Imran Khan, the former son-in-law of the late Lady Annabel Goldsmith, has shared an emotional statement from prison, following news of her death earlier this month. The former Prime Minister of Pakistan, who is currently incarcerated, was married to Lady Annabel's daughter Jemima for nine years between 1995 and 2004. Imran shared his reaction to the sad news of Lady Annabel's passing on his official Instagram account. The statement read: "I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Lady Annabel Goldsmith. My family shared this heartbreaking news with me today while I am in prison. Annabel was a wonderful grandmother to my sons and an exceptionally kind and compassionate person."
Imran and Annabel's special bond
Imran, who shares two sons with Jemima, Sulaiman and Kasim, had an incredibly close bond with Lady Annabel. His statement went on to say that not only would he stay with Annabel when he'd visit London, but she also became like a mother to him. "During my visits to London, I would stay with her along with my sons. She became like a mother to me, especially after losing my own mother in 1985," the statement continued. "Her passing is a profound loss. My heartfelt thoughts are with all her children and grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by all of us. If I were not in prison, I would have attended her funeral along with my sons, Sulaiman and Kasim"
Who was Lady Annabel Goldsmith?
A close friend of Princess Diana, Lady Annabel was the muse behind the famous Mayfair club, which was created by her ex-husband, Mark Birley. She had six children, Rupert, Robin, and India from her first marriage and Jemima, Zac and Ben from her second marriage to Sir James Goldsmith, whom she married in 1978.
Just days before her death, Annabel attended the wedding of her son Zac to Hum Fleming, the scion of James Bond creator Ian Fleming. The couple tied the knot at St James’s Church in Longborough in the Cotswolds. Just like their high-society It-girl mother, Lady Annabel's children have taken up significant roles in English society. Newly-wed Zac was recently made a member of the House of Lords after serving as a prominent Conservative politician and former MP for Richmond Park. He held government roles including as a Cabinet minister and also ran in the London mayoral contest in 2016. Meanwhile, her daughter Jemima, now Jemima Khan, is a prominent TV and film producer and journalist, who notably contributed to the fifth series of the hit Netflix show The Crown.