceived, in debt, and even driven out of the luxury apartment because she cannot pay the rent.
Churchill's autographed letter to Doris
In March 1942, the beleaguered Doris wrote to Churchill asking for help, hoping to return to England. Three months later, during a visit to the United States, Churchill took time out to have dinner with Doris. Subsequently, under the personal arrangement of US President Roosevelt, Doris returned to England by seaplane.
Churchill's oil paintings
Churchill was apparently threatened with helping Doris return to England, as Doris had a portrait of Churchill for her, along with other letters and photographs. Churchill feared That Doris would give the evidence to the American media. Obviously, such a thing happening at that time was extremely detrimental to Britain, which was in the midst of the war.
Doris during her time in the United States
After returning to England, Doris never saw Churchill again. And the aging Doris is no longer the darling of London's social circles, depression, insomnia and debt are beginning to plague her life. During a German air raid on London, the loud explosion caused Doris to be greatly traumatized. Finally, on December 9, 1942, Doris swallowed a large amount of the drug and chose to cut herself off.
A few days after Doris's death, Churchill commissioned his friend Lord Brooke to have lunch with Doris's brother, Colonel Dudley. Although there is no record of the conversation between the two at lunch, the next day Colonel Dudley handed the painting and letter from Doris's hand to Lord Brooke. It was not until the end of the Second World War in 1945 that Lord Brooke returned the painting to Doris's brother.