RATING: VERY GOOD
The novel continues with the story of Aly Khan. After his divorce, Aly Khan got involved with Gene Tierney. Gene Eliza Tierney (November 19, 1920 – November 6, 1991) was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed for her great beauty, she became established as a leading lady.
Gene had been married to Oleg Cassini. Oleg Cassini (11 April 1913 – 17 March 2006) was a fashion designer born to an aristocratic Russian family with maternal Italian ancestry.
She contracted German measles from a fan when she was pregnant. Her daughter was then born with several mental and physical damage. Years later that fan confessed to what she had done. This was the base Agatha Christie’s novel “The Mirror Crack’d From Side To Side”.
Aga Khan disapproved of Aly’s affair with Gene and forbid the marriage. After that, there were fights between Aly Khan and Gene, and she had a mental breakdown and was admitted to a psychiatric clinic.
Winston Churchill continued staying in the Riviera this time with his literary agent Emery Rees and his wife Wendy. Over the years there were rumours about Winston and Wendy.
Aly Khan then had an affair with Simone Body, a top model that went by the name of Bettina. They got engaged.
Aga Khan died in 1957 and mad Karim, Aly’s son, his heir, which left Aly completely shattered. Sir Shah Karim al-Husayni (born 13 December 1936) is the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailis. He has held the position of imam and the title of Aga Khan since 11 July 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III.
Pamela Churchill found Gianni with the daughter of a friend. Pamela flew off the handle, and when she took the girl home, they had an accident. He was seriously injured, and Pam nursed him for months, but they eventually parted ways. He married Princess Marella di Castagneto.
Pamela then had an affair with Elie de Rothschild. Élie Robert de Rothschild (29 May 1917 – 6 August 2007) was the guardian of the French branch of the Rothschild family banking dynasty. He followed his father as a partner in the family bankl.
Then she had an affair with Stavros Niarchos. Stavros Spyrou Niarchos (3 July 1909 – 15 April 1996) was a Greek billionaire shipping tycoon.
In 1959 Elizabeth Taylor was staying at the Chateau de l’horizons recovering from the death of her husband, Mike Todd, when she ran into Eddie Fisher. They fell in love and Eddie Fisher left Debbie Reynolds.
In 1960 Aly Khan had a car accident. Bettina was also in the car and miscarried, and he died.
Aly Khan was buried on the grounds of Château de l’Horizon, his home in the south of France, where it was intended that he would remain until a mausoleum was built for him in Syria. His remains were removed to Damascus, Syria, on 11 July 1972, and he was reinterred in Salamiyah, Syria.
The CHateau de l’Horizons was sold to the king of Saudi Arabia, and today it is still owned by the Saudi royal family.
Postcript. This is what happned to some of the peoplefrom the Riviera after 1960.
Rita Hayworth got married several times. She married Dick Haymes, a marriage that ended up in divorce after he hit her. After a tumultuous two years together, Haymes struck Hayworth in the face in 1955 in public. Hayworth packed her bags, walked out, and never returned.
Then he married James Hill, who she divorced three years later. James Hill (August 1, 1916 – January 11, 2001) was an American film producer and screenwriter active from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. On September 1, 1961, Hayworth filed for divorce, alleging extreme mental cruelty.
Rita’s last movie was the Wrath of God.
Rita was diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease and died in 1987.
Gene Tierney was treated for severe depression. She married W. Howard Lee.
She died of emphysema in 1991.
Daisy Fellowes remained friends with Winston Churchill to the end of her life. After Reggie Fellowes died she suffered depression and attempted suicide. She was known for her fabulous collection of bespoke jewels.
Pamela Digby Churchill married Leland Hayward. It was a happy marriage. After Leland’s death, the relationship with her stepchildren was acrimonious when her stepdaughter wrote a bitter memory “Haywire”.
Then she married Averell Harriman, and she also had problems with his children.
In 1997 she died of a brain haemorrhage.
Elsa Maxwell met Maria Callas and became infatuated with her, so she followed her on tours. Elsa introduced Callas to Onassis.
Elsa became a major personality on television shows. She died of a heart attack.
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