Do you know who the woman behind the ultra-luxury nightclub in Mayfair is being named after? She is an author and British socialite, Lady Annabel Goldsmith.
This is not the end; she raised her six children with two high-profile marriages. Her connection in life with Mark Birley & Sir James Goldsmith welcomed six children. Meanwhile, her marriage to Mark Birley gave her three children: Rupert, Robin, and India Jane, while Jemima, Zac, and Ben Goldsmith were born to her second spouse, James Goldsmith.
Read this Elivestory blog to explore the serendipitous journey of her married life, her early encounter with Mark Birley during her tender 20s, separation, remarrying with James Goldsmith and how she raised a remarkable family with six children.
Table of Contents
Personal life and family of Lady Annabel Goldsmith
Born in London on 11th June 1934, Lady Annabel Goldsmith belongs to an aristocratic family and, by birth, was Anglo-Irish, with roots in Ulster and County Durham. Her upbringing was in an aristocratic family, while her father was increasingly eccentric and had a strong liberal feeling.
She lost her mother, Romaine Combe, in 1951 at the age of 47, when Annabel was 17, due to cancer. Subsequently, on 17 October 1955, Annabel lost her father, aged 52, who was an alcoholic, and he breathed his last due to liver failure.
Quick bio at a glance
| Attributes | Details |
| Full Name | Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart |
| Born | 11 June 1934, Westminster, London, England |
| Died | 18 October 2025 (aged 91) |
| Parents | Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry & Romaine Combe |
| Marriages | Mark Birley (m. 1954; div. 1975) Sir James Goldsmith (m. 1978; d. 1997) |
| Children | 6: Rupert, Robin & India Jane Birley, Jemima, Zac & Ben Goldsmith |
| Notable For | Eponym of the famous Mayfair nightclub Annabel’s (founded by first husband Mark Birley in 1963) London society hostess in the 1960s–1970s |
| Career & Interests | Author of memoirs (Annabel: An Unconventional Life, 2004) political activist Philanthropist supporting animals and HIV/AIDS orphans |
Lady Annabel Goldsmith’s children: Family built across two marriages
In the year 1954, Lady Annabel Goldsmith married Mark Birley. The couple, Mark Birley and Lady Annabel Goldsmith, became the parents of three children: Rupert, Robin, and India Jane Birley. Later, the couple divorced in the year 1975 due to irreconcilable differences stemming from concerns about the serial infidelity of her first spouse, Mark Birley.
While she was married to Mark Birley, she dated Sir James Goldsmith, with whom she shared long-term affairs. The couple finally legitimized their children after marrying James Goldsmith in the year 1978. Together, the couple went on to have three more children: Jemima, Zac, and Ben Goldsmith. Putting them together, two high-profile marriages in her life with Mark Birley & Sir James Goldsmith made her the mother of 6 children.
Quick Facts Table of her six children
Let’s have a look at quick fact check for Lady Annabel Goldsmith’s children (Children with Mark Birley + Children with Sir James Goldsmith)
| Name of Lady Annabel Goldsmith’s Children | Father’s name | Additional Notes |
| Rupert Birley | Mark Birley | Eldest son. Rupert was presumably drowned after the mysterious incident in Togo, located in Africa, whose body was never recovered. |
| Robin Birley | Mark Birley | Business mogul who runs Oswald’s club. The unanticipated mauling by a tiger at Howletts Zoo left a traumatic impression on Robin Birley’s adolescence when he was just 12 |
| India Jane Birley | Mark Birley | Portrait artist. Got the inspiration as a genetically inherited gift from her grandfather, Sir Oswald Birley. |
| Jemima Goldsmith | Sir James Goldsmith | Film producer & former wife of Imran Khan (ex-PM of Pakistan). |
| Zac Goldsmith | Sir James Goldsmith | Environmentalist, former Conservative MP. Now in the House of Lords. |
| Ben Goldsmith | Sir James Goldsmith | Youngest child of Sir James Goldsmith and Lady Annabel Goldsmith. Financier & environmentalist. |
Children with Mark Birley
During a social session in London, Lady Annabel and Mark Birley met each other. Despite the strong disapproval from her father’s end, their whirlwind romance finally ended with marriage in March 1954. The 8th Marquess of Londonderry tied the knot with Mark Birley at the London register office at a tender age of just 19, and her partner Mark was aged 24. The couple together had three children named Rupert, Robin, and India Jane.
Rupert Birley
Born on 20 August 1955, Rupert was the eldest son of Mark Birley and Lady Annabel Goldsmith. In 1986, after the occurrence of a swimming accident, the couple Mark and Annabel lost the life of their beloved son Rupert in Togo, located in Africa. Rupert disappeared after the swimming incident and presumably drowned, whose body was never recovered.
The eldest son of Mark Birley and Lady Annabel studied at Christ Church, Oxford and Eton College. The tragic death of her first son left an indelible impression, becoming a heartache in life that even surpassed the painful grief of losing her own parents.
Robin Birley
Born on 19 February 1958, Robin was the second son of Mark Birley and Lady Annabel. He was indeed, by profession, a business mogul, political donor and entrepreneur. He grew up in London along with Rupert, his brother, and India Jane, his sister. The unanticipated mauling by a tiger at Howletts Zoo left a traumatic impression on Robin Birley’s adolescence.
According to the information from The Guardian, he was indeed just 12 when the tiger at the private zoo of his family friend John Aspinall brought him an experience of permanent scarring. The incident left him to endure years of his life with the pain of cosmetic surgery as the one-sided bone of his face got crusted.
India Jane Birley
India Jane Birley, the daughter of socialite Lady Annabel and proprietor Mark Birley, was born on January 14, 1961. She was a portrait artist who got the inspiration as a genetically inherited gift from her grandfather, Sir Oswald Birley. He was, by profession, a portrait painter. The youngest child of Annabel and Mark belonged to Anglo-Irish aristocracy and was also a business mogul.
Children with Sir James Goldsmith
Jemima Goldsmith
The couple, financier Sir James Goldsmith and Lady Annabel, added their eldest daughter, Jemima Goldsmith, who is a multifaceted personality remembered as a writer, activist, and film producer. The founder of Instinct Productions was previously married to legendary cricket personality Imran Khan, serving a 3-year and 7-month tenure as PM of Pakistan from August 18, 2018, to April 10, 2022.
Imran Khan and Jemima Goldsmith welcomed two sons, Sulaiman Isa Khan and Kasim Khan, before they split their married life in 2004.
The death of Lady Annabel became a devastating shock for Jemima Goldsmith as her daughter. After losing her mother at 91, Jemima Khan made an Instagram post on 20 October 2025, saying, “ It’s the natural order of things. It’s coming down the line for everyone with living parents — and yet, still, I just cannot fathom a world without Mum in it. (“Mum” to everyone, including her 18 grandchildren.) Even though she was 91 and had lived a huge life, we were still unprepared. It still felt sudden — a devastating shock.”
Zac Goldsmith
On 20 January 1975, Lady Annabel and financier Sir James Goldsmith welcomed their son Zac as their second-to-last son. Zac Goldsmith, the son of British socialite Lady Annabel Goldsmith, is an environmentalist and politician.
He was the son of financier Sir James Goldsmith, who completed his education at a privately held Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies (CCSS) as well as Eton College. Lady Annabel last made her public appearance while attending the marriage ceremony of her son Zac in September 2025. Zac married the celebrated author Ian Fleming’s great-niece, Hum Fleming.
Ben Goldsmith
On 28 October 1980, financier Sir James Goldsmith and Lady Annabel brought their youngest son, Ben Goldsmith, into the world. By profession, he became the chief executive officer (CEO) of an investment firm, Menhaden. Apart from that, he was also a financier and an environmentalist.
As per BBC News, after losing her mother, socialite Lady Annabel Goldsmith, at 91, her youngest son gave a statement to The Times of London, saying, “Quite simply irreplaceable. 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.”
Family tragedies endured by Lady Annabel one after another
Life is not always kind. Lady Annabel encountered a plethora of heartbreaking family tragedies throughout her life. As if fate had something in store. After losing her parents earlier in her life, she experienced irreplaceable grief after the death of her eldest son Rupert, who presumably drowned after the mysterious swimming incident, whose body was never recovered.
Another ordeal tested the resilience of Lady Annabel as a mother when her son was brutally mauled by a tiger at just 12. After some years, an unanticipated mauling by a tiger at Howletts Zoo left a traumatic impression on Robin Birley’s adolescence, placing an emotional burden on Annabel.
In closing
In a nutshell, Lady Annabel wasn’t limited to mere aristocracy filled with influential social circles; rather, she focused on devoting herself to the proper upbringing of her six children. The strange irony of fate led her to face an irreplaceable grief after the death of her eldest son Rupert.
The support and assistance led her children to carve their own fate successfully in their distinctive fields. If you like the content and are eager to explore more content on celebrities’ kids, and more subscribe to the newsletter to get updates.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How many children did Lady Annabel Goldsmith have?
Lady Annabel Goldsmith had six children from her marriages to Mark Birley and Sir James Goldsmith. They are Jemima, Zac, Ben, Rupert, Robin and India Jane.
Who is Jemima Goldsmith?
The founder of Instinct Productions Jemima Goldsmith, is a multifaceted personality remembered as a writer, activist, and film producer. She is the eldest daughter of financier Sir James Goldsmith and Lady Annabel.
Who is Zac Goldsmith?
Zac Goldsmith is the second-to-last son of Lady Annabel and financier Sir James Goldsmith, who is a politician like his father and also serves an environmentalist role.
Who was Mark Birley?
Mark Birley was the son of portrait painter Sir Oswald Birley and gardener Rhoda Vava Mary Lecky Pike. His name is interwoven with the creation of Mayfair private clubs Annabel’s, Mark’s Club and Harry’s Bar.
Who was Sir James Goldsmith?
Belonging to the Goldsmith family, Sir James Michael Goldsmith (born on 26 February 1933) was a politician and financier.
What happened to Rupert Birley?
Rupert disappeared after the swimming incident in Togo, Africa, and presumably drowned, whose body was never recovered.
Who owns Annabel’s nightclub?
British entrepreneur Richard Caring owned Annabel’s nightclub after purchasing it from the founder, Mark Birley, the first husband of Lady Annabel.
When did Lady Annabel Goldsmith die?
On October 18, 2025, Lady Annabel Goldsmith breathed her last at the age of 91.
