The former model became one of the most reviled women in the history of British journalism following the collapse of her marriage to ex-Beatle Paul McCartney
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Name Heather Mills
Birth name Heather Anne Mills
Date of birth 12 January 1968
Star sign Capricorn
Birthplace Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
Height 5ft 8¼in
Eye colour Blue
Marriages Alfie Karmal, 6 May 1989 (divorced 1991); Paul McCartney, 11 June 2002 (divorced 17 March 2008)
Children Beatrice Milly McCartney, born 28 October 2003
Biography
Former glamour model and activist Heather Mills has gained notoriety for her messy divorce with ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney.
Born in Aldershot, Hampshire, Heather ran away from home after her reportedly violent father was jailed for fraud and lived in a cardboard box near Waterloo Station for four months. After trying several jobs, she set up her own model agency in 1986 and took part in a now infamous photo shoot for a German sex education manual, The Joys Of Love.
In August 1993 Heather was hit while crossing the road near London’s Kensington Palace by a police motorbike and had to have her left leg amputated below the knee. She has since become known for showing people her prosthetic leg – famously taking it off in a 2002 interview with US talk show host Larry King. She has also used money from some of her interviews to set up the Heather Mills Health Trust, which gives prosthetic limbs to people who have undergone amputation after stepping on landmines.
After a brief marriage to sales manager Alfie Karmal in 1989, Heather became a household name when she wed Sir Paul McCartney in 2002. Despite the birth of their daughter, Beatrice, in 2003, the press were often sceptical about Heather’s relationship with Sir Paul, with some tabloids accusing her of being a former prostitute, a publicity seeker and a gold-digger. The pair announced their separation in 2006 and their divorce battle was played out in public – including a memorable appearance by Heather on GMTV, after which she was mocked for her erratic behaviour.
Heather – who continues to support vegan and animal rights campaigns – was awarded a £24.3 million divorce settlement in March 2008.
Quotes
‘They’ve called me a whore, a gold-digger, a fantasist, a liar, the most unbelievably hurtful things and I’ve stayed quiet for my daughter… we’ve had death threats, I’ve been close to suicide. I’m so upset about this (crying). I’ve had worse threats than a paedophile or a murderer and I’ve done nothing but charity for 20 years.’ (GMTV, 31 October 2007)
‘Eighty-five per cent of my income goes to my charity. The word gold-digger doesn’t go with that. If I was a gold-digger, I would have a lot of money in my bank account… I’d be worth millions and millions.’ (Extra, November 2006)
(On whether she thinks Sir Paul McCartney is cruel)
‘I can’t say that for the sake of my daughter. My sister (Fiona) does.’ (Hindustantimes.com, 8 April 2008)
‘Beatrice only gets £35,000 a year. And so she obviously is meant to travel B class while her father travels A class – but obviously I will pay for that.’ (Hindustantimes.com, 8 April 2008)
‘My plan is to change the law in the European Parliament and I will do it. I’m fed up with a specific portion of the media. Some of them are still supportive, but some of them that are abusing me… I will investigate every single one of those journalists.’ (Times Online, 31 October 2007)
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