Winston Churchill’s granddaughter Celia Sandys has recalled partying on a superyacht and enjoying jollies to the casino with the politician in a new memoir.
Celia Sandys, 78, is the daughter of Sir Winston and Clementine Churchill’s eldest child, Diana and her husband Cabinet Minister Duncan Sandys.
In her new book Churchill’s Little Redhead, the author details how she and her elder sister Edwina would visit her grandparents at Chartwell, as well as watching the Queen’s coronation procession from a balcony in Whitehall in 1953.
Meanwhile she also reveals how as a teenager she would accompany Churchill on jaunts to the Mediterranean and attend lavish parties with the rich and famous hosted by Aristotle and Jackie Onassis on their superyacht.
She wrote: “I returned home in August feeling much more worldly than I was when I left.”
Celia Sandys, Winston Churchill’s granddaughter, is 78 and recalls having a party on a superyacht while enjoying the casino with her grandfather.
Her autobiography is a fascinating read.He said, “Churchill can be a great subject to write about.” I admit that it was nerve-wracking writing about me.
“Whether it would interest anyone to read it is something we will find out.
“I believe it’s me as a whole. It’s my memories and the times I have had. But it is not just about me spending time with him.
“It is about my personal life, and it may not seem like anyone would care to read, but they should.
This memoir contains unique insights and revelations that the ex-leader is believed to have shared with us on Tuesday, which would have marked his 147th birthday.
She stated that people always wonder what Winston Churchill was like as their grandfather.
Celia was born to Sir Winston and Clementine churchill’s eldest children, Diana and Cabinet minister Duncan Sandys.
“But he was my only grandfather, and I believed that every grandfather is like him.” He was a great friend to his family.
Elle continued, “When I was a child, we spent a lot more of our holidays at home with my grandparents.”
“So he wants to be at the dinner table with all his relatives. That was a great experience and after we finished dinner, we watched movies together.
Sandys wrote in her autobiography that she received a toast by Churchill and the then-US president Roosevelt after learning of her daughter’s birth.
Celia always stayed close to her grandfather and visited him in Chartwell as a child.
“She writes,[We would]Always went to greet everyone good morning [their grandparents]They are in separate rooms.
His cat snuggled beside him, as he was surrounded by newspaper. Rufus the poodle was running around, Toby the rabbit crawling in and out to get whatever he needed to grab Grandpapa’s breakfast.
She remembered how he used to ask her: “Is the little redhead here?”
She said, “It was an extremely loving family man. We went for walks together in the country, and he loved to paint. He was very fond of me in southern France. I often went with him.
“I was a available grandchild at the right age so I was fortunate enough to be there when my older siblings were doing something else and his younger brothers were busy with other activities. So I felt very blessed indeed.
Meanwhile speaking to the International Churchill Society, she said: ‘My grandparents’ country home at Chartwell in Kent was a major and magical part of my childhood.
‘With my sister, brother, and I spent many holiday there with Winston’s Marlborough grandparents at Blenheim. Grandpapa, to us, wasn’t an amazing national figurehead.
“He was the practical grandfather that had designed all of the waterworks for the goldfish pond, and constructed the outdoor pool, which he kept heating, well ahead of the time.
He laid bricks to make the garden walled. He said that a day spent away from Chartwell was ‘a wasted day’.
She remembers her grandfather was’very affectionate and warm. He loved to be with his grandchildren.
“I think that he truly loved the idea to sit at his table and see all of his family. In a almost dynastic way, he loved the concept of family.
“Having just read about the 20 first years of his childhood, it is easy to see why. He had never known any family as a child.
“His letters to his politically and socially preoccupied parents were full of yearning for more.
He was a very lonely, unhappy child. I’m not sure he would’ve left so much childish correspondence even as a Victorian boy.
‘Writing home so much was a plea for love, attention — and more money!’
Celia was 10 when she witnessed the coronation procession of Queen Elizabeth II from her balcony at Whitehall in 1953.
She wrote: “We screamed in joy when Grandpapa leant out of his carriage, waved at us with his hat”
Winston, Diana Sandys and Duncan Sandys with their child Celia at her Christening. 1943
She also shares how she was a teenager and would go with Churchill to cruise the Mediterranean, and then attend extravagant parties hosted by Jackie Onassis and Aristotle on board their yacht.
She was invited along on many European jaunts with her grandfather over the years.
Because she was a grandchild, her sixteenth trip was with him.
The pair were guests of Onassis and his wife on his superyacht ‘Christina O’ sailing in the Mediterranean.
He converted the boat from a Canadian frigate into a luxury private yacht with a swimming pool and luxurious bedrooms.
The pool featured mosaic flooring, a private seaplane at the top deck, and barstools with whaleskin foreskin.
She spoke of her grandfather’s love for the Christina. He stated that he was a simple man who is easily satisfied with the best.
Fellow guests included opera singer Maria Callas and her husband Italian musician Giovanni Battista Meneghini.
It was during one three-and-a-half week long trip that the affair between Onassis and Callas began.
Apparently Callas was unimpressed when rival Gracie Fields, came on board at Capri and sang Volare to Churchill.
Celia was then serenaded by her with Daisy, Daisy Give Me Your Answer Do.
Celia was 10 when she witnessed the coronation procession of Queen Elizabeth II from Whitehall.
He also invited her along on his painting excursions, during which he was able to enjoy the Mediterranean sun as well as trips to Monte Carlo’s casino.
Churchill would make a quick escape to the Casino through an underground passage connecting to the hotel during his visits to Africa.
He would spend many thousands of dollars gambling while he was in Monaco. His wife Clementine would not approve.
Clementine hated gambling, and would sometimes pass his winnings on to Celia asking: “Are your all okay for money?”
The hotel was described by her as “very luxurious” in a previous interview. She told viewers who watched a documentary on 2021: “[It was]Only 20 feet from the casino, beautiful views over the ocean and the harbor with its many yachts are available. It was amazing.
Churchill was known for losing a lot of money. He would tell Clementine that, although he’d stop, he’d continue with his bad habits.
Meanwhile Celia was introduced to London society during an exhausting debutante season while she worked in the china department at Harrods.
She was discovered by her boss asleep on a heap of ramekins.
Churchill was at the coming-out party until 2am and tapped his toes along with the music.
Celia spoke to the society and said that he had a close, companionable relationship with her until the very end. He was a great guest at my coming-out party at Quagliano’s even though he wasn’t able to dance.
“It was an extremely peaceful period in his life. We would go on a driving trip together. We’d either watch him paint together or sit down and watch the sun set over the Mediterranean. I adored him.’
As the years passed, her bond with her grandfather continued to grow, and she was invited on jaunts across Europe with him on Onassis’ private yacht (pictured)
Churchill and Celia would often holiday on the yacht with other celebrities including Onassis (pictured)
Maria Callas (Opera singer) and Giovanni Battista Meneghini, an Italian musician, were also guests of honor on Christina O.
Her husband also took her along on trips of painting, during which he was able to enjoy the Mediterranean sun as well as trips to Monte Carlo’s casino.
After her mother’s divorce, Celia remained living in Belgravia with her sister Edwina, with the sisters sharing the top floor of their home.
The maid returned home on weekends and would prepare the meals in the kitchen.
Celia observed: “We didn’t have a dishwasher so we went to the Brompton Grill when we were out of plates.”
Celia’s journey took an unexpected turn in her 20th year when her mother, who was then just twenty-years old, took her own death.
Celia is a journalist and author, and TV host. She has had four children.
Celia is a journalist and author, and TV host. She has had four children.
After a lengthy visit to Africa, she stayed there for five years with her husband before leaving.
Her second marriage ended in disaster, and she turned to her contacts and her business for support.
Although she had no prior experience, she began interior designing and found a job working for a Lebanese banker who liked her political connections.
After her second marriage, she got married a third. In 1958, Major General Ken Perkins tied-the-knot, a soldier who worked his way up through the ranks.
The divorce took place in 2000, many decades later.
She now works as trustee of the Churchill Centre, and founder and chairman of Churchill Leadership, an international company specializing in leadership development training.
She is also an international acclaimed journalist, author and TV presenter.
Superyachts for stars! Aristotle Onassis’s Christina O is where he wined, dined, with Jackie, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It can be hired for $800k per Week
If you have £545,000 to spare, you could enjoy for a week what the likes of Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor and Maria Callas once had access to for free.
The Christina O super yacht, which started life as a Canadian military frigate before it was converted at a cost of £3million, can be chartered privately.
The boat, in her military disguise, was present at the Normandy and Battle of the Atlantic landings.
Her association with film, political and real royalty started when Aristotle Onassis, a Greek shipping magnate, repurposed HMCS Stormont which she had purchased at scrap.
Onassis named his new attraction after his daughter. It featured a pool that can be converted into a movie theater, cinema, seaplane and luxurious furnishings.
Onassis became an old friend and ally of the British hero, PM Churchill during World War II. He enjoyed his time on the Christina O, as did John F Kennedy (who was assassinated in 1963).
His widow Jackie became Onassis’s second wife and spent a lot of time on the ship, as did the soprano Maria Callas – who was the magnate’s mistress during his first marriage.
This ship was also home to Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, the former spouses. It hosted Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco’s wedding reception in 1956.
Onassis met Callas on the ship, during a trip of three weeks between Monaco and Istanbul she took with Giovanni Battista Meneghini.
An 85-year old Churchill, Clementine his wife and Toby his parakeet joined them. Callas, a black-and white photo of Callas, is seen bending down to speak to former PM who was dressed in a sunhat.
Supermodel Heidi Klum married Tom Kaulitz, her husband on board the vessel in 2019, following Kelly’s lead.
If you have £545,000 to spare, you could enjoy for a week what the likes of Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor and Maria Callas once had access to for free. The Christina O super yacht, which started life as a Canadian military frigate before it was converted at a cost of £3million, can be chartered privately
Onassis named his new attraction after his daughter. It featured a swimming-pool that can be converted into a dancefloor (pictured), a cinema, a seaplane, luxurious furnishings, and even an operating theatre.
The magnate’s original bar – complete with stools covered in leather made from the foreskins of mink whales and armrests made from the animals’ teeth – has been preserved in its entirety
It is the 45th-largest yacht in the world, with a length of 325 feet. The ship can sleep 34 people in 17 cabins, and it can accommodate 157 guests.
Onassis, then an anti-submarine frigate owner in 1954 bought it at scrap. In today’s money, he spent around £10.5million converting it into the floating palace it became.
The ship is still the largest yacht at 325 feet. There are 34 sleeping rooms in 17 cabins. It can also accommodate up to 157 people.
Onassis was known for his extravagant taste and he built a sunken tub with floating fish and taps shaped like dolphins.
Although these features have now gone, the magnate’s original bar – complete with stools covered in leather made from the foreskins of mink whales and armrests made from the animals’ teeth – has been preserved in its entirety.
Whaling was part of Onassis’ business and made him millions.
Onassis’s dance floor is prone to sinking into the sea, which forms a swimming pool.
After his second term as PM in 1950s, Churchill spent much time in Monte Carlo and enjoyed Onassis’s hospitality aboard the ship several times.
Celia Sandys, his granddaughter said that her grandfather enjoyed traveling aboard the Christina.
Onassis became an old friend and a confidante of Churchill during the war. He enjoyed cruises on both the Christina O and future President John F Kennedy who were assassinated in 1963. Pictured: Former PM, 1961 (third from right), aboard the superyacht Christina O.
Photograph taken in March 1975. Richard Burton (frontright) and Elizbeth Taylor are enjoying each other’s company aboard the ship. Taylor is next to Onassis. Seven months after their divorce, Burton and Taylor remarried. They then split for the second time in July 1976.
Jackie Kennedy, John F Kennedy’s widow, married Onassis in 1968. Pictured: Kennedy is wearing a headscarf while sitting on the yacht, Onassis behind.
Jackie Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis are seen aboard the Christina O just before sailing to Martinique, 1969. This was a year after Jackie Kennedy’s wedding.
It is difficult to find any trace of Jackie Kennedy’s once-in-a-lifetime presence today. Onassis is reported to have stopped Kennedy from doing anything aboard the vessel. Pictured: Kennedy aboard the yacht off Sardinia in 1971
“He stated that he was a simple man, who can be satisfied easily by the finest.”
Allen Packwood, the Churchill Archives director, stated in the same program that Churchill was “something of a trophy to O’Nassis”, who could provide ‘the luxury escape that is he needs’.
Churchill went on seven cruises during the final ten years his life with Onassis.
However, it was not just Churchill who entertained billionaires.
Photo taken March 1975. Richard Burton and Elizbeth (who had separated almost a year before) are seen enjoying each other’s company aboard the ship.
Burton and Taylor were to wed seven months later. Before divorcing again in July 1976, they had remarried.
Jackie Kennedy was married to her husband in 1968 six years after he was killed in Dallas.
Maria Callas and Onassis were in a 10-year-long relationship up until then.
The relationship was formed in 1959. It took place one year prior to his divorce from Tina Livanos.
Kennedy and Callas were both also photographed on board the ship.
The ship, HMCS Stormont in military form (pictured), was present at the Normandy and Battle of the Atlantic landings.
Onassis and Maria Callas had a romantic relationship that began aboard the ship during a trip between Monaco, Istanbul, with Giovanni Battista Meneghini (in 1959). The 85-year-old Churchill was joined by his wife Clementine (his parakeet Toby), and their daughter, Onassis. Pictured from the left: Onassis, Churchill (back seated), Callas and Meneghini aboard Christina O
Callas, a black-and-white image from the final three-week cruise show Callas stooping to speak to former PM. She was dressed in a sun hat.
Churchill took seven cruises with Onassis in the final ten years of his life. Pictured: Churchill aboard the yacht with Onassis’s daughter Christina in 1959. This is what gave it its name.
Churchill often spent time with Onassis, who was one the most wealthy men on the planet and would eventually marry Jacqueline Kennedy (left), the widow of murdered US President John F Kennedy. Alan Packwood (curator of the Churchill Archives) said that Churchill was “something of a trophy” for O’Nassis, as he could provide ‘the luxury escape that is necessary’.
Churchill used Onassis’s superyacht to cruise the Mediterranean when he was in South France. Pictured: Churchill, his grandson and granddaughter walk up the boat’s Gangplank.
Churchill is wearing a white stetson and waves to the crowds when he boarded Christina O in Monte Carlo in 1958 with Tina Onnasis.
Callas and her husband, then in their thirties, were so close they coordinated their outfits and prayed together during a three week cruise aboard the Christina O.
The party included Churchill’s wife Clementine, and their pet parrot. They travelled between Monaco and Istanbul.
Callas was reported to have given Churchill ice cream at one of her dinners.
Callas and Onassis, who were both night owls, stayed up late talking – sparking the romance which saw the opera singer’s marriage end.
Guests who charter the vessel today are treated to Callas’s vocals.
It is hard to trace Jackie Kennedy’s temporary presence.
Onassis is reported to have stopped her from doing anything aboard the ship.
Following Onassis’s 1975 death, the Christina O went to his daughters and later to the Greek government. In 1978 it served as a presidential yacht.
Because the Greeks couldn’t or wouldn’t afford the high maintenance cost, the ship went into decline and was taken by the looters.
It was then rescued in the late 1990s and has since been refitted multiple times – although Onassis’s bar and swimming pool survived the renovations.
During the high season in July and August, the Christina O costs £545,000 (€630,000) per week to rent out through chartering firm Morley Yachts. Pictured is one of the areas that the ship has to offer, with Churchill’s bust.
A yacht’s living space is decorated with photos of past guests. It also houses one of the grand pianos.
In the low season – April, May, June, September and October – prices are reduced to £484,000 (€560,000). Pictured is Marilyn Monroe, who also stayed at the Christina O. She sits on a sidetable
Amazing photos capture the enormous dining area, grand pianos and bar of Onassis. Photographed: The staircase
A picture of Grace Kelly, a former guest of Grace Kelly is shown in the lounge. The Hollywood star and her husband Prince Rainier of Monaco had their wedding reception on the vessel in 1956
A series of posters are placed in front of the pool, which can double up as a dancing floor.
You can rent the ship for events such as corporate functions, birthdays, or simply to cruise. Above: A view of the luxurious yacht
You can either relax in the jacuzzi aboard the ship or on one of the sunbeds scattered around the deck.
Onassis, then an anti-submarine frigate owner in 1954 bought it at scrap. In today’s money, he spent around £10.5million converting it into the floating palace it became. Photo: This is the boat shortly after it was converted.
In 1961, Christina O’s Kitchen was occupied by staff. They likely would have made Churchill meals during his numerous visits.
Onassis seen at the vessel in 1954. One group of nuns is among the guests. They are dressed in their white habit.
Onassis’s whalebar can be seen in 1961. There are also four old guns hanging from the walls. Today the bar still entertains its guests.
During the high season in July and August, the Christina O costs £545,000 (€630,000) per week to rent out through chartering firm Morley Yachts.
In the low season – April, May, June, September and October – prices are reduced to £484,000 (€560,000).
Its enormous dining room, two grand pianos as well As Onassis’s Bar and spiral staircase are all captured in stunning photos.
The boat is also fitted with ‘toys’ including jet skis, kayaks and a ‘flyboard’ – which sees guests stand on a platform as they are propelled into the air on jets of water.
Heidi Klum and Tom Kaulitz tied the knot on board the vessel in August 2019. Pictures showed Heidi in an ivory, sequinned gown on deck.