Cherie Blair Attends Barbara Taylor Bradford’s Memorial

12th June 2025

Cherie Blair paid tribute to a cherished friend and literary icon with the following words:

I can hardly believe it’s been over 20 years since I first met Barbara in New York. Tony and I were attending an event while he was UK Prime Minister. Although I can’t recall the specifics of the event, I vividly remember meeting Barbara and, of course, her beloved husband, Bob.

Meeting her was such a thrill—not only because I had read her books, but also because she was a favourite author of both my mum and grandma. Barbara and I instantly connected as Northern girls who had ventured far from our roots, yet never forgot where we came from.

At the time of our first meeting, Tony had not read any of Barbara’s books, but he was so struck by her intelligence, elegance, and charm that he did subsequently watched the TV show and read the book!

Barbara and I stayed in touch, regularly meeting when I was in New York or when she was in London.

One memory I treasure is attending the Women of Substance Awards with her at the Dorchester in London in 2009. The awards were so typical of Barbara—her unwavering support for other women was truly inspiring. She even offered me invaluable advice when I was establishing my own foundation for women.

Barbara seemed ageless. Whenever we met, she was always engaged, well-informed, feisty, and, of course, impeccably dressed. She was the epitome of a woman of substance—wise, fun, and endlessly inspiring.

We will deeply miss her warmth, wisdom, and friendship.

Cherie Blair with Jenny Seagrove, St Bride’s Church, 2025.

Linked is an article on Wales Online highlighting how inspirational Barba Taylor Bradford was to Cherie Blair.