Jemima Khan

Jemima Marcelle Khan (born 30 January 1974) is an English socialite known due to her relationships as a former girlfriend of Hugh Grant, the ex-wife of Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan, and a daughter of Lady Annabel and James Goldsmith.

Family and education

Born in London's Westminster Hospital as Jemima Marcelle Goldsmith, Khan is the eldest child of Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart and the late Anglo-French financier James Goldsmith. Her parents started a polyamorous relationship in 1964 while they were married to different partners, but in 1978, the two married for the sole purpose of legitimizing their children.cite book | last = Goldsmith | first = Annabel | year = 2004 | title = Annabel: An Unconventional Life: The Memoirs of Lady Annabel Goldsmith | publisher = Weidenfeld & Nicolson | location = London | id = ISBN 0-297-82966-1] She has two younger brothers, Zac and Ben Goldsmith, five paternal half-siblings, and three maternal half-siblings, including Robin and India Jane Birley.cite web |last=Lundy |first=Darryl |title=Person Page 5917:Sir James Goldsmith |publisher=thePeerage.com |url=http://www.thepeerage.com/p5917.htm#i59162 |accessdate=2007-09-28]

Khan grew up at Ormeley Lodge while attending the Old Vicarage preparatory school and Francis Holland School in Chelsea. She studied at the University of Bristol from 1993 to 1995, when she dropped out to get married but eventually submitted her dissertation in March 2002 for a 2:1 bachelor's degree in English. She later completed an MA in Middle Eastern Studies at SOAS, University of London.cite news |last= |first= |title=Quilliam Foundation Launch |publisher=quilliamfoundation.org |url=http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/component/content/article/51-%20%20%20%20video/156 |date=2002-04-22 |accessdate=2008-06-05] Khan is almost universally reported to be shy,cite news |last= Khan |first=Sairah Irshad |title="I think the world of politics is pretty sleazy." |publisher="Newsline" |url=http://www.newsline.com.pk/NewsNov2002/interviewnov2002.htm |date=November 2002 |accessdate=2007-10-08] cite news |last=Manley |first=Debbie |title=VIP: Jemima Khan |publisher="The People" |page=12 |date=2004-11-14 |accessdate=2007-10-08] with her ex-husband describing her as "very shy".cite news |last=Jones |first=Liz |title=I do want Jemima to be happy for her sake and for my children's |publisher="Evening Standard" |page=18 |date=2005-10-31 |accessdate=2007-10-08] She is defined as modest, stylish,cite news |first= Eve |last= MacSweeney |title= Reluctant Romeo |publisher= "Vogue" |pages=232-37 |id=ISSN|00428000 |date=2007-02-01 |accessdate=2007-09-11 ] and levelheaded.cite news |last=Bruce |first=Rory Knight |title=Jemima, Imran and a Londonderry legacy |publisher="Evening Standard" |pages=16-17 |date=1995-05-18 |accessdate=2007-10-08] She has described herself as a lifelong "coward"cite news |last=Khan |first=Jemima |title=Nightmare Aboard Flight BA2069 |publisher="The Daily Telegraph" |url=http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/print.asp?ID=113 |date=2000-12-31 |accessdate=2008-06-18] who is diffident due to "a chronic inability to make up my mind" and has built a pattern of "pathological indecision".cite news |first= Jemima |last= Khan |title= Spoilt for Choice |publisher= "Vogue" |pages= |id=ISSN|00428000 |date=2008-05-01 |accessdate=2008-06-20 ]

On 29 December 2000, Khan and her family were part of a British Airways jet to Kenya that was temporarily knocked off course and dived 17,000 feet below, after a passenger tried to seize controls in the cockpit.cite news |last=|first= |title=BA jet plunges in cockpit struggle |publisher=BBC |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1092164.stm |date=2000-12-29 |accessdate=2007-10-08] Her mother later stated, "Jemima was frightened of flying even before the incident; she's petrified [now] ".cite news |last=Helliker |first=Adam |title=Lady Annabel's Gift |publisher=The Sunday Telegraph |url= |date=2001-06-03 |accessdate=2008-06-22] Khan lives in Fulham, London, with her sons Sulaiman Isa (b. 18 November 1996) and Kasim (b. 10 April 1999). Because she wants to have the same last name as her children, she currently goes by Jemima Khan.cite news |last=Gerard |first=Jasper |title=Interview: Jasper Gerard meets Jemima Khan |publisher="The Times" |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article420142.ece |date=2005-03-15 |accessdate=2007-10-08]

Islamic Marriage

At 21, Jemima Goldsmith married the 42-year old Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan on 16 May 1995 in a two-minute Islamic ceremony in Paris.cite news |title=Imran and Jemima married in Paris |publisher="The Times" |url= |date=1995-05-17 |accessdate=2007-10-08] The religious ceremony was followed, on 21 June, by a civil ceremony at the Richmond Register Office and a midsummer ball at Ormeley Lodge.cite news |last=Rosser |first=Nigel |title= Jemima arrives 12 minutes late for wedding No2 |publisher="The Evening Standard" |url= |date=1995-06-20 |accessdate=2008-06-22] Guests at the ball included Princess Michael of Kent, Elle MacPherson, David Frost, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Michael Parkinson, and Jerry Hall.cite news |last=Bruce |first=Rory |title=Blinis, Bolly and Brass bands for Jemima |publisher="The Evening Standard" |url= |date=1995-06-21 |accessdate=2008-06-22] Raised a Protestant,cite web|publisher="Despardes"|url=http://www.despardes.com/people/jemima-khan.html|accessdate=2006-06-05|title=The real Jemima Khan] Khan converted to Islam by taking the name Haiqa a few months before her wedding.cite web |last=Lundy |first=Darryl |title=Person Page 20306 |publisher=thePeerage.com |url=http://www.thepeerage.com/p20306.htm#i203051 |accessdate=2008-07-08] She claimed to have based her conversion on the writings of Muhammad Asad, Gai Eaton, and Alija Izetbegović. Khan has never used or been identified by her Islamic name.

The couple settled in Lahore, Pakistan, where Khan learned to speak Urdu and wore traditional Pakistani clothes. In 1999, in an accusation widely believed to be politically motivated, Khan was charged in Pakistan with the non-bailable crime of illegally exporting hundreds of tiles claimed to be centuries-old antiques of the Islamic era. She stayed with her mother in England due to the fear of incarceration,cite news |last=Hasnain|first=Ghulam|title=Coup paves way for Jemima's return|publisher="The Sunday Times" |url= |date=1999-10-17 |accessdate=2008-06-22] and only returned to Pakistan a year later when the case was dropped following General Pervez Musharraf's military coup.cite news |last= |first= |title=Pakistani court exonerates Jemima Khan |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/703245.stm |date=2000-04-05 |accessdate=2007-10-08]

While married to Imran, Khan spent four months each year and her pregnancies in England, referred to her mother's residence as the place she considered home, and gave birth to her sons at London's Portland hospital. She returned to UK full-time during Christmas 2002. She later recalled that, "I now think, my God, I mean, how did I live five years with Imran’s whole family, who I was very close to? I mean, I really liked and respected them, but obviously, they lived very, very differently... Certainly, I couldn’t make a change like that now." After 18 months of living separately and due to Khan's inability to settle in Pakistan, on 22 June 2004, Imran Khan released the following statement:

Relationship with Hugh Grant

Starting in 2004, Khan was involved in a high-profile relationship with movie star Hugh Grant, gaining a new level of fame as his girlfriend. A 2005 article in the "Evening Standard" magazine noted that while "Jemima's profile" was high since she married a Muslim man and moved to Pakistan, it was "soaring since she became involved with Hugh Grant".cite news |last=Radcliffe |first=Rebecca |title=Jemima's Jumble sale |publisher="Evening Standard" |url=http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/article589155.ece |date=2005-11-25 |accessdate=2007-10-05] Between 2004 and 2007, Khan accompanied Grant on the red carpet at the London and New York premieres of his movie "Music and Lyrics" and to other social events. As he is followed relentlessly by the paparazzi and featured in print and television media worldwide, Grant's relationship with Khan was high-profile.cite news |last= |first= |title=Life lessons |publisher="Times Online" |url=http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/article589155.ece |page=24 |date=2005-11-12 |accessdate=2007-10-05] A survey of visitors to London in 2005 showed that Grant and Khan were the couple with whom a majority of visitors wanted to travel the city.cite news |last= |first= |title=Celebrities reveal their London |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4460959.stm |date=2005-04-19 |accessdate=2007-10-05]

Grant refused to talk about the relationship in interviews and did not respond to tabloid and other media speculation. Khan was also asked about their rumoured marriage during a UNICEF campaign in 2005, but she only said, "I don't think I am any good at interviews and I am particularly hopeless when I am asked personal questions."cite news |last=Ryan |first=Susan |title='Wedding bells? The answer's no' |publisher="The Daily Telegraph" |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/02/22/ftjemima22.xml&page=1 |date=2005-02-22 |accessdate=2007-10-05] During the world premiere of "Music and Lyrics" in London, which was also attended by Khan's mother and several family members, Grant dispelled all rumours of an imminent wedding by declaring to an interviewer:

After three years together, in February 2007, Grant announced that the couple had "decided to split amicably".cite news |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKN1629135520070216 |title=Hugh Grant splits with girlfriend Jemima Khan |publisher=Reuters |date=2007-02-16 |accessdate=2007-02-24] Grant's spokesman added: "Hugh has nothing but positive things to say about Jemima." Since then, there have been many unsubstantiated reports about Grant's relationship with Khan because they have been spotted together.cite news |last=Walden |first=Celia |title=Jemima to be Hugh's bride and joy |publisher="The Daily Telegraph" |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/06/16/dp1601.xml#head2 |date=2007-06-16 |accessdate=2007-10-08] Neither Grant nor Khan have directly talked about their relationship and its breakdown to the press. Khan remains best known to much of the public for her highly-publicized relationship with Grant.

Charity and other works

Khan and her family often support London-based charities by attending society parties in their aid. Like her sister-in-law Sheherazade Goldsmith, Khan regularly supports the Soil Association, an environmental charity,cite web |last= |first= |publisher=Quintessentially Events |url= http://www.quintessentiallyevents.com/feastofalbion/committee.html |date= |accessdate=2008-06-20 |title=The Feast of Albion - committee] and the HOPING foundation, which works with Palestinian refugee children.cite news |last= |first= |publisher="HOPING Foundation" |url= http://www.hopingfoundation.org/fundraising/karaokewithstars.pdf |date=2007-06-21 |accessdate=2008-06-20 |title=Karaoke with the stars in aid of HOPING] She is also a member of the children's charity, Chain of Hope.cite web |last= |first= |publisher=Chain of Hope |url= http://www.chainofhope.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=36&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 |date= |accessdate=2008-07-05 |title=Charity Structure]

Khan became a UK Ambassador for UNICEF in September 2001 and has been on field trips to Kenya, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. She has helped raise awareness about UNICEF's Breastfeeding Manifestocite web |last= |first= |title=Protect breastfeeding in the UK |publisher=UNICEF UK |url=http://www.unicef.org.uk/campaigns/campaign_sub_pages.asp?page=76&nodeid=campaign_subpage76 |date= |accessdate=2007-10-05] and End Child Exploitation campaign, including the issues of child traffickingcite news |last= |first= |title=The horror of child trafficking |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/breakfast/3108819.stm |date=2003-07-30 |accessdate=2007-10-05] and child labour.cite web |last= |first= |title=Jemima's child labour campaign |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/breakfast/4282881.stm |date=2005-02-21 |accessdate=2007-10-05] In 2001, she raised funds to help refugees of the Afghan civil war in Pakistan.cite news |last=Khan |first= Jemima |publisher="Sunday Telegraph" |url= |date= 2001-04-08 |accessdate=2008-06-20 |title=The camp is a vast dump.] She also participated, with her mother and sons, in two demonstrations outside Downing Street in November 2007 against the imposition of a state of emergency in Pakistan.cite news |last=Lewis |first= Jason |title=Jemima Khan joins Pakistan protest - and mum Lady Annabel lends a hand |publisher="The Mail on Sunday" |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-492906/Jemima-Khan-joins-Pakistan-protest--mum-Lady-Annabel-lends-hand.html |date=2007-11-11 |accessdate=2008-06-23] Khan has written columns about her experience in Pakistan for newspapers such as "The Independent",cite news |last= Khan |first= Jemima |title= I am angry and ashamed to be British |publisher="The Independent" |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/jemima-khan-i-am-angry-and-ashamed-to-be-british-593083.html |date= 2003-04-02 |accessdate=2008-07-05] "The Guardian" and "The Times". From 21 October 2007 to 27 January 2008, she contributed 11 opinion comments to "The Daily Telegraph" and "The Sunday Telegraph".cite news |last= |first= |title= Telegraph: Jemima Khan |publisher="The Daily Telegraph" |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/search/sitesearch.do?selectedChannel=&sort=8&maxResults=20&startIndex=1&endIndex=20&aqgTitle1=&aqgTitle2=&advSearch=true&action=doAdvancedSearch&queryText=jemima+khan&includeWords=1&dateRestrictionType=1&timeFrame=0&startDateRange=&endDateRange=&sort=1&author=jemima+khan&displaySubChannelsFor=&selectedChannels=News&selectedChannels=Portal&selectedChannels=Sport&selectedChannels=Business&selectedChannels=Yourmoney&selectedChannels=Arts&selectedChannels=Comment&selectedChannels=Travel&selectedChannels=Fashion&selectedChannels=Earth&selectedChannels=Property&selectedChannels=Motoring&selectedChannels=Health&selectedChannels=Expat&selectedChannels=Promotions&selectedChannels=Technology&selectedChannels=Foodanddrink&selectedChannels=Gardening&selectedChannels=Family&selectedChannels=PressOffice&selectedChannels=Features&selectedChannels=Blogs&selectedChannels=Ultratravel |date= |accessdate=2008-06-18]

In 1998, Khan launched a non-profit clothing company that employed poor Pakistani women to embroider western clothes with delicate eastern handiwork,cite news |last=Menkes |first=Suzy |title=Jemima Khan: Shining Through |publisher="International Herald Tribune" |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/1998/09/01/jem.t.php |date=1998-09-01 |accessdate=2007-10-08] which were then sold under the label of Jemima Khan Designs in London and New York at outlets such as Mimi, The Cross, and Browns. Khan stated that all profits were donated to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. At the end of 2001, after producing three collections, her fashion label was closed.cite news |last= Laville |first=Sandra |title= Jemima Khan closes fashion label |publisher="The Daily Telegraph" |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml?xml=/fashion/2001/12/06/efjem06.xml |date=2001-12-06 |accessdate=2007-10-08] In 2008, she modeled the relaunched "Azzaro Courture" fragrance and was a guest co-designer of a small accessories collection with Azzaro's Vanessa Seward.cite web |last= Mann |first=Rebecca |title=Parfums Azzaro creates a new way to wear Couture |publisher=Moodie International Ltd |url=http://www.moodiereport.com/document.php?c_id=29&doc_id=17768 |date=2008-06-13 |accessdate=2008-07-05] cite web |last= Mann |first=Rebecca |title=Fashion scoop: Temporary star |publisher=WWD.com |url=http://www.wwd.com/issue/article/125939 |date=2008-06-13 |accessdate=2008-06-24] As voted for by the readers of the "Daily Telegraph", she was presented the Rover People's Award for the best dressed female celebrity at the 2001 British Fashion Awards.cite news |last= Robson |first=Julia |title=The best dressed |publisher="The Daily Telegraph" |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml?xml=/fashion/2001/02/28/efjem28.xml |date=2001-02-23 |accessdate=2008-07-05] Khan was featured on Vanity Fair's Annual International Best-Dressed List in 2004, 2005 and 2007.cite news |first= |last= |title=The 68th Annual International Best-Dressed List |id=ISSN|07338899 |publisher= "Vanity Fair" |page=290 |date=2007-09-01 |accessdate=2008-07-07]

References

External links

* [http://www.unicef.org.uk/celebrity/celebrity_biography.asp?celeb_id=14 Jemima Khan, UNICEF UK Ambassador] , official account of UNICEF activities
* [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/jemima-khan-in-islamabad-the-politics-of-paranoia-783560.html The politics of paranoia] , commentary on the 2008 Pakistani elections by Khan
* [http://www.islamicity.com/Mosque/MyJourney/Jemina_Goldsmith.htm Why I chose Islam] , Khan's 1995 editorial explaining her conversion to Islam