The Lady Magazine

1 November 2019

Dear Readers, The saying “may you live in interesting times” is generally thought to be an age-old Chinese curse (although most experts now believe this to be a myth dreamed up in part by the American politician Robert Kennedy for a speech he gave in 1966). We are certainly living through interesting times now. I’m trying to avoid the ‘B-word’ but there is no doubt that at present this is a country – and a world – divided. Is that anything new? Sadly not. But perhaps massive political and social change should not always be seen as a curse. Thirty years ago, on 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, leading to the reunification of Germany. In this issue, acclaimed foreign correspondent Colin Freeman reveals the extraordinary story of the seven-year-old girl who became one of the last people to escape from East Germany to the West and what the anniversary means to her. The Duchess of Sussex seems to be coming in for equal amounts of approval and opprobrium at the moment. Meghan says the British stiff upper lip attitude may be damaging to mental health; our generationgap writers take opposing sides. On a lighter note, Aindrea Emelife reports on how debutante balls are no longer about finding a suitable husband but are more like international networking events for cosmopolitan women. The actor Nigel Havers talks to Maureen Paton about his long and varied career, including his regrets, and celebrates the changes he has seen in his lifetime (warning: he does mention the B-word!). This year has marked the centenary of the Treaty of Versailles and this month we commemorate the millions who died in the First World War and other conflicts. I have a close family member serving on the front line and a great-uncle who won the Military Medal for bravery in the Second World War. For both of them – and so many others – we should remember the past, look to the future and (perhaps) hope for interesting times. Maxine Frith, Editor