The Lady Magazine

6 November 2015

Dear Reader Dame Judi Dench, her oldest friend Dame Maggie Smith, the irascible Dame Eileen Atkins, the unfeasibly youthful Dame Helen Mirren – what do they all have in common? Besides the obvious title, these theatrical titans all share an imperious quality that both commands an audience but never overwhelms it. No matter how small the part, they bring the kind of gusto to it that says: ‘I’m not the only star in the room.’ It’s a rare gift, one shared with the photographer Jane Bown, who took portraits of everyone from the Queen to Mick Jagger – no fuss, no lights, three or four snaps and she was done. She once took a picture of me that still remains the most flattering ever taken. Sadly, Jane died before she could be elevated to Damehood, although I am certain she was quite content with her CBE . But surely it can only be a matter of time before Mary Berry is called to the Palace, if only for services to the stricken Aga-owners of the world. As this week’s recipes show, it’s simple when you know how. Mercifully, our own Bake Off fan, Emma the designer, was able to rustle up a toffee-apple cake when Jane Green flew in from New York for afternoon tea today. Well worth crossing the Atlantic for. Until next time, best wishes