March 20, 2015

In late summer, Sir Winston and Lady Churchill flew to Venice to join Aristotle Onassis’ yacht Christina, for their second cruise, this time around the Greek islands. Before. embarking on Christina, they toured Venice’s Grand Canal, to the delight of large crowds.

A favorite fellow-guest on the tour was Dame Margot Fonteyn, the celebrated ballerina. A main occasion was a meeting with President Tito of Yugoslavia. Special events were an automobile tour of Crete, a dinner party given by the Crete laberal leader, and visits to the ruins of King Minos’ palace at Knossos and the ruins at Corinth. The cruise ended at Athens, where the Churchills flew home to London.

After celebrating their 52nd Wedding Anniversary’at Chartwell they went to France to spend a month at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. Visitors to the Churchill suite included Charles de Gaulle, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco and Somerset Maugham. Sometimes Sir Winston went out to visit Lord Beaverbrook’s villa, or the gaming tables at the Casino.

Following their return to London, Sir Winston suffered a fall at Hyde Park Gate that resulted in his admission to St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington. Despite the fact that he had broken a small bone high up in his neck he was up and walking again in three weeks, but he was unable to attend the wedding of Edwina Sandys, his granddaughter.