Michelle Morgan - When Marilyn Met the Queen: Marilyn Monroes Life in England

When Marilyn Met the Queen

Marilyn Monroes Life in England

Michelle Morgan

This book is dedicated to Marilyn, Sandie, Sally, Andrea and Rebecca.

It may have taken us thirty years, but we finally got there, girls!

I would like to start by thanking everyone who has helped with this book over the past thirty years. Its impossible to acknowledge everyone individually, but I do thank you all, most sincerely.

To those beautiful people who have contributed their memories, either by telephone, email, audio tape or letter. Your words have added so much colour to this story, and I am so grateful. Thanks especially to those I have interviewed recently, including Alan, Elaine, David, Jerry, Cary, Jean, Ray, Norma and the members of the Englefield Green and Horsham Facebook groups.

To the staff of Cornelia James, thank you for your kindness and friendship. Your beautiful gift has inspired me every day during the writing of this book, and I will treasure it always.

To Fraser, Joshua, Marco, Hazel, Johan, Ken, Susan, Heather, Suzie, Gabriella, Richard, Ed, Donna, Mary, Dave, Ron, Bryony at the Anna Freud Museum, the late, great John Hazell and everyone who has ever supplied me with a press cutting, document, information, photo, memorabilia or call sheet. I appreciate your help so much.

To my Marilyn family, especially those who knew me back in the days of the Marilyn Lives Society. Your support, love and excitement spur me on every day, and I will always be grateful for your friendship.

To the team at Robinson/Little, Brown, and especially my editor Duncan Proudfoot and copy-editor Howard Watson. I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am that you made my dreams come true. I am so grateful to you all.

To Mum, Dad, Paul, Wendy, Angelina, Helen, Claire, and family and friends, who have listened to my Marilyn in England obsession for thirty years, and then cheered me loudly and with so much joy, when it was finally commissioned. I love you all more than youll ever know.

To Richard, for your continuous support and encouragement, during the writing of this and many other books. Thank you for constantly looking for rare Marilyn magazines and photos for my book research, and for only complaining a little bit when my research spilled over onto your side of the sofa!

To my beautiful Daisy, who wasnt even born when I first wanted to write this book. I love that youre a Marilyn fan, too, and Ill always be entertained by your reaction to her quotes! Always remember, my dreams came true because of you.

And to anyone I may have missed Im so sorry for the oversight, but thank you, too!

Marilyns trip to England may have lasted just four months, but my journey with this book has endured for three decades. I first began research in 1992, when I still worked full-time, and before I had any books published at all. I felt that out of all the areas of Marilyns life, the England trip was the most neglected. However, despite my enthusiasm, it just wasnt the right time, and my research gathered dust in several huge files. I have always believed in this book, though, and persevered periodically throughout the years; gathering information and interviewing as many people as I could. Now, after writing nineteen other books many about Marilyn the time has finally come to tell the England story.

Working on this book during 2020 and 2021 has been a blessing, and in such a bleak time, it has been a pleasure to escape to 1956 every day. I now know why I had to wait thirty years for this book to happen. I would not have had the skill, resources or experience to handle such a mammoth project when I was twenty-two years old. Now that Im much older and hopefully a little wiser, I understand the many layers involved in the making of The Prince and the Showgirl, and have been able to draw out an interesting, frank, and at times heart-breaking story.

During the summer of 1956, the people of the United Kingdom went crazy for Marilyn Monroe, with nightclubs, fetes and beauty contests, all doing something to celebrate her arrival. The actress was also mentioned in the House of Lords, and women used her name to bring attention to their complaints and causes. By incorporating these stories, it ensures that this book is not just about Marilyns experience of Britain; it is also about Britains experience of Marilyn. It is my hope, therefore, that by the time you reach the end of this book, it will feel as though you lived through the 1956 Marilyn fever.

I have loved Marilyn since 1985, but writing this book has brought me closer to her than I could ever have imagined. The England trip was a monumental journey for Marilyn and now for myself. I hope this book will bring you closer to Marilyn, too.

Michelle Morgan

Authors note: The Prince and the Showgirl was originally entitled The Sleeping Prince, and only changed after production ended. I have therefore kept the original name throughout for authenticity.

I am dying to walk bareheaded in the rain I think England sounds adorable.

Marilyn Monroe, before the London trip.

T he publicity team assigned to look after Marilyn Monroe sat in a stuffy office, with members of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and officials from London Airport. It was 12 July 1956, and the men were there to discuss security procedures for Marilyns much-anticipated debut trip to the United Kingdom. The publicity team were concerned with good cause that the stars arrival should not turn into a high-risk circus. She would be there in two days, and the publicists were desperate to put procedures in place that would prevent their star client from being crushed in the throng.

Instead of support, however, they were met with laughter, and a vow by airport officials to treat the arrival just like any other.

We dont think there will be screaming fans, and we dont go in for this publicity ballyhoo, sniffed one official. This is London Airport, not Idlewild, New York.

It was clear that there would be no movement on the matter, and so the American publicity men said their goodbyes and left the unimpressed Brits to their work. Afterwards, a member of Marilyns team was approached by a reporter, and the publicist shared his concerns.

Possibly they dont care if Marilyn is crushed by the crowd, he shrugged, before going on to express his somewhat dramatic belief that the destiny of US and UK relations might depend on how the arrival was dealt with.

The jaded reporter listened to the complaint, and then skulked off to phone in the conversation to his editor.

Less than twenty-four hours later, Marilyn Monroe and her new husband, playwright Arthur Miller, arrived at Idlewild Airport, New York, in order to take their 4 p.m. flight to England. Dressed in an ivory jersey dress and holding an oversized handbag, Marilyn sent word that she would not meet the press until any television microphones had been dismantled. This revelation caused chaos among reporters, with some claiming that they were being blackmailed into packing up their equipment. By this time, it was 3.40 p.m., and since the plane was due to leave in twenty minutes, Marilyn had no option but finally to appear in the passenger lounge. She was immediately surrounded by dozens of reporters, each of whom had their own questions to ask.