LONDON — Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, the British socialite, media personality — and, of late, clothing entrepreneur — has died at age 45. Palmer-Tomkinson, who had been suffering from non-life-threatening health problems, was found dead at her flat near London’s Earl’s Court on Wednesday afternoon.
London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers were called by the Ambulance Service, and that they are treating the death as “unexplained.”
Palmer-Tomkinson, a goddaughter of Prince Charles who was famous for her partying lifestyle, said late last year she was being treated for a non-malignant brain tumor. She had received treatment for a growth in her pituitary gland and had made a recovery. She was also suffering from an autoimmune disease that causes anemia and fatigue.
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Following news of her death, which was blasted by the BBC, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall issued a statement expressing their condolences. “We are deeply saddened and our thoughts are so much with the family,” they said. The prince is a close friend of her father, the Olympic skier Charles Palmer-Tomkinson, and her mother Patricia.
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Palmer-Tomkinson’s elder sister Santa Montefiore is the best-selling author of romantic novels such as “The Girl Inside the Castle” and “Daughters of Castle Deverill,” and her brother-in-law is Simon Sebag Montefiore, an historian and writer of and fiction and nonfiction.
Palmer-Tomkinson was a fixture of the party circuit — and the gossip columns of the British tabloids — throughout the Nineties, a member of a group of young, wealthy, upper-crust women who also included the-then Tamara Yeardye (later Mellon) and Tamara Beckwith.
“I’m so saddened to hear the news of Tara passing. I have vivid memories of Tara always adding life and fun to any dinner or party in London. Like so many she battled the demons of addiction, she will be missed,” said Mellon, upon hearing of her friend’s passing.
Palmer-Tomkinson was happy to share the scandalous behind-the-scenes goings-on in London’s party scene, documenting her exploits in a weekly, ghost-written column for the Sunday Times during the Nineties.
Sharp, witty and refreshingly frank about her life, she loved being the center of attention. At the annual Cartier Polo event in 2003, she told WWD: “Ah, polo! The men, the horses, the sweat, the trailers. I played until I was about 13 — until I discovered boys and snogging.”
Earlier that year, she spoke publicly about her private affairs, accusing the American model, singer and actress Lisa Barbuscia of having stolen property tycoon Anton Bilton from her.
Not surprisingly, she faced all sorts of criticism. The social commentator and coauthor of “The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook,” Peter York called her a “Chav Sloane” in his 2007 book “Cooler, Faster, More Expensive: The Return of the Sloane Ranger.” He was referring to wealthy young women who accessorize with gold chains and other “gangsta” add-ons.
In 2007, Palmer-Tomkinson released a book called “The Naughty Girl’s Guide to Life,” her personal version of a self-help book, with advice on topics such as how to talk your way into getting Chanel freebies; how to hitch a free ride on a private jet, and what to do if you wake up in bed with your boss.
She also took her vibrant personality to the small screen, starring in the British reality series “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.” Over the years, she also appeared in TV ads, wrote a few novels, and even recorded an album called “Flawed.” She was also a regular on the slopes of Klosters, Switzerland, where she had a home, and would sometimes ski with the royal family.
In the last decade, Palmer-Tomkinson retreated from the limelight and focused on treating her drug problems. One of her few public appearances was at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, where she wore a draped cobalt blue dress that she designed herself, teaming it with a hat in the same hue.
Last year, she realized a long-held dream, financing and running her own business, Desiderata London. She designed and manufactured a range of luxury onesies, which she called “kubbies.”
Her aim was to fuse the comfort of a bodysuit with the sophistication of a formal men’s shirt. “It’s all brilliantly made, so if you’re going to do a cartwheel, you don’t have to straighten yourself out afterwards. It just falls into place.”
She told WWD the idea came to her after she grew tired of cutting up her father’s tailored shirts and taping the collar and French cuffs to her neck and wrists. She said she could not believe there was not a similar product on the market: “The closest you could get to it is actually a Playboy outfit, or something for a male ice skater,” she said in March during an interview.
She loved the idea of being the boss of her own company. “I’ve always been orchestrated or directed to be what the program, commercial or brand wanted, and I’ve never done anything for myself, so this was a big departure. I own every shirt in the whole business. I am the ceo, and I’m really excited about it.”
She marked the launch with an accompanying campaign, where she was photographed wearing the “kubbies” teamed with romantic maxiskirts at her parents’ country estate.
She is survived by her parents, sister, and brother James Palmer-Tomkinson.
Details of the funeral have yet to be confirmed.